5-year-old birthday party ideas
Emily Gulla
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Planning a five-year-old's birthday party might seem like a huge task, but we know that organising a special celebration for your child is important for you and for them. This is everything you need to know, from venues to food to gifts.
Indoor party ideas
By five years old, your child will have started school - and not only will they have made loads more friends, they'll also likely have become a regular at their classmates' birthday parties, so they'll have a stronger idea of party structure and what to expect.
However, this doesn't mean they won't still be daunted by big groups on occasion - especially if they're the centre of attention! A large venue with loads of guests might make your child even more shy, and if that's the case then hosting their five-year-old party at home around familiar surroundings might be more enjoyable for them.
Otherwise, there are plenty of other indoor venues to choose from catering to different budgets, so why not try some of our other inside party options below?
Your own home
At five years old, your child will be more aware than ever that it's their birthday, but it also means their expectations will be higher than ever when it comes to games, decorations, a theme, food - everything!
They'll most likely have started to develop their own interests and hobbies, and these can make for a great birthday theme - whether it's dancing, football, swimming or theatre. Otherwise, classic themes like princesses, superheroes, animals, or a TV show they like such as PAW Patrol, will work really well.
You can make or buy decorations, like bunting and balloons, make themed food, and tell your guests to dress accordingly (which could be super cute!).
A party in your own home is also a great way to keep the cost low, and it offers you more control over how many people you invite and how long the party lasts for. However, just be mindful of numbers, as you don't want to make it more stressful by having a completely full house!
Activity parties
By five years old, your child will be old enough to enjoy an activity party, and it's a great way to do something that's a bit different than the parties they might have been to in the past. Many dance schools will host dancing parties with games and music, and some football clubs will host mini soccer parties which can be great fun for five-year-olds.
Time-wise, an hour to an hour and a half will be enough to tire the kids out.
Soft play centres
A soft play birthday party is an easy and hassle-free way to entertain a group of five-year-olds, and now that they're older they'll be able to enjoy the bigger sections of the play area with the older kids. However, if you're inviting children of different ages just make sure that all will be catered to. Most soft play parties will come with a party planner, food and sometimes even party bags included, so all you need to do is sit back and enjoy!
You can browse your local soft play centres with our handy search tool here.
Village hall or community centre
Your local village hall or play centre is another great indoor party venue, especially if you don't want to be restricted by the size of your home or the per-head cost of soft play. Plus, with all the energy that five-year-olds have, it'll be a great space for them to run around!
Hiring a hall will be the main cost you have to front, but you might want to add a bouncy castle, play equipment or a kids' entertainer. This can make it a bit more pricey, but is guaranteed to keep a room full of five-year-olds entertained. For less hassle, many halls will offer catering included, or if you want to keep costs down then consider making the food yourself (just bear the numbers in mind if you're doing so).
Check out your local halls for hire using our search tool - and remember to check that they offer children's parties as not all will.
Outdoor party ideas
Petting zoo
At five years old, your son or daughter will be curious about everything, and they'll probably LOVE being outside, so a trip to a petting zoo or farm can be an exciting and a semi-educational birthday party.
If your five-year-old is already familiar with smaller creatures like guinea pigs, bunnies and chicks, look for a petting zoo with larger animals, like goats and ponies, to really make them go 'wow'!
The kids will all get a chance to stroke or hold the animals if they want to, and you'll be able to snap some super cute photos to look back on! Just be prepared to answer a tonne of questions about getting a pet if you don't already have one.
Garden party
A garden party is the perfect compromise when it comes to an outdoor party that still maintains the familiarity of your own home, especially if you think your child might feel shy or daunted around a bigger group in an unfamiliar setting.
You can decorate the garden with bunting, hire a bouncy castle, or organise some ball games if you've got the space outdoors. Plus, you have freedom when it comes to the theme, with animal, dinosaur or football themes working well outside.
During the summer months, a water play party in shallow paddling pools will be endless fun and something a bit different that the kids might not have experienced before. Just of course make sure to supervise at all times.
Picnic
Going for a picnic party is an easy outdoor option, especially if the birthday boy or girl loves running around in the park. Get some friends and family together with picnic food, outdoor toys or ball games and head to an outdoor play area if you have one nearby.
There are plenty of games that can be played at a picnic, like pass the parcel (as long as you clean up afterwards), outdoor puzzles, tag or even take games like Twister outside. You might also want to bring chalks to draw on concrete, skipping ropes, or balls to play catch. The options are endless!
Who to invite
Once your child has started school, knowing who to invite to their birthday party can be a tricky one. First of all, it depends on where you're hosting. If you're having the party in your own home, you probably won't want 20 or 30 kids running around. However, if you're in the village hall this might be more do-able.
When it comes to etiquette rules to consider, if your child has been invited to a classmate's birthday party, then it's only kind to invite them back. Secondly, if you are planning on inviting a large number of your child's class to the party, don't just leave out a handful of kids as they might feel excluded.
At this age, it might still be nice for your child to spend quality time with a small number of their closest friends - and this way you won't have the hassle of entertaining a full class of kids.
This is also the age where some parents might be considering dropping their kids off at the party and collecting them at the end. Make sure you have enough adults on hand, whether it's family or friends, to supervise when considering the numbers. You could consider specifying on the invites whether you expect parents to attend or not. If you don't want parents to stay, arrange for a few close friends to hang around and give you a hand.
If your child is getting into arts and crafts, then sitting down to make some invitations together can be a fun way to get them involved in the planning - and it'll add a personal touch. It's a good idea to send invites out between two to four weeks in advance, and ask for RSVPs early too so that you can get organised.
Games and activities
By five years old, kids will be starting to get used to the structure of school, so they should respond well to party games with rules and instructions. Still, it's a good idea to keep things simple - and make sure to have small prizes on hand so that everyone feels like a winner (losing can still be upsetting at this age!).
Games like What's the time, Mr Wolf? and duck, duck, goose will be ones they are used to in the playground. Meanwhile, musical chairs and pin the tail on the donkey are party classics that will be quick and easy to play. Or if you want something that adults will enjoy too, why not try a game of limbo?
You can buy ready-made limbo games to make things easier. See more details here at Amazon.
Check out some more party games for five-year-olds here.
Food and drink
Party food
Your child and their guests will be having so much fun at the party that it's unlikely they'll be sitting down to eat - so small, bite-sized food is your friend here!
If you’re worried about making sure there’s enough food to go around, fill up a cardboard meal box for each child. That way, you know no one will miss out and they can always take it home if they're having too much fun for food.
Party foods like mini hot dogs, mini pizzas and finger sandwiches will go down well (and the adults can eat some too!). To sneak some healthy options in there, include some carrot or cucumber sticks and pieces of fruit like melon, banana and strawberries.
For more ideas, check out our party food guide here.
Drinks
For drinks, the healthiest option is to stick to water or milk. If you want to give five-year-olds fruit juice or smoothies, the NHS recommends that you stick to no more than one 150ml glass per day, served with a meal.
The NHS advises against fizzy drinks and squashes with added sugar for children, so they're best avoided. But if you want to give them as a party treat, perhaps do so after the food, so you know they're getting something nutritious, too.
If you’re at home and are worried about damaging furniture or carpets, keep the food and drink in a designated room or the garden. You'll thank yourself later!
Birthday cake
There are plenty of different options for birthday cake, depending on how much of a baker you are!
If you're opting for a themed party and want the cake to match, most supermarkets will sell themed birthday cakes - or you can contact your local cake maker for something extra personal. Guaranteed your five-year-old will love seeing all their favourite things in icing form!
For a middle-ground hack, buy a supermarket sponge cake and add the personalised decorations yourself. The kids won’t know any different and it's an easy way to create something unique at a low price. We've got plenty of cake decoration ideas for you to follow here, from castles to trains, to a classic caterpillar cake - whatever your five-year-old will love the most!
If you fancy baking your own cake, browse our library of recipes, from cupcakes to chocolate cake or rainbow cake, plus gluten free and egg free options, too.
Desserts
For extra dessert options other than cake, it’s a good idea to have some finger bites available, like little chocolate bites (though not too many!) and sliced pieces of fruit like melon, strawberries and banana to make sure the kids get something healthy too.
Jelly and ice cream is another classic party dessert, and one that the kids will love (and they'll likely start to expect, the more parties they attend!). To make it that touch healthier why not try some of our fruity ice cream recipes? Alternatively, you can serve sorbet as a dairy-free option that goes down a treat with kids.
Gift ideas
Whether you’re buying for your own child or giving gift ideas to friends and family, you want to make sure your child gets some birthday gifts they'll love! At five years old, they'll already be forming their own likes and dislikes, so you'll have a better idea of what they'll really enjoy. Plus, as they've just started school, educational gifts are a great idea to help them on their way.
Story books are always a great idea for a present. You can start off reading them to or with your child, and encourage them to work up to reading independently. As they get older and more capable of dealing with more complex games, kids' versions of adult games like Cluedo Junior will be exciting and make them feel like a grown-up!
You can buy Cluedo Junior here at Amazon.
Have a browse through some more of the best birthday gifts for five-year-olds here.
Party bags
Your five-year-old will likely have already been invited to lots of friends and family member's birthday parties, which means they'll quickly have gotten used to receiving a party bag each time, as will their friends! It can sometimes be tricky to know what to include ...
If you've thrown a themed party for your child, then having a theme to stick to for the party bags too makes it that bit easier. You can find cute stuffed animals for an animal theme or tiaras for princesses, for example. And if you host at a soft play centre or opt for an activity like dancing or football, often party bags will be included, which will save you time when it comes to organising.
For party bag gifts that won't end up straight in the bin, pop in some fun pencils, rubbers and notebooks for kids to get creative with. Classic big bouncy balls and cuddly toys will always go down well. Plus, if you're worried about the plastic waste, paper or fabric bags are great alternatives. Oh, and don't forget the cake!
Check out more party bag ideas here.
Tips for a great fifth birthday party
As with any party, planning ahead and getting organised with a list of everything you’ll need to do in advance of the big day will make things whole lot easier. These top tips should help things run even more smoothly:
- Child-to-adult ratio: At five years old, a few parents might be planning on dropping their kids off, rather than staying with them - so don't bank on parents sticking around to supervise! Make sure you've got enough adults, whether it's family members or friends, and if you're short ask the parents you know the best if they're able to stay. Make sure you reward them with some grown-up food, too (they'll be grateful!).
- Write down the gifts your child receives and who they're from as soon as your child opens them. You'll thank yourself later when it comes to writing thank-you notes!
- Set an end time on your invitations. If you're hiring a hall or a soft play centre, the party will have a time limit. But if you're hosting at home, make sure you specify an end time on the invitations. This way, guests won't outstay their welcome and all the parents will know what time to arrive to pick up. Around two hours is a good length for five-year-olds. Any longer and the kids will start to get tired.
- Don’t drop your usual rules. Okay, a party is a time for kids to have fun - but that doesn’t mean you should drop your usual rules when it comes to tantrums and misbehaviour. However you usually deal with a tantrum, the best thing to do at a party is to take your child away from the audience, so going to a free room is a good idea. For the best chance of avoiding any upset during the party, make sure the birthday boy or girl has an early bedtime the night before, so they'll be less likely to be irritable.
Looking for more birthday party ideas? Check out our articles below, or swap tips with other parents in our forum.
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