Each and every birthday our kiddos have is an exciting milestone. It’s an opportunity to celebrate our special little ones, look back on the previous years, and dream about their future. If you ask me, though, there’s something extra special about the 5th birthday. Besides turning a year older, they may be hitting bigger milestones in school and becoming more of an individual with their own interests, hobbies, and personalities.
While kids of all ages have their likes and dislikes, 5-year-olds have the ability to be much more vocal than they were in their younger years. A 5th birthday party might be one of the first where they play a major role in selecting the themes, decor, food, and guest list. Hosting a birthday party that perfectly captures their unique personality suddenly becomes more special than ever before. For some inspiration, we’ve rounded up 20+ of our favorite 5-year-old birthday party ideas for you and your birthday boy or girl to get excited about. We’ve organized some of these ideas based on girls and boys, but know that whatever will put a big smile on your 5-year-old’s face is the perfect theme just for them.
Find the best inspo for your soon-to-be 5-year-old here because I’ve rounded up the best birthday party themes for both boys and girls. Plus, I’m sharing neutral birthday party themes that any 5-year-old will love and birthday party tips to consider!
How to pick a birthday theme
When it comes to picking a birthday theme for your 5-year-old-to-be, leaning into their interests is helpful as a parent. Are they into Disney princesses, superheroes, or is their favorite activity going camping with the family? It’s a fun age to ask them what theme they’d like to have. Give them some options, or sometimes, they’ll express the type of birthday theme they want before you even have to ask.
5th birthday party ideas for girls
Rainbow Princess
This whimsical birthday party is the perfect aesthetic for a little girl who loves rainbows, princesses, fairies, and all.
- Decor: Decorate with butterflies and an array of different colored flowers, and blow up a castle-shaped bounce house.
- Party favor ideas: Add washable butterfly tattoos, a toy crown, and a treat to your guests’ goodie bags.
Encanto
Talk about…an exciting birthday theme! For the most colorful birthday party of all, consider an Encanto theme for littles who play the soundtrack on repeat. With the popularity of the movie, there won’t be a shortage of party supplies at our favorite stores.
- Decor: Perhaps the best part about this theme is the dress-up opportunity. Plus, the costumes can potentially double as kids’ Halloween costumes—a win-win!
- Activity: Be sure to carve out time in the itinerary for a rewatch of the beloved film.
Five is a vibe retro birthday
… and it’s a good one! Head back to the decade of peace, love, and flowers with this adorably colorful theme. Crank up some fun-loving tunes for a hippie-approved day.
- Decor: Flower power is the name of the game, so don’t be afraid to add extra floral balloons and touches to the decor. Disco balls are also encouraged.
- Party favor ideas: Encourage kids to dress in theme, and hand out groovy party favors like sunglasses and disco keychains to adorn their school backpacks.
Under the sea
Because we know they’ll make a big splash coming into their fifth year, start it out under the sea! Whether they are a fan of the new or classic Little Mermaid film or simply love the mythical sea creatures, this party option will be fun for everyone.
- Decor: Incorporate lots of bright colors like blues, pinks, purples, and oranges for eye-catching decorations. And don’t forget the mermaid tails throughout for an added touch.
- Activity: Make your very own mason jar aquariums with the kids, and let them pick their own aquarium plants, seashells, and plastic fish to display in the jar.
- Party favor ideas: Don’t let guests leave without some mermaid slime, bubbles, or mermaid bracelets.
Princess Tiana
Have a royal party with the theme of one of the favorite Disney princesses, Princess Tiana.
- Decor and food: Tap into the New Orleans culture and serve the classic New Orleans staples, like beignets, gumbo, or king’s cake.
- Activities: Play a game of leapfrog, play dress-up, or have a New Orleans-styled tea party.
- Party favor ideas: Box up your little one’s favorite pastries from “Tiana’s bakery.”
In a Barbie world
Since the Barbie movie took the world—and theaters—by storm, we haven’t stopped loving this theme. The classic icon has always had a special place in our hearts.
- Decor: Dress in costume, play with dolls, and, of course, have an adorable pink backdrop for tons of photo ops.
- Party favor ideas: For the goodie bag, use a Barbie favor box and fill it with fun goodies, like pink sunglasses and other sweet treats.
Hello Kitty
Say “hello” to five years with your little one by celebrating with Hello Kitty. This adorable theme is a cute way to celebrate.
- Decor: Grab Hello Kitty and all of her friends and integrate them into the decor, like Pochacco, Keropopi, Cinnamoroll, and more.
- Activity: For an easy birthday party activity, set up a Hello Kitty paint station with Hello Kitty printouts that the kids can take home with them, too.
Wicked-ly 5
Have a Wicked-ly great birthday party, and plan the best celebration with our favorite witches, Elphaba and Glinda.
- Decor: Dress up as Elphaba and Glinda, and play the beloved Wicked soundtrack from start to finish (and on repeat!). Use shades of green and pink, and encourage guests to dress the part if they want to.
- Party favor ideas: Go all out, and stick with the theme of Elphaba and Glinda. Give away Wicked pens or matching Wicked bracelets.
Read More: ‘Wicked’ Birthday Party Ideas for Hosting a Swankified Celebration
Flamingo theme
Choosing flamingos as the main decor is a trendy and cute birthday theme for a fifth birthday, especially if you’re having a pool party for a summer birthday.
- Decor: Decorate with flamingo inflatables, floaties, and all things pink. Surely, all the kids will come ‘flocking’ to this sweet-themed birthday.
- Activity: Play a fun game of flamingo ring toss.
5th birthday party ideas for boys
Five-Asaurus
For 5-year-olds, dinosaurs and the Jurassic Park theme might be a kid favorite. With shows like Dino Dan or Dinosaur Train, it can be fun to immerse your 5-year-old guests into the world of dinosaurs.
- Decor: If choosing to stick with the Jurassic Park theme, make a park sign with your child’s name next to “World.” Incorporate jungle colors with shades of greens and browns. Dinosaur blow-up balloons and dinosaur characters are a great way to give them the dino experience.
- Party favor ideas: Purchase a Dino eggs dig kit and dino Play-Doh for party favor fillers.
LEGO birthday
If your 5-year-old-to-be is a little builder, throw them a Lego-themed birthday party. From setting up LEGO building stations as birthday party activities to offering easy party favors, a LEGO-themed birthday is sure to be a hit.
- Decor: Make DIY Legos for decor by wrapping boxes in a variety of different sizes with solid wrapping paper. To give the LEGO touch, glue matching-colored plates on the boxes to make them look like life-sized Legos.
- Party favor ideas: Hand out fun LEGO glasses and a LEGO sensory kit for each child to go home with.
Pokémon celebration
Pokémon masters, rejoice! The Pokémon craze usually starts around the age of 5 or 6 years old, so a Pokémon birthday party is a great idea. Catch ’em all with this fun birthday theme.
- Decor: Get balloons of their favorite characters, and have a Poké ball cake.
- Activity: Have some game time included in the itinerary.
- Party favor ideas: There are so many gift choices available in the franchise theme, meaning the fun can go on and on, even after the party ends. So, why not give away packs of Pokémon cards?
Beach birthday bash
Have a little one that grew their sea legs and can’t stop using them? Celebrate their love for the ocean with a beach birthday bash. Whether you live by the water or not, there are tons of decorations available celebrating the colorful and fun world in the water.
- Decor: Fill the space with tons of blue decorations, beach balls, and balloons shaped like sea creatures for an underwater celebration they’ll never forget. If possible, make it a pool party for hours of fun in the sun!
- Party favor ideas: Fill goodie bags with sunglasses, bubbles, and a fun beach-themed straw.
Race into 5
Race into year number five! The years from ages 1 to 5 can go so fast, and it may seem like a blur. With your child’s fifth lap around the sun, celebrate with a Cars-themed fifth birthday celebration.
- Decor: Set the space up with tires (fake or real) and a balloon garland with hues of blue, orange, and tan. Instead of a “Route 66” sign, display a “Route 5” sign.
- Activity: Have plenty of toy cars available for playtime. The kids will have a blast spending the day racing away.
- Party favor ideas: Give away Cars stickers and toy cars.
Mario
A Mario-themed birthday party is a birthday theme classic. Dress up as the Mario cast (perfect to reuse as a Halloween costume), and make it extra fun for the whole family.
- Activity: For a birthday activity, have a Mario-themed piñata to make it feel like the kids are in the video game.
- Party favor ideas: Mario-themed Play-Dough kit and Mario character masks placed in themed goodie bags.
Spiderman
Is your little one inviting their ‘amazing friends’ this year? Then a Spiderman birthday party might just be the way to go.
- Decor: Hang spiderwebs on the wall with a balloon Spiderman hanging on the ceiling, and serve a Spiderman birthday cake.
- Party favor ideas: Give away activity sets with crayons and Play-Doh, and give the kids their very own spiderwebs with Spidey party string spray.
Batman birthday
Help them feel like turning 5 is their superpower with this Batman-themed party. We love this theme because it opens the door for tons of pretend play. We know everyone will want to play Batman and Robin and help save Gotham City from the Joker.
- Decor: Keep the color palette simple with blacks, whites, grays, and the iconic yellow. Set up tons of balloons and pick up some Batman decorations to make them feel like they walked into the Bat Cave. For a full experience, turn the space into Gotham City.
- Party favor ideas: Provide Batman masks for the kids to run around and play in, as well as Batman capes as a party favor.
Gender-neutral 5-year-old birthday party ideas
Happiest birthday on Earth
When renting out the “Happiest Place on Earth” isn’t in the budget, consider bringing Disneyland or Disney World to your little one!
- Decor: All of the magic can be recreated in-house with themed balloons, cakes and cupcakes, themed cookies, ‘tickets,’ and a real-life Disney character.
- Activity: If hiring an actor isn’t a possibility, consider dressing up as your kid’s favorite character yourself or having their guests wear Disney-themed outfits.
Bingo! We’re 5!
In the show, Bluey, the sweet younger sister, Bingo, is 5 years old. What better way to ring in a birthday than with Bluey and Bingo? Have a backyard barbecue, just like Bluey and Bingo’s family love to do.
- Decor: Decorate the area with the Bluey characters, of course. And as far as colors go, use shades of yellow, blue, and orange, and add a balloon arch to really make the place pop.
- Activities: Make a Bluey duck cake from Season 2, episode 43, and play games like ‘keepy uppy’ and pass the parcel.
Read More: A ‘Bluey’ Birthday Bash: Twin Toddlers’ Party is All About the Details
Ice cream party
It sure is sweet to turn 5! For little cuties sweeter than ice cream, this may be the theme of their dreams.
- Decor: Use ice cream-themed decor, tons of colorful balloons, and have plenty of ice cream available to top off this delicious party.
- Activity: Make it even more personalized by setting up an ice cream bar so each child can add their favorite toppings.
Pizza party
You can never go wrong with a pizza party theme. Whether your little one is obsessed with pizza, the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Toy Story’s Pizza Planet, or reads the Secret Pizza Party book as a bedtime story, the love for pizza is real for both kids and adults.
- Decor: Decorate with a pizza banner, and use red and white gingham tablecloths—anything with a touch of pizza, really.
- Activities and food: Let the kids make their own mini pizzas. Serve them hot and ready, or think outside the box and make pizza bagels, pizza pinwheels, and pepperoni pizza sliders. For dessert, make cookies and creme dessert pizza.
Happy camper
Whether you opt for classic camping or throw in some dinosaurs for an adventurous twist, a camping theme will get any 5-year-old excited for their birthday.
- Activities: Go all out and have your kiddo’s friends for a camping sleep under the stars, or simply have a cute tent set up for photo ops. Play games like a scavenger hunt, roast marshmallows, sing campfire songs, and have a classic cookout for the camp experience of a lifetime.
- Party favor ideas: Send each child home with a s’mores kit filled with the essentials: a baggie of graham crackers, Hershey’s chocolate, and marshmallows.
Practical tips for celebrating a 5th birthday party
Have a variety of snacks and drinks
If your 4-year-old who’s turning 5 is anything like mine, then a variety of finger foods is the way to go. Play is the top priority, so anything they can quickly grab and take on-the-go while playing with their friends is key. Pick anything from chicken nuggets to pretzels to pizza bites to fruits and veggies, and you can’t go wrong. If it’s a smaller group, asking parents what their child’s food preferences are and what allergies they have can be helpful when narrowing down food choices for the party.
Consider party size and siblings
With this age group, be aware that parents may have to bring siblings to the party. Parents have different views on whether or not siblings can attend. Be mindful of birthday party etiquette and expectations and what works best for you and your family to address this topic.
Pick the right location
Choose a location that works for the number of guests attending the birthday party. If you need a little more space, consider renting a room out at a venue or having the birthday party at a local spot, like a park.
Consider whether you invite the whole kindergarten class
With starting preschool or kindergarten, this may be the first year where inviting the whole classroom is a possibility. A few things to think about are the size, budget, and what works best for your child when it comes to their friend dynamic.
Choose the best time for a kids’ party
Typically, a birthday party anywhere from an hour and a half to two hours is ideal. Planning around brunch or lunchtime is the perfect transition to cutting the birthday cake. Or if you’re opting for serving snacks versus a full meal, an afternoon party might be best.
What games work best for 5 year-olds?
Keeping kids entertained during a birthday party doesn’t have to be tricky. I’m sharing how to pick the right game for 5-year-olds by leaning into dramatic play and providing games that go with the birthday theme, and if all else fails, you can’t go wrong with the classic kids party games we grew up with.
Lean into dramatic play
5-year-old birthday parties can be extra fun because at this age, kids love dramatic play. Setting up the party with a space where they can play “pretend” is an activity in itself. Having an ice cream party? Then set up an ice cream parlor station where your child’s friends can take turns serving pretend ice cream to each other. Does your little one love Disney princesses? Indicate on the invitation that dressing up as a Disney princess is welcome.
Provide games that go with the theme
Playing into the theme when thinking of games can help too. For example, if you’re throwing a Mario-themed birthday party, set up piñatas around the room decorated as stars or question mark blocks that the kids can take a swing at when the time is appropriate. For a Pokémon-themed birthday party, set up places where kids can trade cards and play the game together.
Play simple games
Pull out the classic budget-friendly birthday games you may have grown up with, like musical chairs, freeze dance, and duck, duck, goose.
FAQs
How long should a 5‑year‑old’s party last?
The party should last between one and a half and two hours.
Should the birthday party be outdoors or indoors?
Consider the season and the predicted temperature of the day. If the forecast looks like it is going to rain, notify guests and their parents if there’s a change in location.
How many games should I plan for a party this age?
Have one to two games ready. Some of the time can also be used for open play.
Read More: 22 Birthday Party Activity Ideas for Preschoolers and Young Kids
Brett Nicole Hayden, Former Assistant Editor
As a former Assistant Editor, Brett worked with the editors of The Everymom on the content creation process by updating stories, sourcing images and graphics, and pitching and contributing her own articles. Her favorite topics to write about are culture, relationships, and living. She’s also a baby names and family movies expert!
Patty Schepel, Editorial Assistant
As the editorial assistant, Patty works with The Everymom’s team on pitches, creating original articles, updating existing content, photo sourcing, writing shopping product descriptions, inputting freelance articles, and more. With Patty’s passion for writing, experience as a mother of two, and expertise as a pediatric nurse, she brings a thoughtful and informative perspective to The Everymom. When she’s not working, you can find her spending time with her family, training for half marathons—she ran one 16 weeks pregnant—traveling, cooking, reading a rom-com, and keeping her sourdough starter, Rose, alive.
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