Planning Your Child’s Christian-Themed Birthday Party

Walk into any party supply store and you’ll find dozens of themed birthday party ideas, from American Idol to Zoology. But the thing is, they’ve all been done a thousand times before. Maybe you don’t want the same old, the same old. You want something different. More importantly, you’d like the theme to reflect your Christian beliefs, which Hannah Montana or Tony Hawk just can’t do.

Why not throw your son or daughter a Christian-themed party? Since you probably won’t find these themes in party supply stores, it will take a bit more planning. But with a little thought and a little extra time, you’re sure to end up with a fun and unique party that will be a hit with kids and parents alike.

Here are some ideas to get your creativity flowing:

NOAH’S ARK. Do you know someone who has a boat that you can borrow or rent for a day? Invite your child’s friends to a party on Noah’s ark. Dress up your child as Noah and have guests come dressed as their favorite animal. No boat available? No problem! Create your own ship in the basement or in the party room. Decorate with cut-out animals, rainbows, and other Noah’s Ark accessories.

Another option: If it’s a summer birthday and the weather is fine, hand out raincoats and turn on the sprinklers for forty minutes of fun in the “rain.”

PRINCESS. Who needs to dress up as Cinderella or Snow White? Your little girl is a daughter of the True King, so treat her like the true princess that she is! Invite all of her friends to the palace for a royal celebration. Have plenty of dresses, high-heeled shoes, and white elbow-length gloves on hand to dress up. Tiara is definitely required.

BIBLICAL CHARACTER. Ideal for any age. Have guests dress up as their favorite Biblical character. For the first game, play “ten questions” and allow the children to ask “yes or no” questions to see if they can figure out which Bible character their friends represent. If you prefer not to dress up, one game option is to affix the name of a Biblical character to the back of each guest. Then have the guests mingle and ask questions about their character to try to guess who they are.

THE INCREDIBLE CHURCH RACE. This is a great party idea for older kids who can drive. If you are a minor, designate a driver for each team car. Have the teams race (within the speed limit of course!) to a few different churches in the area and perform tasks, just like they would for a scavenger hunt. Perhaps they will need to get a newsletter from the secretary, take a digital photo of a staff member, or get the name of the youth pastor. If churches are closed, ask for a digital photo of the church as proof that they did their homework.

POPULAR VIDEO CHARACTERS. With so many Christian videos on the market, some kids are hell-bent on a specific character party. 1-2-3 Penguins, Hermie, Adventures in Odyssey, and Life at the Pond are all video-based themes that you can base your party around. And of course, Veggie Tales is one of those Christian themes you’ll find in your average party store.

Use these ideas as a springboard for your own creativity. Plan a party for your child that the children will not only enjoy, but will talk about for a long time.