Updated on: Oct 05, 2024
Toddlers don’t always make for the easiest party planner clients. Sometimes it can be hard to know which idea will be a hit, and what will leave your guests impatiently waiting for cake time. It can feel hectic, but with some guidance, you’ll be able to stay on top of all the steps. Here’s a list of 3-year-old boy's and girl's birthday party ideas that include fun games and party ideas that are sure to entertain your gaggle of 3-year-olds all day long!
3 Year Old Birthday Party Ideas: Decorations
1. Birthday Banner
Get all the guests into the birthday mood with shiny and colorful birthday banners. Choose colors and designs the birthday boy or girl will love so he or she feels special.
2. Birthday Age Balloons
You can get a ‘3’ balloon in the birthday boy or girl’s favorite color to accompany the birthday banner. Adding in other balloons like unicorn, race car, or flower balloons will brighten up the room and light up the faces of the kids.
3. ‘Happy Birthday’ Yard Sign
Spread the word about the birthday party with a lovely yard sign to put up on the special day. They are easy to set up and take down, saving you time and stress when you decorate for the big day.
4. Cartoon Figure Centerpieces
Place some lovable cartoon figures on tables and other furniture to delight the guests and create picture-perfect spaces for the kids to snap photos to be cherished long after the party. Kids will love posing with their favorite characters.
5. Hanging Swirl Decorations
Hang colorful paper decorations with swirly ribbons on chairs, from walls, near the door, or even from tree branches to captivate your guests. Simple yet eye-catching, they can quickly be put up and taken down.
3 Year Old Birthday Party Ideas: Favors
6. Bubbles
Your guests will love blowing and popping bubbles! Give them some bubble wands and they’ll instantly be busy with them.
7. Plastic Easter Eggs
You can put small items and candies in these Easter eggs to surprise your guests. It’s an especially fitting party favor if the birthday is in the spring, close to Easter, but it will also be perfect for birthdays year-round.
8. Stickers
Adding stickers to the goodie bags is a crowd pleaser! They can be put on anything — it’s all up to the kid. Stickers can also be used as prizes for winners of games and even as decorations for the party room.
9. Paper Tiaras
Make your guests feel like royalty with cute paper tiaras for them to wear both during and after the party. Kids can personalize them by drawing shapes like stars and swirls with markers. They can also even glue on paper jewels and other ornaments. They’re gifts guests will be sure to have fun with.
10. Toy Figures
If you’re throwing a dinosaur-themed party or just have a bunch of dinosaur-loving guests, get them some dinosaur toys as favors for them to bring home and play with. They might meet their new favorite dinosaur!
11. Mini Plush Toys
You can never go wrong with cute mini plush toys for the kids. Depending on the number of guests and the size of your goodie bags, you can stuff multiple plushies into each bag for everyone to play with.
3 Year Old Birthday Party Ideas: Food Ideas
12. Cupcake Toppers
From cartoon characters and superheroes to dinosaurs and trucks, make cupcakes an even sweeter treat for the little ones with various cupcake toppers.
13. Ring Pops
Bring these classic treats to your party and the guests will be all over them. Ring pops are both stylish and tasty, so they can make for pretty pictures as well.
14. ‘3’ Cookie Cutter
If you have a knack for baking or just want to try out some DIY, you could use cookie cutters in the shape of a 3 to bake cookies for the birthday party. Decorate them with sprinkles and icing to appeal to the little guests. You can leave them on a table for everyone to grab and also give them as prizes for games.
15. Popsicle Molds
If the party’s happening outside on a warm summer’s day, the guests will need some popsicles to stay cool. Make them in the shape of popular cartoon characters or other cute shapes.
16. Swirl Lollipops
The little guests are bound to love lollipops with extra pops of color! They can come in many shapes and sizes for the kids to have a good time eating.
3 Year Old Birthday Party Ideas: Games/Activities
17. Obstacle Course
Have a basket of sweets or small toys handy to reward the winner! Get creative in the yard with toys and household items and design a fun obstacle course. Or better yet, make it a competition! Let the kids help you create the obstacles and reward the designer of the toughest course.
18. Duck, Duck, Goose
This is perhaps the most classic of outdoor games, and for good reason! Duck, duck, goose is great for its simplicity and its uncanny ability to wear out the most energetic of kiddos!
For anyone who doesn’t remember the rules, arrange the guests in a seated circle outside and pick a volunteer to start. The “picker” taps each head as they go, calling “duck” with every tap. When they tap ahead and say “goose”, the “goose” jumps up and chases them around the circle. If the picker sits at the goose’s spot before the goose catches them, the goose is the new picker. If the goose catches them first, the picker must remain picker for another round. Kids will have fun running around throughout the game.
19. Race Paper Boats
Paper boats are an endless source of fun! Let the kids go wild with designing and constructing paper boats. The few materials required for this activity makes it a budget-friendly go-to option for your party. There are so many challenges--who can design the biggest paper boat? Whose will float for the longest time? Go the furthest? Hold the most pebbles while staying afloat?
20. Piñata
This is another tried and true game that’s sure to be a smash! Tie up a piñata filled with candy or toys and let each kid take a turn whacking it blindfolded. Safety precautions are critical for this one! Be sure everyone steers clear of the bat or stick, including anyone who is in the vicinity and not participating.
The last thing anyone wants is an inattentive guest meeting the wrong end of a swing. I’ve seen some unpleasant wounds from metal bats, so a plastic bat or lightweight stick is definitely preferred! Or better yet, opt for a piñata with a pull string!
21. Balloon Burst Game
Ask the kids to think up some fun challenges, like doing a cartwheel or singing a song. The options are endless. Write each suggestion down on a piece of paper, then blow up some balloons and put a piece in each one. Task the kiddos with keeping their balloon in the air for as long as they can while music plays. Whoever is touching their balloon when the music stops must do the challenge inside! You may want to refrain from letting the young ones pop their balloon themselves, depending on their age and comfort level.
22. Dress Up
No party is complete without a costume! Have the birthday kid pick a theme or let the kids go wild! They could throw on some capes and go on an adventure, design a crown and become a prince, or any number of other fun personas!
23. Finger Painting
Layout some newspaper and break out the paints and construction paper! Everyone will love getting to create something they can take home with them.
3 Year Old Birthday Party Ideas: Party Supplies
24. Animal Paper Plates
If your birthday boy or girl loves animals, serve your cake, sweets, and other snacks on animal paper plates. You can get plates with a variety of animals on them so all the guests can choose a plate with their favorite animal on it.
25. Patterned Napkins
Give your little guests something fun to wipe their mouths with by getting napkins featuring their favorite characters or animals. You can get them easily in bulk.
26. Custom Candles
To make the cake, always the highlight of the party, even more special, stick a ‘3’ candle in the center. You can customize it as well. The birthday boy or girl will have an extra fun time blowing out the candle if it celebrates their new age or even has their favorite Disney or other cartoon character on it!
27. Patterned Tablecloths
Make your table shine with tablecloth featuring cartoon characters, animals, flowers, or anything else the birthday boy or girl wishes. They are disposable, which makes for an easy time cleaning up without having to worry about stains and spills.
28. Superhero Plastic Cups
If your party is superhero-themed, pour beverages into Spiderman, Iron Man, Batman, or any other superhero-themed cups that the guests will love. Customize them by adding names to the cups. If you’re artistically inclined, you can even design your own by drawing on plain paper cups.
29. Simple Polka Dot Invitation
Keep it simple yet lovely with a polka dot invitation. You can customize the event details and either print copies out to distribute them to family and friends or send them by email.
30. Dinosaur Invitation
Your to-be-guests will be roaring to go with dinosaur invitations celebrating the birthday boy. You can customize the event details easily and send them digitally for convenience and speedy reception.
31. Princess Invitation
Make the birthday girl feel like a princess right from the beginning with princess invitations. Easily include all your event details and turn the party into a fairytale that will soon unfold. Family and friends will feel the magic when they receive them.
32. Animal Invitation
If the birthday boy or girl loves animals and you’re going with them as a theme, send out invitations with cute animals on them to get friends and family excited to attend the party. You can personalize the text to include an animal pun for laughs.
33. Sea-Themed Thank You Card
Thank your guests for coming to the party with a memorable thank you card according to your party theme. If it's sea-themed, get cards of sea life and popular sea-dwelling cartoon characters to remind everyone of the good times they had at the party.
3 Year Old Birthday Party Ideas: Conclusion
You can try out just about anything in your imagination to make the little boy or girl feel super special and proud to turn a year older on their birthday. There are plenty of ideas out there to inspire you and they don’t require you to break the bank. Whether the birthday boy or girl loves princesses, superheroes, animals, plants, or anything else, these suggestions can help you to start planning the most awesome party ever!
Written by Morgan McHose; Contributors: Jack Leduc and Elisa Sung