My son had been looking forward to his birthday for months. And of course, no one could have seen quarantine coming. He turned 6 at the beginning of May and all he wanted was a big birthday party with all of his friends. Like so many, we obviously had to majorly pivot our son’s birthday plans. But we still wanted to plan a quarantine birthday party he’d never forget. So we figured out how to plan a birthday party during quarantine to make the best of the situation and celebrate a new year for my son. Here are a few ways we made the birthday party special.
Birthday Party Video Montage
The first thing we did was ask family, friends, teachers, and classmates to send videos to wish him a happy birthday. We were blown away by the responses and the creativity of the videos that were submitted, especially by the grandparents. One pair created a fun activity where he had to find himself like he was in a “Where’s Waldo” book. Another did a whole show for us, lipsyncing to every birthday song including to In Da Club by 50 Cent (which was my personal favorite). We compiled all videos into one and played it while we ate his birthday breakfast.
Ease Up on Your Typical Rules
The second thing we did was buy him an Xbox and basically let him play it all day. I personally never thought I’d get one for my kids, but in quarantine, I’ve found we’ve had to adjust our expectations quite a bit and be a little more flexible with things than normal. Our mantra for the day became, “it’s a quarantine birthday…there are no rules.”
Birthday Parade
The third thing we did we have a birthday parade. This was suggested by an amazing neighbor who wanted to be sure my son felt special that day. She purchased noisemakers for the neighborhood and set it all up. People had banners, music, etc and walked by in a line (6 feet apart of course) to wish my son a happy birthday. Our neighbors behind us also decorated their entire backyard for his birthday too. So basically we have the best neighbors.
Invite First Responders
Then my dad surprised everyone by having our local firefighters come by in their truck to wish him a happy birthday after the parade. So fun! I’ve also heard of other parents asking the police department to send someone to wish their child a happy birthday as well. Contact your local department to ask!
Princess Party
With our daughter’s birthday coming up soon, I’ve been doing more and more research on how to also make her’s special. In Ashburn, VA there are some high school students who are dressing up as princesses and doing drive-by parties and zoom parties. Check out more information at Princess Perfect Parties. You can also check out Princess Parties of DC.
Quarantine Birthday Party Themes
Outdoor Parties
- Host a socially distanced outdoor movie night.
- Host a water gun or water balloon fight so kids can have a blast playing with each other safely.
- Have a food truck come by.
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Order huge signs for your yard from Card My Yard, Sign Gypsies, SoNo Signs, Stork Landing to wish them an extra special happy birthday!
Virtual Parties
- Contact your local kids’ gym, karate center, etc to see what they are offering.
- Keep it basic and use Zoom, Google, or Evite or have Squeals on Wheels or Fun Makers join the Zoom with you!
- Stay Active: BusyBees, My Gym Bethesda and Potomac, Kids Move and Learn.
- Get Crafty: Kidcreate, AR Workshop, ArtJamz, All Fired Up, Happy Little Art Studios, Red Panda Art or contact a local art center to see what they are offering.
- Live Entertainment Options: Tots with Tempo, Bach to Rock, The Great Zucchini, Marsha Goodman Wood, Princess Parties of DC, Princess Perfect Parties.
- Don’t forget the food: We love Esquire Confections! Be sure to contact a local bakery to see if they are offering kits.
- Birthday in a box: Beau Lou Events is offering birthdays in a box.
Animal Parties
- Contact a local farm or petting zoo to see if they will bring animals to visit.
- You can schedule a visit from an alpaca through My Pet Alpaca.
- Drive-through zoos: Leesburg Animal Park, Roer’s Zoofari, Virginia Safari Park
- Squeals on Wheels is offering virtual experiences too!
Plan a quarantine safe experience
Opt for an experience instead of a party/gifts. Go camping, go berry picking, or find an Airbnb to stay overnight and an open park to explore!
Tell us, how have you make your child’s birthday special while in quarantine?
