Birthday Boy Themes

Planning a birthday party for a boy of any age can be an easy task when you use his interests as a guide to the perfect party theme. Consider his favorite characters, hobbies and activities when deciding on the theme and plan invitations, decorations, activities and party favors that coordinate with that theme. Does this Spark an idea?

Toddler and Preschool Boys

For a toddler or preschool-age boy, organize a party around his favorite television character. Make or purchase invitations to coordinate with the theme and decorate the party venue with balloons, tablecloths and party plates that match the theme. Hang pictures of the character on the wall and have a picture inflated to play a modified version of "pin the tail on the donkey". Use a stuffed doll version of the character to play "hot potato." Purchase or make a birthday cake with a picture of the character and fill party favor bags with theme-related items, such as stickers, coloring books, small figurines and candies.

Young Children

Parents can host an alien-themed birthday party for a group of young school-age children. Make invitations for the party in the shape of alien heads or spaceships. Decorate the party venue with green-tinted light bulbs, glow-in the-dark stars on the ceiling, blue, black and green balloons with stars and spaceships or UFOs made from painted cardboard boxes. Set up a relay-race obstacle course with the spaceships or UFOs for the party group. Have the guests make green slime to bring home, using liquid starch, glue and green food coloring. Serve cupcakes with candy alien shapes and send each guest home with glow-in-the-dark stars and alien or outer space-themed items, such as alien stickers, Mars bars or Milky Way bars, magnets and drinking cups.

Preteen

For video game enthusiast preteens, organize a birthday party around an arcade theme. Decorate the party room with bright colored mini lights and multi-colored balloons, and hang enlarged pictures of arcade games on the wall. Make a pinball machine decoration from painted cardboard boxes. Attach a video game console to a big screen television and have the party guests take turns playing for the title of best video gamer. For a party on a frivolous budget, consider renting arcade-like games, such as air hockey tables, pinball machines and foosball tables to keep the guests occupied when they are not playing on the video game console. Fill the goody bags with items such as, miniature hand-held pinball games, miniature basketballs and tiny basketball nets.

Teenager

Host an outdoor sports and recreation birthday party for a group of teenage boys. Host the party at home or at a large outdoor park area. Rent a variety of equipment to keep them occupied, such as 40-foot-long inflatable obstacle courses, inflatable boxing rings, a bungee trampoline, mechanical surfer, or 20-foot-tall Velcro wall. Let the guests spend the day on the equipment and bring along a picnic lunch of sandwiches, sports drinks and cupcakes for dessert. Instead of loot bags, provide each party guest with a basketball, football, sports jersey or a baseball cap from a favorite team.