All great parties need a theme. While most children like dinosaurs, some are completely obsessed. In another article, I explored why kids love dinosaurs. The mystery and scale of these extinct animals are fascinating to young minds.
A dinosaur-themed birthday party is perfect for those kids who have dinosaurs on their brain. How do you plan for a party like this? It’s easier than you might think.
I will share some of the best dinosaur birthday party ideas. Let’s get started!
How to Throw a Dinosaur-themed Party
We have broken this topic down to cover various aspects of party planning, step-by-step. If you’re short on time, you can skip to the part that interests you most. I do recommend reading the entire article so that you won’t miss out on any tips.
The first step is to understand the age range of those participating. This is a huge part of planning as it will determine which of the following ideas apply. You must make sure these activities are age-appropriate to keep kids entertained.
Consider DIY or Inexpensive Options First
While this article mentions a variety of Amazon products, don’t become overwhelmed by the cost. Most of these items can be cheaply made with supplies that you might have in your home already. The following video shows some creative ways to host a fun party on a budget.
As you decide your budget, it’s important to understand what items are most important. The next sections cover the categories that I find most important.
Dinosaur Party Decorations
Decorations can range from simple to extravagant. You’d be surprised by how much even the most basic decorations can improve the party’s atmosphere. So how do you get started?
For the walls, it is a good idea to have dinosaurs sprinkled throughout the room. You can buy some hanging dinosaur-themed decorations such as these. If you’re on a budget, you can print out free dinosaur stencils. This will allow you to create DIY decorations at a lower cost.
Simply cut out some dinosaurs on colored paper, add facial features, and tape them to a string. Then you can hang the string from the ceiling or use a tack on the wall.
Additionally, you may want to sprinkle in some life-size inflatable dinosaurs, such as this set of four inflatables. Place the inflatables around the entrance or walkway to your party. You can also hide them throughout the party space for extra fun.
Dinosaur Party Favors
When it comes to a dinosaur party, you need to provide guests with some fun take-home items. These can be store-bought or DIY, so there is an option for every budget.
A fan favorite in my crowd has been these dinosaur baking cups. They hold cupcakes, but then you can fill them in with tissue paper when the cupcakes are gone and they make fun paper toys. If you’re crafty, you could make these out of construction paper.
You can always add some cupcake toppers. These are easy to make yourself, too! Follow this guide by the Crafting Chicks website to create some neat dino toppers. If you can cook, many creative snacks can be made dinosaur-shaped. I might opt for the simplicity of frozen dinosaur nuggets.
Gift bags make a great party favor. Kids often become jealous when they see someone else receive presents, so it makes sense to give everyone something to take home. You can buy some dinosaur party bags or get some non-specific ones from a dollar store.
This dino egg dig kit makes a great party favor. Each egg contains a mystery dinosaur. There are 12 unique animals featured.
This provides an interactive excavation experience and intrigue, as children show others what they find. The included cards provide information about the extinct creature.
Dinosaur Party Games and Entertainment
A dinosaur-themed birthday party is a perfect opportunity to get a whole group together for some fun activities! Consider these options:
Chalk Walk: If it’s a nice day outside, give your guests some chalk and allow everyone to make dinosaur footprints leading up to the party. Everyone can participate by creating unique footprints. You could use this as decoration if you want to add some prints leading up to the party ahead of time.
Fossil Dig: if you have a sandbox, you can create a fossil dig site. You can purchase this replica fossil excavation kit to conduct a fossil hunt like a paleontologist. You can even make your own fossils out of clay.
For more paleontology projects, check out our article on paleontology science projects.
Dino Hunt: Someone can dress up as a dinosaur or you could have an inflatable or toy dinosaur that everyone can hunt. I prefer dressing as a dinosaur.
You can make this a detailed scavenger hunt by hiding clues. If your guests are too young to read, consider making sure they all have an adult search partner or have all of the guests scavenge together and deliver clues out loud.
Dino Story: For young audiences, have the kids gather for a dramatic reading of a dinosaur picture book. Kids love to hear stories from adults and it can help them develop a love for books. This could be a good activity while they are eating or snacking on your dino-topped cupcakes or other snacks.
Discover a New Species: Using LEGOs or other blocks, have all the guests create their dinosaurs. You can even provide tags for guests to create a name for their newly-created species. Construction paper dinosaurs can be just as fun to create. You can even print out dinosaur coloring pages and see who can create the most colorful dinosaur.
Name It Game: For the trivia-minded, you can use a dinosaur classification game. Create a slide show or make cards with printed pictures of different dinosaurs, and see which guests know the name of the dinosaur. This should be done before the party to avoid delaying festivities.
The Jeopard Labs website has a fun set of dinosaur questions to entertain your guests. Hosts can give out prizes to the winners, such as inexpensive dinosaur toys or candy. You can add your questions if you’d like.
Discover More Dinosaur Birthday Party Ideas
It’s no secret that children love dinosaurs. A dinosaur-themed party can be loads of fun. This can also present an opportunity to educate as well as entertain.
What’s great about birthday parties for children is that you can get creative. As adults, we tend to do the same boring things at parties. You may realize that you have as much fun hosting the party as the kids.
Hopefully, this article helps you plan the perfect event for a special child in your life. If you’re looking for the best gifts for children, we have covered that topic too.
If you’re looking to plan a trip for a dinosaur-loving child’s birthday, you may be considering Universal Studios. We’ve covered what parents need to know in our article on the Jurassic Park rides globally.
We have presented a few dinosaur birthday party ideas in this article, but there are countless options out there! If you have some party ideas, please leave us a comment and share your experience. If you know someone who enjoys this type of content, consider sharing it.
