8 Virtual Party Ideas | How to celebrate a kid's birthday while social distancing?
Birthdays are milestones that kids look forward to and talk about for weeks before and after. During the new normal of social distancing, it might seem challenging to find ways to celebrate birthdays for kids. Virtual birthday parties can be more than Facetiming or video chats on Zoom during this shelter in place order. Here are some ideas to help make a birthday celebration with family and friends that kids will remember.
Virtual Paint Party
Having a virtual paint party for your budding artist is a great theme to share something they love with their family and friends. Support your local businesses by checking with art studios if they offer this option.
Many art studios will even offer the art supplies for purchase with no contact pick up or delivery ahead of the actual party. If your town does not have this option, Eventbrite offers several options at an economical price to hold these virtual paint parties.
Coloring books, stamper markers, and stackable crayons can also help you create your best arts & crafts projects!
Online Movie Party
A movie party with snacks and cake is one great virtual birthday party for kids of all ages. Netflix now offers an app called Netflix Party that family and friends can enjoy the same movie or movies while social distancing. Netflix Party synchronizes any movie that your child chooses along with online chat so kids can stay connected with their friends throughout the movie. A Zoom call, FaceTime session or Google Hangout can also be in the background so the party host and attendees can interact in real time. Include themed snacks and cake during the movie screening to complete this fun experience.
Even though we are socially distanced, we can still play games with friends and family! There are some games like Pictionary, which only requires a marker and paper! Words can be generated by the theme of the party or this online website can generate words for you:
Games Party
Bingo is another game that kids can play via Zoom or online. Services like My Free Bingo Cards lets you make virtual Bingo cards to be sent out to your party guests online. The app even provides a virtual Bingo caller as well.
Charades is a great game to play online. Use the charade word and phrases generator online. Make sure to use the Zoom App for this game so you can use the spotlight feature on Zoom. Give the players and guests 1 minute to guess the word or phrase.
Virtual Character Experiences
Companies like Ever After Princess Events are now offering virtual character experiences. Characters can make a short cameo visit, sing a song and even host a 30 minute craft or sing-along session via a live Zoom session.
This is great for a themed party as there are a wide variety of characters to choose from. Elsa from Frozen impersonator, JoJo Siwa impersonator, Barbie and much more.
Traditional Birthday Party – from a distance
A traditional party with decorations, games, cake and opening presents works well too. It is helpful to put a time limit on the event, 30 – 45 minutes is sufficient. The guest list should be somewhat limited too so the birthday star will have time to interact with every single guest.
Set up a Zoom meeting and send out online invitations. Decorate as you will for a normal party with banners, wall decals, birthday crown, birthday hats, streamers from the ceilings, snacks and of course cake. If presents will be a part of the celebration, ask the guests to send them in advance and the birthday star can open it during the online party.
Virtual Lego Party
Snapology is an STEAM education company that offers online Lego parties. The virtual party package includes an instructor that will guide the kids through engaging activities and also allow the kids to socialize and interact with each other.
Each session can fit up to 20 kids. Choose from Pokemon, Superhero, Frozen, Minecraft and many more fun themes for the Lego building event.
Stay-at-Home Bubble Party
Bubble Dad offers a live stream of his famous bubble show! The private online event includes a neat bubble show where Bubble Dad makes cake shaped bubbles, square bubbles, burping bubbles inside a bigger bubble and more! Then Bubble Dad ends the fun virtual party teaching kids and parents how to make their own bubble wands out of some simple materials such as straws, rubber bands, cardboard tubes, and pipe cleaners.
The entire party lasts 45 minutes and also allows the attending guests to have the birthday star Happy Birthday in the end.
Party at Home
Some kids just want to celebrate their birthdays with their family or siblings. Have the birthday star choose an activity of their choice and ask the entire household to participate. This can be anything from baking, playing video games, reading, gardening, shooting baskets in the driveway or playing a minute to win games.