Updated on: Sep 01, 2024
Summer babies are the luckiest when it comes to having memorable birthday parties – with the sun shining and flowers in full bloom, the opportunities are endless for a fun-filled summer birthday party. Make the best of all the opportunities that this season has to offer by checking out these summer birthday party ideas below! We can also help you with budgeting, gifts, or other birthday party ideas!
Summer Birthday Party Ideas: Decorations
1. Beach Ball Décor
Liven up the party by hanging beach ball garlands. You can also throw in some real beach balls, too, especially if you’re having a pool party!
2. Summer-Themed Balloons
Have your choice of smiling fruit, dolphins, palm leaves, or suns from a wide variety of summer-themed balloons. These will brighten up the party area and bring the summer theme to life!
3. Hello Summer Sign
Set the tone right at the entrance and get everyone excited for the happiest season of all with a Hello Summer sign.
4. Fake Ivy
Fake ivy leaves hung across the venue will bring a jungle vibe to the celebration.
5. Twinkle Lights
A summer birthday party is a perfect occasion to mimic the open skies filled with twinkling stars by hanging twinkle lights across the venue. They will add a charming touch to your party décor.
6. Pineapple Centerpieces
Set some pineapple centerpieces around the venue to further brighten up the area and set a colorful tone for the party!
7. Tropical Fish
Bring the ocean to your party by hanging up some colorful tropical fish around the venue.
8. Summer-themed Backdrop
Want your guests to remember your event for years to come? Set up a summer-themed backdrop to ensure everyone gets a memorable photo to cherish as a keepsake from your awesome birthday bash!
9. Summer Photo Booth Props
Equip your guests for the ultimate summer photo with photo booth props like fun sunglasses, colorful hats, and snorkel masks!
Summer Birthday Party Ideas: Favors
10. Luau Party Glasses
Your guests will adore their luau party glasses – and the variety of design options makes it all the more exciting!
11. Flower Leis
Set the tone for a luau-themed birthday celebration by handing out beautiful flower leis to all your guests.
12. Temporary Tattoos
Kids love temporary tattoos - these will serve as a fun reminder of the amazing time they had at your birthday celebration!
13. Friendship Bracelets
Handing out friendship bracelets is one of the sweetest ways of showing appreciation for your child's friends.
14. Water Guns
After your water gun party, let the children each take one of their water guns home. Whenever they have another splash bash, they’ll remember your fun celebration!
Summer Birthday Party Ideas: Food
15. Banana Dolphins
Banana dolphins are a breeze to make for something so visually engaging! All you need to do is cut a slit through the stem, place a grape/berry through the slit, and use a marker to dot an eye on the dolphin!
16. Watermelon Shark
Impress your guests with a magnificent watermelon shark! Check out our Creative Ocean Theme Party Ideas to find out how to create it and pick up some inspiration on making an ocean-themed birthday party come to life.
17. Ice Cream Cake
Top off the celebration with a tasty ice cream cake with the birthday boy/girl’s choice of flavor! Summer birthday parties are the perfect occasion to serve ice cream cake, just make sure you have a cooler on hand if you are celebrating outdoors with no refrigerator nearby. Set the cooler in the shade and use dry ice instead of regular ice to double the amount of time it stays frozen. Additionally, keeping the cooler full will slow down the melting, so stock up on some extra waters or additional treats to minimize air pockets inside the cooler!
18. Ice Cream Sandwiches
What better way to stock up the cooler than with some ice cream sandwiches! These grab-and-go treats are bound to be everyone’s favorite on a hot summer day.
19. Goldfish
There’s no better (or easier) snack option for a summer-themed party than serving a few bowls filled with Goldfish crackers!
20. Gummy Sharks
Those who crave sweets will love your gummy sharks that are available in a variety of colors.
21. S’mores Station
Set up a s’mores station and fill it with marshmallows, Graham crackers, and chocolate bars. Using a s’mores maker will ensure the activity is kid-friendly.
22. Lemonade and Fruit
Serve lemonade as a refreshment and offer a colorful variety of fruit to balance out the sour, yet refreshing, taste of lemonade.
Summer Birthday Party Ideas: Activities
23. Splash Bash
A splash bash is a great party idea suitable for children of all ages and can easily be organized in your backyard. Younger kids will enjoy playing in kiddie pools and running through the sprinklers, and older kids will have their pick of water balloon fights or water gun wars!
24. Pool Party
If you have a pool at your house, you’re equipped to host the best summer birthday party ever! For those that don’t own a pool – fear not! Just reach out to your local community centers, hotels, and private clubs – they often offer pools for rent!
25. Bubble Chase
Order giant bubble wand kits and mix up a simple bubble solution using detergent, Karo syrup, and water. Make sure not to plan this party on a windy day because the bubbles won’t last long! Sunny, calm weather works best for this birthday idea – your little guests will be mesmerized by the shiny bubbles reflecting the sunlight. This is such a picture-perfect setup you could also hire a photographer to capture those precious moments of the kids running and giggling among the bubbles!
26. Movie Marathon
Use your backyard as a theatre venue and provide guests with the ultimate cinematic experience under the stars! Hang a white sheet on your fence or wall and angle a projector toward it or order an outdoor screen for a professional setup. Guests can bring their own quilts, blankets, and lawn chairs to set up in front of your DIY movie screen. Be sure to test out the projector and set it up prior to your guest’s arrival to ensure a seamless cinematic experience.
27. Popsicle Stand
Set up a popsicle stand as the focal point of your party where everyone can meet and grab their popsicle. You can spruce it up by making your own popiscles using a popsicle mold with a custom shape. Your guests will surely indulge in such a refreshing treat as a relief from the hot summer sun!
28. Lemonade Stand
Lemonade stands are a popular activity among children during the summer months, so why not incorporate them into your summer birthday party? Decorate your lemonade stand with lemonade party décor such as a bright garland and yellow and green streamers.
29. Painting
Throw an art party right at home by preparing canvases for your little guests and providing them with watercolors, crayons, markers, and any other art supplies you may have on hand! Setting up your DIY art studio outside makes the cleanup process so much easier and eliminates the worry that the paint will spoil any of your furniture. You can also combine two of the kid’s favorite activities into one – water guns and painting! To create colorful water gun spray, mix watercolor or washable paints with water at a 1:1 ratio – just make sure the colors are watered down enough to squirt, yet vibrant enough to leave a bright mark when splashed onto the canvas.
30. Face Painting
The possibilities are endless for thematic birthday planning with face painting! Whether they want to be a lion, elephant, or monkey, each child can let their imagination run wild and by the time everyone has had their turn, you’ll have a charming little zoo right in your backyard! Hire a face painter or order your own kit and let the creative juices flow!
31. Science Experiments
Who doesn’t love a good combination of science and fun? Equip your little scientists with science kits that include droppers, toy syringes, and little lab coats to get the full laboratory experience. Your child will learn a lot about the wonders of chemistry using simple items easily found in your pantry! Kickstart the experiments by pouring baking soda into a muffin tin and pouring vinegar into a cup for each of the little scientists. Watch their eyes light up when they see the big sizzle resulting from vinegar being mixed with baking soda.
Summer Birthday Party Ideas: Games
32. Water Balloon War
Fill up balloons with water and place them in a kiddie pool before guests arrive. Once you’re ready to get the party started, have the kids throw water balloons at each other – this will be sure to keep them fresh under the hot summer sun! Setting up water balloon piñatas is also a great way to incorporate the water balloon theme into a popular birthday activity.
33. Rainbow Tag
Order kid-friendly paint and paint powder in various colors and give each guest their own set. Once everybody is ready, have the kids play tag using the paints and powders – soon enough, your entire backyard will look like a colorful rainbow! Just be sure to move any backyard furniture out of the way beforehand and tell guests to wear paint-friendly clothing for this birthday party – white shirts work best because they contrast the rainbow colors and serve as a great canvas for the colorful creations.
34. Obstacle Course
Set up an obstacle course using planks of wood, rope, buckets, and any furniture from the house that can serve as an obstacle! Order some caution tape to ensure the obstacle course is free of any wandering party guests and offer prizes for anyone who completes it successfully. After they’ve completed the course, guests can refuel with an American Ninja birthday cake. To avoid dehydration and provide a seamless experience, host this activity in the late afternoon to avoid peak summer temperatures.
35. Bounce House
Rent a bounce house to set up in your backyard and have the kids enjoy the fun! To ensure you’re getting the most out of the bounce house and the kids are having as much fun as possible, blast some birthday music to liven the mood. You can give it a twist by having the kids play freeze bounce – whenever the music is suddenly turned off, everybody in the bounce house has to freeze in place and try to remain in a standing position – the bounce house will still be shaking so this is a challenging yet fun way to change up bounce house activities!
Summer Birthday Party Ideas Away from Home
36. Fair Party
Take advantage of all that summer has to offer by treating your birthday boy/girl and their guests to a trip to the fair. Invite another parent along to help keep an eye out on all the kids and let the fun begin! With plenty of rides and games, the fair does all the planning for you, including snacks, refreshments, and activities.
37. Park Party
With the summer sun out and outdoor activities in full swing, parks are the perfect place to throw the ideal summer birthday party. Many parks have barbecue and picnic areas where you can set up base and let the kids play catch, hide-and-seek, or climb on the monkey bars. Be sure to bring enough blankets or lawn chairs, as well as sunscreen and bug spray.
38. Scavenger Hunt Party
Spruce up your park party plan by incorporating a fun scavenger hunt into the mix! Plan well in advance and write down clues with the help of these clever rhyming treasure hunt clues to lead the little ones on their adventure. The children can team up into pairs, just make sure you have enough prizes such as medals ready for each kid to get one once they complete the treasure hunt. To make the party even more interesting, the scavenger hunt can lead to the birthday cake, resulting in a tasty end to the fun game!
Summer Birthday Party Ideas: Supplies
39. Tropical Plates
Go tropical with some bright summer-themed party plates. The palm trees and tucan will set the tone for a delightful summer birthday party!
40. Coconut Cups
Double your supplies as a party favor by serving drinks in a natural coconut cup with a flower attached to the side!
41. Hello Summer Napkins
Brighten the table even further with these vibrant Hello Summer napkins.
42. Food Picks
No matter what you’re serving, food picks are always a convenient way of further incorporating your theme into a variety of menu options. Stick a summer-themed food pick into some fresh fruit, cake slices, or muffins!
43. Tropical Table Skirt
Dressing up your table with a tropical flower table skirt will set the right tone for your summer birthday bash!
Summer Birthday Party Ideas: Invitations
44. Tropical Party Invitation
Spark your guest's interest with a tropical party invitation. It’s easily customizable to suit your event!
45. Fun in the Sun Invitation
Invite your guests to some fun in the sun with this summer-themed party invitation! Fill in the details to customize it for your event.
46. Water Wars Invitation
A water wars invitation is bound to get your little guests excited for the big day and ready to make a big splash at the party!
47. Pineapple Party Invitation
Go outside of the box and use pineapple-shaped party invitations to catch your guests’ attention!