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8 birthday party ideas for 5-year-olds to have at home

Rock your 5-year-old's birthday with a party at home

Dawn Miller
By

Turning 5 is a momentous occasion. Your preschooler will soon be heading off to kindergarten, and it’s certainly a birthday to celebrate with a party. The age of 5 is considered one of the milestone birthdays. Often the big question these days is whether to hold a birthday party at home. Home birthday parties never actually went out of style. Many parents just preferred a setting away from the home because of the mess.

Birthday parties at home can be loads of fun and are budget-friendly celebrations. Now, don’t let the idea of hosting a 5-year-old birthday party at your house fill you with anxiety. Home parties are easier to plan and execute than you may think, especially for 5-year-olds.

The biggest key to an at-home birthday party is to keep the kids occupied so they’re not running around your home. A well-planned and supervised party for kids will keep the birthday celebration from turning chaotic. Here are eight birthday party ideas at home that will make the guest of honor and their friends very happy.

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At-home 5-year-old birthday party

Birthday party ideas at home

1. Arts and crafts party

Any 4- and 5-year-olds enjoy making crafts. A fun and relatively inexpensive party idea is to set up different craft stations around the house or in the yard if the weather permits. Crafts can be seasonal, holiday-inspired, or a theme provided by the guest of honor.

Divide the partygoers into small groups of three to four and have them rotate to each craft station. Set aside enough time at each craft station for kids to be able to complete the activity. Be sure to have an adult or teenage helper at each station to guide the craft. Provide bags for the kids to collect their projects. A cute party favor is a craft apron. Personalize each with a fabric marker. Allow an hour for the crafts, and afterward, serve pizza and cupcakes.

2. Painting party

Young 5-year-olds love to paint, and there are so many creative ways for kids to paint. A painting party is ideal at home if your child’s birthday falls during warm weather months. Painting outdoors makes cleanup much easier. Like the craft party, set up different painting stations like finger painting, sponge painting, fabric painting, watercolors, and Q-Tip painting. Place the kids in small groups and have an adult or an older child to supervise. Kids can paint their own t-shirts with fabric markers for a keepsake favor too. Keep the artistic theme going by having the party guests decorate their own cupcakes.

3. Game party

Another simple at-home birthday party idea is an old-fashioned game party that 5-year-olds will enjoy, such as classic games like pin-the-tail-on-the-donkey, hopscotch, Simon Says, freeze dance, musical chairs, egg and spoon racing, and bean bag tossing. You’ll definitely need a lot of energy and extra helpers for a game party because an adult will need to lead the activities and keep the kids organized. A game party is a perfect pick if your child has a small guest list. Anywhere from 8 to 10 kids is perfect for this type of party. If you’re not comfortable leading the games, consider hiring a college student majoring in early childhood education.

4. Cooking party

Little hands really adore helping in the kitchen, which makes a cooking party a super tasty option. An at-home cooking party is a great choice for a short guest list. A cooking-themed party for 5- to 8-year-olds is best. Start off by letting the young chefs decorate their own cooking apron with fabric markers. The apron also serves as the favor. Kids can make their own pizzas. While the pizzas are cooking, have them create their own smoothies and decorate their cupcakes. When the pizza is ready, it’s time to eat and sing happy birthday.

5. Breakfast party

Most 5-year-old birthday parties are in the afternoon. So, change things up by hosting an at-home breakfast birthday party. The twist here is the guests get to have a hand in making their own breakfast. Kids can help mix the pancake batter and breakfast smoothies before getting to work decorating doughnuts. Doughnuts make a yummy change from the usual cupcakes.

6. Movie party

A super easy and low-maintenance at-home party idea is to invite guests over to watch your child’s favorite film or a new one that’s recently dropped on Disney Plus or Netflix. Kids can come in their pajamas and bring their favorite stuffed animal. Food can be tasty movie treats like popcorn, chips, and cookies. If the weather allows, host an outdoor movie party.

7. Backyard campout

You don’t need to trek out into the woods for a campout birthday party. Weather permitting, you can host an at-home birthday party with a camping theme in the backyard. Indoor campouts can be fun too. Pitch some tents and have the ingredients for s’mores on hand. Activities can include a scavenger hunt, campfire stories, and a nature hunt.

8. Afternoon slumber party

Age 5 might be a bit young for a sleepover, which is what makes an afternoon slumber party so inviting. Guest should come to the party in their pajamas and bring a stuffed friend along with a sleeping bag. This afternoon slumber party can include all the sleepover essentials such as games, crafts, snacks, and of course, a movie.

Children at a birthday party

Home parties are always a hit

Hosting a birthday party at home for your 5-year-old can be just as fun if not more than hosting it at a pricey venue. At-home birthday parties are budget-friendly and aren’t as difficult to plan and execute as you may think. With these eight birthday party at-home ideas, you’ll have plenty of inspiration to find one suiting your birthday boy or girl. In order to avoid chaos, be sure to have enough activities planned to keep the kids occupied. It’s also important to have additional hands available to help with craft stations, run games, or assist budding chefs. Whenever possible, use your outdoor space. Doing so makes cleanup easier.

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