Have you ever woken up and suddenly remembered you have a kids’ party to plan? Don’t worry; it happens to most of us at one point or another. Whatever the kids in question are into, there’s no end of awesome themes to explore. Try this batch, for example…

Pirates

With the upcoming release of Pirates of the Caribbean 5 (yes, 5), it’s time to sharpen the cutlass and dust off the peg leg once more. Stock up on eyepatches, chocolate coins and clip-on earrings. Plan a treasure hunt for your miniature brigands, and let everyone pick their own pirate name. Oh, and make sure nobody leaves without a booty bag of treats.

Rainbow

Rainbow-themed parties are the ultimate expression of happy, colourful goodness. Think tons of balloons, a multi-hued birthday cake and all the rainbow-themed napkins, décor and snacks you can get your hands on (or make yourself). Craft rainbow invites and give everyone a colour to come dressed in. Try face painting, water balloons, t-shirt decorating… imagination is key.

Cops and robbers

This one’s a classic, and it’s always a blast. Invite half the kids as cops and half as robbers (perhaps include a badge or a mask in each invitation), and set up special hideouts for each. Then you can organise a host of activities, from tag to capture the flag to scavenger hunts (with a temporary truce around cake-time, of course).

Superheroes

Superheroes may be taking over our screens, but they make a fantastic party theme as well. Put together some retro pop art invitations (Crash! Pow!), dress one of the walls like a cityscape and use it for photo ops, design a special superhero identity for the mild-mannered birthday boy or girl, and make sure there’s plenty of healthy, colourful snacks. Superpowers need proper fuel, after all.

The beach/under the sea

Deck chairs, umbrella drinks, inflatable beach balls, invitations in bottles… heck, this one practically writes itself. Cut-out sea creatures can line the walls, a little surf shack can be made out of boxes, beach towels and Hawaiian leis (tissue paper will do for those), with shark fins, tropical fruits, buckets, spades and whatever else you fancy dotted about for some lovely beachside ambience.

Dinosaurs

Thanks to last year’s box office hit Jurassic Park 4, dinos are back in vogue. Dinosaur balloons, cut-outs and figurines can be scattered about, along with prehistoric plants (paper ones, that is) and even a baking soda-and-vinegar volcano. Dinosaur egg hunts are great, and ‘pin the tail on the stegosaurus’ is always a laugh.

Circus

Another timeless classic, the vibrant revelry of the circus is brimming with party inspiration. Balloon animals, face painting, a ring toss and a piñata are good for starters, and you’ll also need copious fairy floss and popcorn (red-and-white striped bags, please). If you know anyone with circus skills (juggling, magic tricks, etc.), why not see if they’ll swing by to teach the guests a thing or two?

Space

Everyone loves a good space party. All you need is a load of black paper to cover the walls and some white paint for stars (bonus points for glow in the dark), and then the rest is up to you. Planets, comets and rocket ships make a great backdrop for your little astronauts and aliens, and there’s plenty of crafty activities to get stuck into (decorating spaceship templates, for instance). 

Animal safari

Ahh, the call of the wild. Jungle décor, animal calls on the speakers and a wildlife-themed jumping castle are a few ideas here, and you even can make your own garden safari hunts (all you need is animal footprints and cunningly hidden figures or cut-outs in the undergrowth). Safari parties are also the only occasion in which khaki shorts are acceptable attire, so Dad will definitely be on board.

Movie night

Perfect for a party at short notice, movie nights can be as simple or extravagant as you like. All you need is a dark room, some appropriate snacks (popcorn, hotdogs, nachos, chocolate peanuts, etc.), and selection of films that everyone can agree on. You can hold a quiz about them afterwards (let’s see who’s been paying attention), and even lay out the red carpet for the birthday star and friends.

Ready to throw a fabulous kids’ party? Get your supplies sorted at a party shop near you.