Updated on: Oct 05, 2024
Make your child's birthday the most magical birthday party they will ever experience! A Harry Potter theme is a fun idea for children and adults too. There are so many ways to do a Harry Potter birthday party but we can help you narrow it down to what your child will love most.
Harry Potter Birthday Decorations
1. Platform 9 3/4 curtain
Hang this curtain in the doorway to the party room and everyone will start their journey to Hogwarts the proper way.
2. Candles
To make the party room feel like the Great Hall during a feast you need floating candles. Any of these flameless tapers could be hung from the ceiling using fishing line to make it look like they are floating.
3. Balloons
No birthday party is complete without balloons. Get any of these Harry Potter-themed balloons or get solid color balloons for a bit less. For a general Hogwarts theme you need red, blue, yellow, and green balloons. For a Gryffindor theme go with red and gold. Hufflepuff is yellow and black; Ravenclaw is blue and bronze; Slytherin is green and silver.
4. Potion Jar Centerpieces
Put these labels on different-sized jars and add them to your table with some different colored liquids inside. Some of these are described in the books and you can find descriptions online but only the hard-core fans will call you out. Have fun making some cool colors with your child and add some cornstarch to a few of the "potions" to thicken them.
5. Hogwarts House Banners
Instead of just having a banner saying happy birthday, have the banners from each house at the birthday party. Have them set up at specific tables and have the kids choose what “house” they want to be a part of or just have them hanging around.
Harry Potter Birthday Favors
6. Harry Potter Candy
Every child who loves Harry Potter wants to try all the sweets and treats mentioned. Here you can buy Bertie Botts Every Flavor Beans, Chocolate Frogs, and more. You could hand these out in bags for the kids or let them choose what they want from a Honeydukes setup. The banner and signs are included so you just need some bowls or jars.
7. Wands
Let the kids, or even yourself, become the wizard you always wanted to be with a wand for a party favor.
8. Harry Potter Glasses
Look like everyone's favorite wizard, Harry Potter, with these round frame glasses! Some of these also include a lightning-shaped temporary tattoo for your child's forehead. Adding this party favor will help the kids really feel like they are becoming wizards.
9. Maurader's Bracelet
“I solemnly swear I am up to no good,” were the words used to make the Maurader’s map work but they could also remind the kids of the fun they had at the party. These other favors could go in their goodie bags.
10. Harry Potter Goodie Bags
These bags will help the witches and wizards get their goodies home.
Harry Potter Birthday Party Food Ideas
11. Wizard Drinks
Several drinks are popular in the wizarding world and these labels will seem to magically change your regular soda into pumpkin juice or butterbeer. To make it a bit more believable use something orange for the pumpkin juice, something gold for the butterbeer, something clear for the gillywater, and something dark for the firewhiskey.
12. House Cupcakes
One of the first things that happen at Hogwarts is the sorting ceremony. You can “sort” the children with cupcakes and hidden frosting. Start by making any kind of cupcakes your child likes. Next, divide any white frosting into fourths and use food coloring to dye it the four different house colors: red, yellow, green, and blue. Put a small amount of the colored frosting on top of the cupcake then frost it with whatever frosting you want. When the children bite into the cupcake the hidden house color should be revealed!
13. Wizard Food
The Harry Potter books are set in the UK so any English or Scottish foods are going to be on theme. This unofficial recipe book will have ideas and recipes for entrees like fish and chips, roast beef and Yorkshire pudding, and Harry’s favorite dessert, treacle tart.
14. Sorting Drinks
Another fun way to “sort” the kids and use a bit of magic is with a sorting drink. Before the party put a few drops of food coloring in the house colors in the bottom of the cups and fill them with ice. As each child arrives, fill their cup with a clear or light-colored drink. The food coloring should magically change their drink color to the different house colors of red, yellow, green, or blue.
15. Birthday Cake
The cake is the centerpiece of any birthday party so make it say “wow”. These cake toppers and edible wraps are super easy to use and would please any Harry Potter fan on their special day.
Harry Potter Birthday Party Games and Activities
16. Lightning Bolt Piñata
A piñata is a classic birthday party game so give it a Harry Potter twist by having it look like Harry's lightning bolt scar! Fill it with wizard candy and the children will be delighted when it breaks open.
17. Potions Class
Have the kids whip up their own bit of slime as if the potion’s master Snape was there teaching them to do it. These kits will have almost everything you need to whip up some fun slime for the kids to take home. You will just need some cups to mix it in, something to stir it with (like a popsicle stick), and bags or jars for the finished slime to go home.
18. Harry Potter Games
Games are always fun at birthday parties! These printable games are fun and easy to pull together last minute. You just need to supply some quills and ink, pencils, or pens.
19. Harry Potter Photo Booth
The photo booth has become a staple of birthday parties and this is a fun one! The children can be “wanted” witches or wizards with this frame. They can be themselves or use these props to become someone from the books. Either way, the pictures will be fun!
20. Muggle Quidditch (outside and inside version)
If you have space outside and the weather is cooperating the children can play muggle quidditch outside. You will need a broom for each child (maybe have them bring one and have some extras on hand) and six gold hoops, three at each end of the playing area. Hula hoops spray-painted gold should work. The tricky part is going to be mounting the hoops so they look like bubble wands stuck in the ground. You might want to vary the heights depending on the age of the children. A red kickball can serve as the quaffle.
You could also do this with a ping pong table and embroidery hoops painted gold. Place the hoops above the net and try to get a red ping pong ball through the hoops.
Harry Potter Birthday Party Supplies
21. Harry Potter Paper Plates
These plates have each of the houses represented and are big enough to hold a feast.
22. Harry Potter Gold Utensils
Gold utensils will make the children feel like they are eating in the Great Hall.
23. Harry Potter Cups
These cups will match the plates and hold butterbeer or pumpkin juice just fine.
24. Harry Potter Napkins
These napkins will have to do if you don’t have Mrs. Skower’s All Purpose Magical Mess Remover on hand.
25. Harry Potter Tablecloth
There are several tablecloths that can set the scene and help with cleanup afterward.
Harry Potter Birthday Party Invitations
26. Harry Potter Maurader’s Map Video Invitation
The easiest and quickest way to get an invitation across to someone today is a digital invitation. Send this customized message to all your guests and they will feel like they are getting an acceptance letter to Hogwarts!
27. Harry Potter Movie Trailer Video Invitation
Digital invitations are easy to get and send. The designer does all of the work on the video and sends you a file you can email or post to social media. This version feels like a movie trailer.
28. Harry Potter Printable Invitation
Easy to order, edit, and print today! Some printable versions let you include a photo as well.
29. Harry Potter Acceptance Letter Invitation
These custom print invitations will wow your invitees! Plan ahead to order these in time to get them in the mail or delivered by owl.
30. Harry Potter Fill In Invitaitons
Perfect for low-tech invitations or if you are unsure of the date or time and might need to change something last minute.
We hope you found a few ways to bring some extra magic to your child’s birthday party! Enchant everyone's experience at this Harry Potter theme party! A theme as magical as this one should definitely be one to remember. Not only is Harry Potter a theme that the kids can get behind but also the adults too. Everyone attending will be able to have a good time. We hope that you found inspiration from these Harry Potter birthday party ideas to turn your kids' dreams into reality! If you'd like some more useful resources such as a spending guide, planning checklist, and more party ideas, be sure to check out our other blogs!
Written by Joshua Yovella; Contributors: Jack Lynch and Francesca Bua