Are you looking for some fun backyard birthday party ideas for toddlers? We have compiled a list of our favorite ideas that are sure to be a hit with your little one.
From outdoor games to tasty treats, we have everything you need to throw the perfect birthday bash!
Planning Outdoor Toddler Birthday Party Ideas
Choosing a Theme for Your Toddler’s Birthday Party
Choosing a theme is always a great place to start when planning any kind of party. It helps to narrow down your options and provides a guide for the rest of the decisions you’ll need to make.
For example, if you’re throwing a water party, you know you’ll need to focus on games and activities that take place in or around water.
You can also use the theme as inspiration for the decorations, food, and drinks.
Some of our favorite themes for backyard birthday parties include pirate parties, fairy garden parties, dinosaur parties, and farm animal parties.
These themes are all perfect for toddlers who love to explore and use their imaginations. And best of all, they can be easily adapted to any budget!
Choosing Outdoor Birthday Party Activities
Once you’ve chosen your theme, it’s time to start planning the activities and games. Again, you’ll want to make sure that everything fits in with your chosen theme:
- For a water party, you could set up a sprinkler or slip ‘n slide for the kids to enjoy.
- If you’re throwing a dinosaur party, you could have a treasure hunt or set up an obstacle course.
- And for a farm animal party, you could have a petting zoo or make your own farm-themed play area. We have tons more ideas down below for 29 different theme birthday parties!
Decorating the Backyard for a Birthday Party
The sky’s the limit when it comes to decorating when hosting your toddler’s birthday party in the backyard.
You can go all out and transform your entire yard into a pirate ship or fairy garden, or keep it simple with some streamers and balloons.
Whichever route you choose, pick decorations that fit in with your chosen theme for cohesiveness—and remember, you don’t have to make everything branded or with characters, try making it feel like you are in the setting instead!
Backyard Party Refreshments
When it comes to food and drinks, playing off the theme is fun and makes for a good laugh for adults as well as kids.
Some examples:
- For a water party, you could serve refreshments in mini beach buckets or offer up popsicles as dessert.
- If you’re throwing a dinosaur party, you could have Jurassic Park-themed snacks or make your own dinosaur-shaped sandwiches.
- And for a farm animal party, you could serve up milk and cookies or have a picnic lunch with all of your favorite farm-fresh foods.
Invitations for Toddler Backyard Birthdays
Last but not least, don’t forget to send out invitations!
Be sure to include all of the important information like the date, time, and location of the party.
You’ll also want to give guests a heads up about what to expect in terms of activities and games.
And if you’re serving any special food or drinks, be sure to mention that as well.
We have tons of ideas for what to write in a child’s birthday invitation to get you started!
Backyard Birthday Party Ideas for Toddlers
If you are stuck on ideas for your toddler’s birthday party, look no further! Here are 31 of the best backyard birthday party ideas for toddlers.
From themes to games and activities, we have everything you need to make this a birthday they will never forget!
Backyard Birthday Party Ideas for 2 year olds
Bubble Party
For an added touch of fun, consider having a Bubble Party! This is a great backyard birthday party idea for toddlers. You can purchase a bubble machine or make your own DIY bubbles. Then, let the kids run around and play in the bubbles. Be sure to have plenty of towels on hand to clean up any messy clothes.
Water Party
Toddlers love water play of all sorts, so it makes the perfect theme for a fun and safe summer backyard birthday party. Set up a sprinkler, water table, or kiddie pool and let the kids cool off. Serve watermelon slices and other refreshing fruits to keep everyone hydrated.
Balloon Party
For a simple yet fun backyard birthday party idea, consider having a balloon party! You can blow up balloons yourself or purchase helium-filled balloons. Then, let the kids play with the balloons however they like.
Air-filled balloons can be placed on a tarp or plastic sheeting to prevent popping on the grass or tie helium balloons with short ribbons to plastic holders to make fun toddler-size mazes.
Plan your games to incorporate balloons, such as balloon relays, Balloon Toss, or Keepy Uppy (for all the Bluey fans out there!).
Fruit Party
Another fun and healthy backyard birthday party idea for toddlers is to have a fruit party! Set out a variety of fruits for the kids to eat, or cut them into shapes using cookie cutters. You can also serve fruit juices or smoothies.
For a fun activity, try setting up a DIY sundae bar where the kids can create their own toppings combination.
Vegetable Party
If your toddler loves Veggie Tales, make the party a Veggie Garden theme! If you have a vegetable garden let them plant, pick and explore with their senses.
No garden? No problem! Set up a small garden area or kiddie pool with some dirt and use store-bought vegetable carrots, tomatoes, or cucumbers. “Plant” the veggies in the dirt and let the kids help “pick” them!
Have a variety of vegetable-themed games such as Pin the Nose on the scarecrow, a Hot Potato game using a real potato, or an obstacle course where the kids have to hop like bunnies or slither like snakes.
Serve healthy snacks like veggie sticks and dip veggie smoothie pouches
Backyard Birthday Party Ideas for 3 year Olds
Nature Party
For toddlers who love being outdoors, consider throwing a nature party! Go on a short hike around the backyard or neighborhood and let the kids explore different plants and animals.
Do fun nature crafts like flower crowns, leaves paintings and nature collages.
Backyard Pirate Party
Does your toddler love pirates? Arrrgh you ready for a backyard pirate party?
Dress up as pirates and have a blast finding buried treasure, walking the plank in a homemade obstacle course, and having a sword fight with pool noodles.
You could plan it around the Disney’s Jack and the Pirates theme with character additions or just go for regular swashbuckling pirates.
Make sure to have plenty of goldfish crackers, Pirate’s Booty, and other snacks like fruit leather “swords”, and pretzel “daggers”. Party favors could be eye patches, plastic swords, or pirate hats. And don’t forget the pirate-themed birthday cake!
Fairy Garden Party for Toddlers
Is your toddler fascinated by fairies? Bring the magic of fairies to life with a fairy garden party!
Set up a small table or section in your yard with some dirt, rocks, moss and flowers. Then let the kids add their own special touches like shells, acorns, berries, leaves, and twigs.
They can also make their own fairy houses out of cardboard boxes or small logs. Be sure to have plenty of sparkly glitter to add that magical touch!
For refreshments, you can serve fruit tea or homemade lemonade. And don’t forget the Fairy Cakes – cupcakes with wings made from marshmallows or candy!
Puppet Show Party
If your toddler loves puppets, throw them a puppet show party!
You can either make your own puppets or buy them online or at a local store. Then hire a party puppeteer or put on a DIY puppet show for the guests using a simple stage made from cardboard boxes.
After the show, the kids can make their own puppets and put on their own mini puppet shows.
Serve snacks like popcorn and animal crackers to keep everyone fueled up. And don’t forget to have some birthday cake for dessert!
Toddler Dinosaur Party
For a roaring fun party idea, consider having a dinosaur birthday party!
You can make your own dinosaurs out of cardboard boxes or buy them online or at a local store. Then set up a small Jurassic Park in your backyard with some dirt, trees, and rocks.
The kids can play Dinosaur tag, dig for fossils in the sand, or have a Dino egg hunt.
Serve green Jell-O for “dinosaur eggs”, make Dino footprints with chocolate pudding or this easy Dinosaur footprint craft, or have a “dino bones” scavenger hunt where the kids have to find different shaped pretzels hidden around the yard.
Farm Animal Party
Farm animals make the perfect backyard party theme. Create large cutouts of different animals by painting cardboard or poster board, pick up a few bales of hay from a local animal feed store, and decorate the patio to look like a barn using checkered tablecloths and bandanas.
You can set up a small petting zoo with some real farm animals or buy some stuffed animals. Then have the kids play games like Pin the Tail on the Donkey, Duck Duck Goose, and Mr. Fox’s Dinnertime.
For refreshments, you can serve milk and cookies and animal crackers, as well as “animal feed” like veggie straws (hay) apples for horses, and trail mix for chicken feed.
Police Party
This is a great party theme for toddler boys. Decorate the backyard with police banners, cutouts, and black and blue balloons.
Play games like Pin the Badge on the Officer, Donut Eating Race, and Rescue Relays. Serve snacks like PB&J sandwiches, blueberries, and chocolate milk. Give out party favors like plastic handcuffs, sunglasses, and whistles.
Princess Party
A princess party is the perfect backyard birthday party idea for toddlers!
You can make your own princess costumes or buy them online or at a local store. Then set up a small castle in your backyard with some cardboard boxes and blankets.
The kids can play games like musical thrones, Pin the Crown on the Princess, and Princess Says.
For refreshments, you can serve pink lemonade and cupcakes with pink frosting.
Toddler Race Car Party
Do your toddler love cars? Then throw them a race car party! You can make your own race cars out of cardboard boxes or buy them online or at a local store. Then set up a small race track in your backyard with some masking tape or cones.
The kids can race their cars down the track and play games like Hot Potato and Pin the Tail on the Car.
For refreshments, you can serve “car fuel” like fruit punch or soda and “car snacks” like pretzels or popcorn.
Unicorn Party
Set up a small enchanted forest in your backyard with some trees, flowers, and streamers for the sweetest little unicorn birthday party.
The kids can play games like Pin the Horn on the Unicorn, Hot Potato, and Musical Statues. Be sure to also grab these free unicorn party games to print as well.
For refreshments, you can serve “unicorn food” like cupcakes with rainbow frosting, fruit punch mixed with sparkling soda, unicorn popcorn, and decorated marshmallows on a stick.
Circus Party
This is a classic party theme that is always enjoyed by toddlers. Activities can include face painting, balloon animals, and a variety of circus-themed games.
Foods for a circus party can include popcorn, peanuts, cotton candy, and other carnival-type foods. Party favors could be small toys such as stuffed animals or balls.
Backyard Birthday Party Ideas for 4 year olds
Carnival Party
Similar to a Circus Party, bring the carnival to the backyard with fun decorations and games. Create the big top in your backyard with fabric or balloon garlands and set up mini stations around the yard. Toddlers will have a blast playing ring toss, darts, and other simple games.
Foods can be the same as for a Circus Party. For party favors, have the kids pick out prizes after winning tickets playing the carnival games. We love Oriental Trading for these types of prizes.
Donut Decorating Party
Who doesn’t love donuts? Set up a table with plain donuts and all sorts of toppings for the kids to choose from. They can decorate their donuts however they like and enjoy eating them afterward. This is a great party idea for those who have a sweet tooth!
Construction Party
Ideal for the toddlers who love to play with trucks and diggers. The backyard can be transformed into a construction site complete with piles of dirt, overturned buckets, and caution tape strung around the perimeter.
Have the kids help decorate construction hats and vests at the beginning of the party to wear throughout.
Foods can be construction themed such as “sandwiches” made with graham crackers and “dirt” pudding cups. For party favors, send the kids home with their mini constructions vehicles or small lego packs.
Rainbow Party
What toddler doesn’t love rainbows? This party theme is perfect for a summer birthday. Decorate the backyard with rainbow streamers and balloons. Serve colorful foods such as fruit salad, rainbow sherbet, and Skittles in mason jars.
For Rainbow Party, play colorful games such as twister, water balloon toss, and set up a sensory table with rainbow-colored water beads or colorful kinetic sand.
Beach Birthday Party
Another great summer party theme for toddlers. Decorate the backyard with beach umbrellas, flip flops strung on the fence, and seashells scattered around.
For Beach Birthday Party games, set up a water table for the kids to play in or have a sandcastle building contest with kinetic or play sand.
Foods can be tropical fruits, smoothies, and seafood such as shrimp cocktail or crab salad. For party favors, send the kids home with their own personal size sunscreen and sunglasses.
We have tons of other great Beach birthday party ideas as well.
Camping Birthday Party
This is a great party theme for kids who love the outdoors. Decorate the backyard with tents, lanterns, and “firewood” made from logs or large sticks.
For Camping Birthday Party games, have a nature scavenger hunt or set up an obstacle course with items representing logs, boulders, streams, and wild animals. Toddlers will also enjoy roasting marshmallows over a small fire pit.
Foods can be campfire favorites such as hot dogs, s’mores, and trail mix. For party favors, send the kids home with their own mini flashlight or bug spray.
Superheroes Birthday Party
This is a great party theme for toddler boys. Decorate the backyard with superhero banners, cutouts, and balloons.
For Superhero Birthday Party games, have the kids race to see who can put on their Superman cape the fastest or set up an obstacle course for them to navigate.
Foods can be healthy snacks such as carrots and celery for super muscles, or fun treats that serve as power fuel. For party favors, send the kids home with their own mini superhero action figure, DIY mask, or cape.
Firefighter Birthday Party
A fun theme for little ones obsessed with community helpers, decoration ideas include a backyard hose, fire hydrant, and pretend flames made out of red and orange streamers.
For Firefighter Birthday Party games, have the kids race to see who can put on their firefighter gear the fastest or pretend fires they have to squirt out with water guns.
Space Party
A great outer space-themed birthday party for toddlers would include decor such as planets hanging from the trees, stars twinkling in the sky, and a homemade rocket ship.
There are many great space party treats such as Moon Pies, star-shaped cookies, and aliens (green Jell-O with gummy worms).
A bouncy house would be the perfect addition as the no-gravity experience!
Puppy Party
Whether it is a vet-themed or puppy adoption party, puppy parties are some of the most adorable parties for toddlers.
Children can spend time caring for their chosen stuffed puppy that they then get to decorate and outfit or collar for, fill out an adoption certificate, and play Pup-inspired games.
How to make it happen:
You will need to purchase a bunch of small stuffed puppies from your local party store or craft store.
You will also need some dog bowls, fake grass (this can be found in the Easter section of most stores), and some “pup chow” which is just dry cereal dyed with food coloring.
For the adoption certificates, you can either print them out or handwrite them.
To personalize each certificate, have the guest of honor fill in their name, age, address, and the name of their new puppy.
Make setup easy by having each activity at its own station—have one station for decorating the puppies, another for filling out the certificates, and another for playing puppy games.
Some games that are perfect for a puppy party include: Pin the Tail on the Puppy, Pass the Puppy (a version of hot potato), and a Dog Show where children show off their newly adopted puppies to everyone.
If you want to keep with the Vet theme, you could also do a Veterinarian Check-Up where children “diagnose” their stuffed animal using a stethoscope, a flashlight, and a small hammer.
Make puppy chow as snack, hot dogs, and cheese cut out in shapes of bones.
If you want to get really creative, you can make cupcakes that look like little dog houses or ice cream cones that look like fire hydrants.
For drinks, serve milk in bottles with puppy straws or water in bowls with paw print cups.
As for favors, send your guests home with their stuffed animal puppies, adoption certificates, and goodie bags filled with puppy-themed treats.
Jungle Party
It’s a jungle out there! For a fun and wild toddler birthday party, go with a jungle theme.
Your little guests will feel like they are on an adventure as they explore the jungle, complete fun challenges, and munch on some yummy jungle snacks.
Transform your backyard into a jungle by hanging green streamers from trees and patio furniture, blowing up green balloons, and scattering green construction paper leaves as confetti around the yard.
You can also hang some fake vines or palm leaves around the perimeter of the party area.
Some fun jungle-themed games include a coconut bowling, a water balloon toss, and an obstacle course (crawling through tunnels, jumping over logs, etc).
For the food, think about tropical fruits, jungle animal crackers, fruit punch, and food on skewers.
These are just a few ideas to get you started planning the perfect backyard birthday party for your toddler. With a little creativity, you can make any theme come to life and create lasting memories for both you and your child
Once you’ve got all of your planning taken care of, it’s time to sit back and enjoy the party. These backyard birthday party ideas are sure to make this a birthday your toddler will never forget!
. Happy planning!