If your little tyke is all about dinos at this age, a dinosaur birthday party theme is anything but old news. In fact, there are tons of ways to make this prehistoric-themed celebration extraordinary — just think about all of the cute dinosaur puns you can incorporate into the party! From creative food ideas to memorable decorations, you'll plan a dino-mite bash.
The spirit of a dinosaur theme is a great fit for little ones celebrating their first birthday party — or a second or third. "Children at this age are still captivated by the unknown and the magic of something they can't physically see," says Andrea Low, party-hosting pro and founder ofBossBabeBalloons and BossBabeBouncers. "Not only is there something majestic about these ancient creatures, but choosing a dinosaur birthday party theme is a great way to get children curious about history and inspire a lifetime of learning."
Read on for Instagram-worthy dinosaur birthday party inspiration and professional advice on how to plan a birthday party that brings your theme to life.
Dinosaur birthday party decorations
Play up your theme with a custom color palette
A dinosaur birthday party can be completely gender-neutral — or you can give it a more masculine or feminine twist depending on the accent colors you choose, says Low.
"Customize your colors depending on the vibe you want to create," she suggests: Start with a base color palette of greens, browns and golds. From there, you can add a few pops of pink or purple —or incorporate some orange or blue accents.
Welcome guests with a prehistoric pathway
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Washable chalk spray paint and a cardboard footprint stencil are all you need to pull off this impactful idea. It'll help set the tone for your dinosaur birthday party before guests even walk in the front door!
You can also incorporate this idea inside by putting dino tracks everywhere, says Low, such as drawing tiny dino tracks down the length of a butcher paper tablecloth or directing guests to the bathroom by having them follow decals on the floor.
Set the scene with balloons and greenery
A colorful balloon arch — decked out with faux fronds and dinosaur cut-outs — not only makes a wow-worthy focal point for your dinosaur birthday party, but it also serves as a great photo backdrop for candids with the birthday boy or girl. (If you're planning to have a smash cake at the party, this would also look great in the background of your photos.)
Decorate your chairs with dinosaur scales
Adding paper "stegosaurus spikes" or a "dino tail" to the back of each chair is a creative way to play up the theme, says Low. You can also hang dino masks on the back of each seat to double as party wear for kids.
Dinosaur birthday party food
Serve dino-themed eats
"For dinosaur birthday party foods that are totally on-theme, serve things like dinosaur deviled eggs, dino-shaped chicken nuggets, pterodactyl chicken wings or an herbivore veggie platter," says Low. "You can even make a 'nacho-saurous' by putting nacho cheese in a dino-shaped mold and arranging chips around the top as the dino's spikes," she says.
Whip up a tasty dinosaur snack mix
Add some prehistoric fun to your buffet table by serving partygoers a dinosaur-themed snack mix complete with gummy dinos and chocolate eggs. (Check outThe BakerMama for the full recipe.)
Delight party-goers with fossil cookies
"Fossil cookies will be a hit at your dinosaur birthday party," says Low. Clean the foot of a toy dinosaur, and use it to make "dino footprints" indentations in the top of each cookie before baking. Pro tip: A simple sugar cookie recipe works best for this, since the dinosaur tracks won't be as visible in cookies with mix-ins, like chocolate chips or nuts.
Make a scary-good cake
"No dinosaur birthday party would be complete without an over-the-top dino cake," says Low. Topping the cake with a dinosaur figurine is a must, but adding T-rex talons takes this sweet treat to the next level.
If you're looking to have a first birthday smash cake, simply remove the top layer for your baby, and save the bottom layer for guests to enjoy.
Dinosaur birthday party games
Paint dinosaur eggs
When it comes to toddler birthday party do's and don'ts, planning engaging activities is a must — and this idea is as easy as they come! A dozen hard-boiled eggs and some kid-friendly paints are all you need to pull off an interactive birthday party activity. Include a few dinosaur stickers or dino footprint stamps in the mix to inspire kiddos' creativity.
Search for hidden fossils
Whether you prepare take-home dino dig kits as party favors or let kids start excavating for "fossil" toys — like dino bones or mini figurines — during your event, this idea will entice kids of all ages and get them into the dino party spirit.
Dinosaur birthday party favors
Set up an "adopt a dinosaur" station
In lieu of traditional goodie bags, encourage guests to "adopt a dinosaur" as their birthday party favor, suggests Low. Set up a table or shelf with enough plush dinosaur stuffed animals for kids to choose from. You can even include "certificates of adoption" and decorated cardboard boxes for kids to transport their new pets home in. It's the perfect way to end your bash on a dino-mite note!
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