Boys Birthday Party Ideas

The secret to a successful party for boys is plenty of activity and very little, if any, downtime. Use the birthday boy’s interests as a starting point for coming up with a party theme; in fact, most kids like being in on the planning of a party more than they like being surprised. An activity-filled party, along with some hearty fare, will result in fun-filled memories for both the birthday celebrant and his guests.

Pirate Party

As guests arrive, ask them come up with pirate names and give them pirate hats and patches to wear as they search for the treasure. The most time-consuming part of preparing for this party is creating a treasure map that will lead the boys, who will have to untangle clues, to dozens of locations around the neighborhood. If the party is for younger guests, lead them around your house or yard. When the treasure is found, make sure there are prizes for all, and that the final stop is at the dining room table where the birthday cake will be served.

Bowling Party

Plan ahead at a local bowling alley that will give you permission to bring in a cake so you can hold the entire birthday celebration right on the premises. Bowling a few games is plenty of party entertainment, but you might also hire a local teenager who’s an expert bowler to give kids individual bowling tips. Hand out some tokens or coins to kids as they arrive that they can use for snacks and soft drinks while they bowl.

Magic Party

Younger kids are generally entertained by a magician performing simple tricks; older boys, however, might enjoy a birthday party where a magician is hired expressly to not only perform awe-inspiring tricks, but also to teach the boys a few tricks. Invite a small enough number of guests that each boy will have an opportunity to practice tricks with the magician. For favors, buy magic tricks the boys can take home.

Obstacle Course Party

An obstacle course party consists of two parts: first, the boys construct the obstacle course, and second, they run the course, timing each other and working to improve their speed. You’ll need to gather items that the boys can easily fashion into an obstacle course such as boards, sawhorses, old tires, benches, stepstools, ropes, large grocery cartons and other items you may have in your garage or basement. An outdoor cookout pairs well with this activity.

Sports Party

Whether it’s professional baseball or Friday night high school football, a birthday party featuring a ballgame provides lots of entertainment. Start at home with pizza for lunch or dinner, depending on when the game starts. Provide boys with stats on the team’s season as a conversation starter, and then let the boys throw a few balls around. Serve the birthday cake right before leaving for the stadium.