Birthday Party Ideas for Every Age Group
You've got the cake, the candles, the balloons, and the guest list, but now you're wondering how to make this years' birthday for your child extra special. We think we might just have that extra special thing you're looking for -- crafting! We love crafts for kids and teens and the creative outlet they provide. Not only can everyone have a fun time, but what they make counts as a party favor as well! Creating art with friends is a fun way to connect and learn more about each other!
We’ve collected a list of our favorite crafts for kids and teens according to age group. We hope this inspires you and your child to get creative for their birthday!
Ages 6-9
Sand Art
Sand art is a classic kids' craft for a reason! After picking a fun container, the artist fills it with different colors of sand to create a marbled or layered effect. It’s easy to do and fun to bring to life. Kids also enjoy the texture of the sand and feeling it between their fingers. Just be sure to use trays or scrap paper to catch all the excess sand so you can easily clean later!
Friendship Bracelets
Making friendship bracelets out of beads, rubber bands, or string is a classic summer activity. Why not integrate it into a birthday party? Kids have the ability to create fun designs as well as match bracelets with each other. This is also an activity that creates very little mess compared to using paint (or the dreaded glitter). Wearing their work afterword is also a source of pride and joy in their hard work, as well as a way to connect with friends at school! It also creates a fun artifact from childhood that your child can look back on later.
Pour Art
Want to try out painting in a new and exciting way? Pour art is the method of pouring paint over a canvas or object to create a wavy and cool color mix. You get fun and surprising patterns through pouring and it so fun to watch gravity do it’s work creating fascinating patterns through drips and drops. Pour art is fun and versatile as well. You can make keychains, paint rubber ducks, or work on a flat canvas. Just make sure you’re protecting against a painterly mess!
Ages 10-18
Chunky Knit Pillow
Knitting a pillow might sound overwhelming at first, but with the right yarn and guidance you can knit your own pillow in 2 hours or less! The pillow is also soft and snuggly and can be decorated to look like a stuffed animal or doll with a little extra creativity. If your child is interested in knitting, crochet, or fashion in any way this is a great activity to try out knitting and introduce them to some basic fiber skills. Plus, it’s just a cute pillow!
Fabric Painting
Decorating a pencil pouch or tote bag is a great way to create an original accessory with little prior art experience. Get out some paper and pens and let the party goers plan out their designs, then transfer them onto the fabric with fabric markers. We love throwing in stencils as well to really guide the vision and help get some crisp lines for the finished piece. Another decorative idea you can explore is zentangle drawing, which is a form of drawing that encourages going with the flow to create larger and larger patterns. Something freeform can really help amp up the fun and relaxation of the party!
Succulent Terrarium
Succulents and cactuses are cute and easy to care for -- perfect for tweens looking to take care of easy plants! You can get crafty and dress up your plant by making a succulent terrarium. A succulent terrarium consists of a bowl or fun shaped container where the succulent is planted and then decorated with rocks, figurines, and more. They're super fun to make and make great pieces of decor. Talk about the best party favor ever!
Ages 14-18
Candle Making
Explore scents through candle making! Being able to test out and smell multiple essential oils is a blast and a great conversation starter with friends. Trying out different mixes of scents as well is a sensory experience we don’t always think about or get to indulge in. Candle making at home is also surprisingly accessible! With a stovetop, wax, wicks, glass jars, and essential oils you are well equipped to take on candle making!
Dry Floral Arrangement
The great thing about dry florals is that they don’t wilt, die, or require any care! It’s a perfect way to explore floral arrangement and be able to keep the arrangement for a long time afterwards. You can get dried florals from your local florist or craft store. You’ll also potentially want tissue and ribbon to tie together your finished bouquet. Or, dry floral foam if you want to build an arrangement in a jar or vase if you want more stability.
Decoupage & Collage
Collage and decoupage are great ways to get creative! The act of rearranging and recombining images is also a great creative exercise with no prior experience needed. Our studio has a fun selection of vintage prints and fashion magazines to create a custom image that inspires! Finished collages is great for decorating rooms and walls. We also have poster frames for sale at the store for a finishing touch and one-stop-shop.
While collage is done on a flat surface, decoupage is done on objects meant to be used in day-to-day life. You can create special objects through decoupage like a coin bank, coaster, jewelry box, or tray that you can use over and over again.
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I hope that our list inspires you to get crafty this year! We host birthday parties for all age groups. (Adults, too!) Interested? Check out our availability and learn more about our birthday party packages here.
And if you get the creative urge -- no matter if it's your birthday or not -- make sure to stop by and make something with us! Our Open Studio is available whenever we're open so you can make your next masterpiece. We hope to see you around!
Until next time, keep crafting!
