Updated on: Oct 05, 2024
Looking for a way to include fun activities into your party plans? A bowling theme party is a great idea for birthdays, company team building events, holidays, and end-of-school celebrations. With our ideas for decorations, favors, food ideas, games and activities, supplies, and invitations, your bowling party will be a perfect strike!
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Bowling Theme Party: Decorations
1. Centerpiece
Set up a miniature toy bowling set or pre-arranged vases at the center of the table for a fun bowling-themed centerpiece.
2. Garland
Create a bowling theme garland by cutting out bowling-related pictures, such as bowling balls, pins, shoes, and shirts, out of colored paper. Then, attach them to a length of string to add the perfect touch to your decorations.
3. Signs
Make some signs for your party with bowling theme phrases. Some options are “Let The Good Times Roll,” “Party at the Lanes,” or vintage-looking signs. Get creative with the bowling puns. You can also find customized bowling signs for the guest of honor!
4. Balloons
Use a black sharpie to draw three holes onto marbleized balloons. They will look like bowling balls! You can buy a variety of these at many online vendors!
5. Banner
Create a banner for the guest of honor with a bowling theme design on it, such as a bowling ball about to knock over some pins. Customize a banner for an even memorable event! If the event is for a birthday party, search for themed birthday banners!
6. Neon Bowling Sign
Nothing says retro bowling party like a neon bowling sign!
7. Wall Décor
Decorate the walls with bowling posters or hanging wall decals to really set the party vibe!
8. Lights
Dress up the dark bowling alley with strings of Christmas lights. These can be plain white or colored, whichever you prefer. Or use glow-in-the-dark bowling pins for a fun addition!
9. Yard Signs
Let your guests know which house/venue the party is at with a bowling-related yard sign or even a customized sign with your event details on it.
10. Streamers
Get some colorful streamers and hang them up in the venue or house. The best colors for bowling would be red and white!
11. Do-It-Yourself Bowling
Create your own bowling pins and balls to decorate your party area. Simply spray paint 16 oz soda bottles white and paint a red stripe around the necks once they are dry. For the balls, simply paint foam balls black and punch out three finger holes. You can use these as centerpieces or you can hang them from the ceiling. You can also use them to line the walkway to the party area.
Bowling Theme Party: Party Favors
12. Pens
Give a unique and funny gift of bowling pin-shaped pens.
13. Trophies
Let everyone be a winner by giving your guests miniature bowling trophies.
14. Bowling Treats
Give your guests paper baskets full of treats that look like bowling items. For example, Nutter Butter cookies resemble bowling pins while gumballs resemble bowling balls.
15. Bowling Goodies
Fill a treat bag with small bowling-related items such as temporary tattoos, charms, or keychains.
16. Scorecards
Let your guests keep their scorecards along with a photo taken of them in a mid-bowling stance.
17. Stress Toys
Give your guests a bowling pin-shaped stress toy, a unique party favor that is, memorable and entertaining.
18. Bowling Apparel
Purchase some bowling socks or t-shirts and guests can wear these right at the party and then take home as a memory!
19. Bowling Set
Give your guests a bowling alley to take home with them! Buy some miniature bowling sets as a parting gift.
Bowling Theme Party: Food Ideas
20. Cupcake Topper
If you're choosing cupcakes over cake, you can find themed cupcake toppers or DIY them by cutting out related pictures and glueing them on wooden sticks.
21. Cake Topper
Decorate your cake with a bowling theme topper or you can customize one for the guest of honor! Or print out pictures of bowling accessories such as bowling bags, shirts, and shoes and cut them out. Then, tie a piece of string between two popsicle sticks and attach the pictures to the string with miniature clothespins. Stick the popsicle sticks into your cake.
22. Edible Candy Decoration
Want a cake without as much pizzazz or want to add even more? Edible candy/fondant pieces can be added to any cake or cupcake!
23. Candles
Top your cake off with bowling-themed candles. Find candles shaped like bowling pins or bowling balls and your party will be on fire!
24. Cupcake Holder
Add a little extra to your cupcakes by using a paper cupcake holder to cover up the wrapper.
25. Cookie Cutters
Get cookie cutters in the shape of bowling pins or bowling balls. Not only can you make shaped cookies, but you can create finger sandwiches with these shapes as well!
26. Popcorn Holder
Make your serving sizes pop with a colorful popcorn holder that goes along with your theme. This will also make serving easier and mess-free!
Bowling Theme Party: Games & Activities
27. Photo Booth
Take your party to the next level and create a photo booth area to give your guests the chance to take home memories. Cut out bowling related pictures/phrases and glue them onto wooden sticks or find pre-made photo accessories.
28. Prediction
Have everyone predict the number of pins they’ll knock down before they bowl. You can have everyone predict only whether they’ll knock over an even or odd number of pins, or you can have them be specific about the number of pins they’ll hit to make it more difficult. Keep track of each time someone guesses correctly. Award the player who guessed correctly the most times.
29. Bowl Differently
For one of your bowling games, have everyone bowl backward or with their least dominant hand. Keep score on who does the best, or the worst! This will be as fun as it is challenging.
30. Piñata
Piñatas are always a hit at parties. Use a bowling pin piñata and fill it with lollipops, chocolates, and bowling-themed key chains.
31. Scratch Off Game
One way to create excitement and anticipation is to have a scratch-off game where your guests can earn a prize if their scratch off reveals a certain picture.
32. Bowling Pin
Purchase bowling pins, get a wooden pin-shaped board, or ask the bowling alley for a spare pin they no longer need and have all of the guests sign it with colored sharpies. This makes a great memento for the guest of honor. These personalized bowling pins make for the perfect accent for your party.
Bowling Theme Party: Supplies
33. Plates
Themed plates are essential to any event. Find awesome plates that have bowling pins or fun sayings on them to pull your party together!
34. Cups
Whether you choose to use paper or plastic cups for your party, have fun with the options! Another option would be these plastic reusable bowling pin-shaped cups which also double as a party favor!
35. Ice Cubes
Order circle shaped ice cube trays and add fun bowling ball ice cubes to any guest's drink!
36. Napkins
There are a number of options out there for themed napkins. If you are having a glow-in-the-dark or even retro themed bowling party, these napkins would fit the aesthetic nicely!
37. Tablecloth
Tablecloths are another easy decoration that are visually pleasing and practical to your needs. Tablecloths can pull together nay party look and can be used on food, activity or gift tables. Mix and match different styles to get the look you are wanting!
38. Table Runner
If you are selecting clear/solid colored tablecloths instead of a themed tablecloth like seen above, then you can get a themed table runner! This will still tie in a theme to your table while still being simple.
Bowling Theme Party: Invitation Ideas
Bowling is such a fun thing to do with friends and family but it will hold more memories during a party and how you invite them should be special. You will get people talking about the party no doubt about that. Invitations set the tone for your party!
39. Phrases
Use plenty of bowling puns when writing your invitations. For example, use phrases like "Let's Strike Up the Fun," or "Let's Get the Party Rollin'."
40. Themed Invite
If your party theme is even more detailed (for example, a glow-in-the-dark bowling party) find or DIY invitations that will get that across to your guests!
41. 3D Invitations
Paint a black plastic craft ball and add three finger holes in a different color so that it looks like a bowling ball. Then, write your party details on a colorful tag and tie it to the craft ball. This creative idea is a great addition to bowling parties!
42. Bowling Pin
Cut the shape of a bowling pin out of white paper and add a strip of red paper to the neck. Write your party details onto the pin with a red pen.
43. Bowling Ball
Create an invitation shaped like a bowling ball! Simply cut out a large circle from black paper and three small circles from white paper. Glue the white circles to the black circle in the form of a triangle so that they look like bowling ball finger holes. Use a gel pen to write the party details on the back of your bowling ball. You can mail these in CD envelopes.
44. Bowling Bag
Order invitations in the shape of a bowling bag if the party is going to turn into a sleepover. Ask guests to pack their bags and come enjoy a bowling and slumber party.
45. Customized
Customize your invitations to save yourself time from writing the same information over and over!
Bowling Theme Party: Conclusion
Don't settle for less when it comes to your party planning ideas. With these bowling theme party tips and tricks, your party is sure to score a strike! If any of these ideas for bowling theme parties helped you plan the celebration you desired, be sure to check back with us when planning all of your future parties!
Check out our other adult birthday party ideas to gain insight on budgeting, themes, best gifts, and other ideas!
Written by Jessica Bundy; Contributors: Vanessa Marsocci, Jack Leduc, Sadie Penwright and Savannah Harrold