A to Z Birthday Celebration Ideas
Whether birthdays are a big deal in your family, or you take a more low-key approach to birthday celebrations, this list of A to Z birthday ideas for kids will help you craft a special day for the person of honor.
How to Plan a Special Birthday Using A-Z Activity Ideas
1. Choose a word or phrase
The first step in planning activities that make your child feel valued and special is to choose a word or phrase. You can keep it simple with HAPPY BIRTHDAY, your birthday child’s name, or get inspired by some of the ideas below.
Birthday Phrase Ideas
HAPPY BIRTHDAY
CHILD’S NAME (e.g. JASMINE)
BEST.KID.EVER.
CELEBRATE
LET’S PARTY
YOU’RE THE BEST
CELEBRATE GOOD TIMES
BIRTHDAY GIRL/BOY
YOU’RE FINALLY 10! (substitute appropriate number)
HOPE ALL YOUR WISHES COME TRUE
YOU ARE SPECIAL
JUST AN EXTRAORDINARY DAY
ENJOY YOUR SPECIAL DAY
BEST WISHES TO YOU
You could even go all out and try to fit in something from A-Z! You’ll find plenty of ideas in this article to keep your birthday child busy all day long.
2. Brainstorm activities beginning with each letter of your word or phrase
After you’ve chosen a special phrase, think about activities your child might like to do, foods they like to eat, or traditions you want to establish and correlate those things to the letters in your word or phrase.
Mix and match simple, at-home projects like crafts or birthday signs with destinations like restaurants or events.
You don’t need to do these things in order, but it will give your birthday girl or boy lots of fun to anticipate throughout the day.
Let’s look at a couple of examples.
LET’S PARTY
L = letter (write your child a birthday letter letting them know what you appreciate about them and how they’ve grown over the past year)
E = email (have distant friends and family send email birthday wishes to you in advance and save them for the big day)
T = tea party (plan a special tea party lunch for the birthday girl who loves to get fancy)
S = scavenger hunt (plan a surprise scavenger hunt with a prize at the end)
P = presents (decorate a chair for the birthday child to use for opening gifts)
A = arcade (spend an hour playing games and winning cheap prizes at an arcade)
R = reservation (make a reservation for dinner out)
T = truffles (get fancy truffles for the kid who loves chocolate)
Y = year in review (look back through videos and pictures from the past year, make a slideshow, or just reminisce)
JASMINE (name)
J = Jamba Juice (go out for a smoothie treat)
A = affirmations (tell your child about the positive traits you see in them)
S = sing “Happy Birthday”
M = Mad Libs (find a printable birthday Mad Libs)
I = introduction (tell the birthday child the story of their birth)
N = newspaper (current days newspaper or a newspaper from the date of their birth)
E = entrance (decorate the entrance to your home or the birthday child’s room)
3. Make a sign or banner displaying the birthday fun
Grab a posterboard, a roll of paper, or colorful sheets of 8.5″ x 11″ paper to create a big impact sign displaying the agenda for your fun birthday activities.
You can make this as extravagant or as simple as you like. Make it a birthday tradition to do every year, or change up the words and activities each year.
To get you started, I’ve got a huge list of alphabetized ideas you can use to begin brainstorming ways to make your child’s birthday special.
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A-Z Ways Birthday Ideas for a Special Day
There are hundreds of ideas on this list, but as you scan through the letters that are relevant to your word or phrase, you will probably think of many additional things that could go on this list.
Use these ideas to get inspired and start the wheels turning, and then personalize your list to fit your birthday child.
Included are places to go and things to do, from simple to extravagant.
Don’t forget to think about attractions, restaurants, and shops near you that your child enjoys, along with favorite snacks, toys, and brands you can include with the appropriate letter. Your child might be excited to go to a favorite store with $20 to spend on whatever they want, or they might enjoy a variety of their favorite junk foods that they normally don’t get to eat.
Use the chart below to skip directly to the letters you wish to use.
Birthday Celebration Ideas Starting with A
- act of kindness
- accomplishment list
- airport
- acrostic (make an acrostic of their name using words to describe personality, hobbies, or things they enjoy)
- adventure
- affirmations
- airsoft
- amusement park
- Applebee’s
- aquarium
- arboretum
- Arby’s
- arcade
- archery
- art gallery
- art project
- Auntie Anne’s
- author reading
- autograph (send off for an autograph from one of your child’s favorite athletes, authors, or musicians)
- aviation museum
- award (give an award for a special accomplishment your child should be proud of)
Birthday Food and Drink Ideas Starting with A
- A&W root beer
- ACT II popcorn
- Aha sparkling water
- Airheads
- apples
- angel food cake
- avocado toast
Birthday Celebration Ideas Starting with B
- baby pictures (take a walk down memory lane and look at baby pictures of the birthday child)
- backstage pass
- badminton
- Baja Fresh
- bakery
- baking challenge (for the baker, hold a fun bake-off challenge)
- ballet
- balloon animals
- banner
- Barnes and Noble
- baseball game
- basketball game
- Baskin-Robbins
- Bath & Body Works
- batting cages
- beach
- bedroom makeover
- bike ride
- birthday bingo (with prizes of course!)
- birthday basket (put together a surprise basket of small goodies that will make your birthday child smile)
- birthstone
- BJ’s Restaurant
- book (extra fun if you give a book with a character or author that has your child’s name)
- bookmark (give a bookmark each year related to something your child is into)
- bookstore
- bouncy house
- bowling
- brainteasers
- breakfast buffet
- breakfast in bed
- brunch
- bubble tea
- bucket list (make a bucket list for the next year)
- Build-a-Bear
- building blocks
- bumper boats
- Burger King
- Burgerville
Birthday Food and Drink Ideas Starting with B
- Baby Ruth
- bacon
- bagel bites
- baklava
- banana bread
- barbecue
- blackberries
- blueberries
- boysenberries
- baked brie
- brownies
- Bubly sparkling water
- Butterfinger
Birthday Celebration Ideas Starting with C
- cafe
- California Pizza Kitchen
- campfire
- carnival games
- carousel
- card
- card game
Read: 25 Fun Family Card Games
- caricature (have one drawn of the birthday child or have fun drawing your own of one another)
- Carl’s Jr.
- ceremony (make it official with a declaration that the birthday child is now ____ years old)
- charades
- Cheesecake Factory
- Chick-fil-A
- Chipotle
- cinema
- Cinnabon
- Claim Jumper
- Claire’s
- climbing wall
- coffee shop
- Coldstone Creamery
- collage (prep and gather materials for your birthday child to make a collage representing who they are right now)
Read: Student Collage Project for ideas and examples
- collection (add something to a collection of the birthday child)
- coloring (print your child’s name for them to color—check out these great zentangle designs)
- comic book (surprise your superhero-obsessed child with a personalized comic book)
- compliments
- concert
- congratulations
- Container Store
- contest (fofer your competitive child opportunities to enter a contest: coloring contest, baking contest, building contest, trivia contest, photo contest, New Yorker caption contest)
- cookie decorating
- countdown (start a countdown to the next birthday or other big event like Christmas or summer vacation)
- Cracker Barrel
- craft project
- craft fair
- Craft Warehouse
- create (plan a time of creative exploration with a maker space)
- crossword puzzle (make a personalized crossword puzzle that includes your birthday child’s favorite things)
- Crumbl Cookies
Birthday Food and Drink Ideas Starting with C
- cake
- calamari
- candy
- cheeseburger
- cheesecake
- Cheeto’s
- chocolate
- cinnamon roll
- Corn Nuts
- cotton candy
- crepes
- croissants
- cupcake
Birthday Celebration Ideas Starting with D
- Dairy Queen
- dance party
- deli
- deposit (cash into child’s account or college savings fund)
- dessert
- Dick’s Sporting Goods
- Disney store
- dodgeball
- Dollar Tree
- Domino’s
- donation
- door decorations (add streamers, balloons, and festive decor to your birthday child’s bedroom doorway)
- dress up
- Dunkin’ Donuts
- Dutch Bros.
Birthday Food and Drink Ideas Starting with D
- dark chocolate
- devil’s food cake
- donuts
- Dorito’s
- double-stuffed Oreos
- Dr. Pepper
- Dutch baby pancake
Birthday Celebration Ideas Starting with E
- Einstein Bros. Bagels
- email (have faraway friends and family send birthday emails to you and save for the special day)
- encore (allow the birthday child to choose one thing they enjoyed from the day to repeat)
- encouragement/encouraging words
Read: 250 Positive Adjectives to Describe Your Child
- endearment
- entertainment (keep your activity a surprise by using this generic word for the letter e)
- entrance (decorate the entrance to your home or the birthday child’s room)
- essentials (give the birthday child new toothbrush, underwear, and other essentials in a little gift pack)
- event (use this generic word to keep your surprise event a secret until you’re ready to reveal it)
- excellent ___________ (fill in the blank with anything you like)
- exciting ____________ (fill in the blank with anything you like)
- exhibition
- expensive (give an expensive gift)
- experience (give an experience gift)
- experiments (mad science type experiments)
- extraordinary accomplishments (boost your child’s confidence with a list of amazing things they’ve done so far in their life)
- extravaganza
- extreme ____________ (fill in the blank with anything you like)
Birthday Food and Drink Ideas Starting with E
- eclair
- egg rolls
- Eggo waffles
- elephant ears
- enchilada
Birthday Celebration Ideas Starting with F
- family fun fest
Read: How to Hold a Family Olympics for ideas
- fanfare (bring out the noisemakers, party hats, sing happy birthday, etc.)
- farmer’s market
- fashion show
- fast food
- favors (party favors OR everyone in the family does a job or chore for the birthday child)
- favorite ____________ (fill in the blank with anything you like)
- feast
- festival
- feature film (pop some popcorn and watch at home or head to the theater)
Read: 100+ Movies for Family Movie Night
- fingerpaint
- Firehouse Subs
- fishing
- Five Guys Burgers
- flashback (review of pictures/video from previous year)
- flashlight tag
- flowers
- food truck
- Foot Locker
- football
- footprint (make a footprint on canvas or a stepping stone)
- Forever 21
- fort (break out the blankets and make a giant fort in your living room)
- friends (take a few friends along to one of your activities)
- frisbee
- fundraiser
- future focus (goal setting or vision board for the upcoming year)
Birthday Food and Drink Ideas Starting with F
- fajitas
- Fanta
- fondue
- french bread
- french toast
- fried chicken
- fries
- Frito’s
- frittata
- fruit salad
- fudge
- Fun Dip
Birthday Celebration Ideas Starting with G
- gallery
- game
- GameStop
- Gap
- geocaching
- gifts
- gift card
- go-karts
- Godiva Chocolates
- Godfather’s Pizza
- goody bag
- gratitude list (take 5 minutes to make a list of things your birthday child has to be thankful for over the past year)
- Great Harvest Bakery
Birthday Food and Drink Ideas Starting with G
- Ghiradelli
- ginger ale
- granola
- grapes
- gum
- gumballs
- gummy bears
- gyros
Birthday Celebration Ideas Starting with H
- H&M
- hair salon
- halftime show (halfway through the day, let your birthday child watch their favorite show)
- handprint (make a handprint on canvas or a stepping stone)
- hashtags (make a list of funny hashtags to represent your birthday child)
- hat (put on those party hats)
- headline (newspaper headlines from the year your birthday child was born)
- hide-and-seek
- hike
- hobby (give your birthday child something related to a hobby they enjoy)
- Hobby Lobby
- horseback riding
- hotel
- hug
Birthday Food and Drink Ideas Starting with H
- hamburger
- hash browns
- Hershey’s
- honeydew melon
- hot chocolate
- hot dog
Birthday Celebration Ideas Starting with I
- ice skating
- iFly
- IHOP
- increase (increase allowance, screen time, or anything else your birthday child would appreciate)
- inspiration (give your birthday child an inspirational quote or saying for their room)
- interesting ________________ (fill in the blank with anything you like)
- Interview (birthday questions/favorites)
- introduction (tell the story of their birth, or their strengths, talents, and accomplishments)
- introspection (questions to reflect on the previous year: best and worst moments, favorite books, music, movies, etc.)
- In-and-Out Burger
Birthday Food and Drink Ideas Starting with I
- ice cream
- Ice sparkling water drink
- iced tea or coffee
- instant pudding
- Irish soda bread
- Italian food
Birthday Celebration Ideas Starting with J
- Jamba Juice
- Jenga (giant outdoor or regular edition)
- jewelry
- Jimmy John’s
- Joann’s
- jokes (tell a few sidesplitters or watch a comedy show)
- journal (add entry to birthday journal)
- Just Dance
Birthday Food and Drink Ideas Starting with J
- jalapeno poppers
- jam
- jambalaya
- Jawbreaker
- jello
- jelly beans
- jerky
- jicama
- jo-jo potatoes
- juice
- Juicy Fruit gum
- Junior Mints
Birthday Celebration Ideas Starting with K
- karaoke
- keepsake
- Kentucky Fried Chicken
- kickball
- Killer Burger
- kind words
- kinetic sand
- kiss
- knickknacks (add to a collection)
- Krispy Kreme
- kudos (praise your child’s qualities and accomplishments)
Birthday Food and Drink Ideas Starting with K
- kale chips
- kebobs
- Kettle Chips
- kettle corn
- key lime pie
- Kit Kat
- kiwi
- Klondike bars
- kung pao chicken
Birthday Celebration Ideas Starting with L
- La Croix sparkling water
- lake
- laser tag
- lawn bowling
- LEGO challenge
- LEGO store
- leisure time (set aside some free time for the birthday child)
- letter (write your child a birthday letter letting them know how much they mean to you)
- limbo
- Little Caesars
- little luxury (give the birthday child something extra special)
- local ______________ (fill in the blank with anything you like)
Birthday Food and Drink Ideas Starting with L
- lasagna
- Lay’s
- lemon meringue pie
- lemon tart
- lemonade
- Lifesavers
- lollipop
Birthday Celebration Ideas Starting with M
- Macy’s
- magic show
- maker space
- manicure
- makeover
- marble run
- Marshall’s
- marshmallows (roast marshmallows)
- maze
- McDonald’s
- McMenamin’s
- measure (height)
- Melting Pot
- memories (reminisce about the past year, look at pictures and video, or make a slideshow)
- Menchie’s Frozen Yogurt
- Michael’s
- Minecraft
- miniature golf
- Minute-to-Win-It games
- mirror message (write a birthday message on the mirror)
- MOD Pizza
- money
- movie marathon
- museum
- musical chairs
Birthday Food and Drink Ideas Starting with M
- M&M’s
- mac and cheese
- macaron
- macaroon
- mandarin orange
- mango
- marshmallows
- meatballs
- milkshake
- Milky Way
- moon pie
- mousse
Birthday Celebration Ideas Starting with N
- nametag (make the birthday child wear an “it’s my birthday” nametag all day)
- Nerf war
- new experience
- newborn photos (take a look back at the birth day)
- newspaper (current day newspaper or newspaper from birth date)
- Nordstrom
- note (write your child a birthday note letting them know how much they mean to you)
Birthday Food and Drink Ideas Starting with N
- nachos
- nectarine
- Nerds
- noodles
- Nutella
Birthday Celebration Ideas Starting with O
- observations (have everyone describe positive traits or the birthday child or ways they have been positively impacted)
- observatory
- obstacle course
- ocean
- Old Navy
- Old Spaghetti Factory
- Olive Garden
- open gifts
- opera
- options (offer a choice of activities)
- orchestra
- ornament (purchase an ornament each year for your child to add to a tabletop birthday tree)
- Outback Steakhouse
- outdoor activities
- outstanding _______________ (fill in the blank with anything you like)
Birthday Food and Drink Ideas Starting with O
- oatmeal cookies
- omelet
- onion rings
- orange juice
- Oreos
Birthday Celebration Ideas Starting with P
- PF Chang’s
- paintball
- painting (watercolor, paint rocks, mural, portrait, etc.)
- pajamas
- Panda Express
- Panera Bread
- Papa Murphy’s Pizza
- paper airplane contest
- park (visit a favorite park or find one you’ve never been to before)
- pedicure
- pet store
- photo booth
- playground
- playlist (create a unique playlist for the day with the birthday child’s favorite upbeat songs)
- picnic
- Pictionary
- pictures (look back through pictures of the previous year)
- pillow fight
- pin the tail game (This doesn’t have to be the traditional “pin the tail on the donkey.” Use whatever your child is into: pin the wand on the hand, pin the cape on the superhero, pin the horn on the unicorn, etc.)
- ping pong
- Pizza Hut
- plant seeds
- Playdoh (make it a challenge to make the best playdoh creation based on a theme: birthday cake, flower, airplane, etc.)
- poem (find a poem written about your child’s birth month, a favorite animal, or a character trait you see in your child)
- Popeye’s
- portrait (do a fun self-portrait)
- poster (make a poster collage or give your child a poster from their favorite movie or band)
- potato sack or pillowcase race
- pottery (visit a paint-your-own pottery store)
- puppet show
Birthday Food and Drink Ideas Starting with P
- Pad thai
- pancakes
- parfait
- peanuts
- Pepsi
- pickles
- pineapple
- pizza
- Pop-Tarts
- popcorn
- pretzels
- Pringles
- pudding
- pulled pork
Birthday Celebration Ideas Starting with Q
- quest (send your birthday child on a mission to discover a special gift)
- questions (ask your child to answer a few birthday questions)
- quotes (read funny quotes from when the birthday child was younger or share an inspiring quote for the upcoming year)
Since this is a tough letter, you could also use words that contain the letter Q.
- banquet
- plaque
- raquetball
- unique experience
Birthday Food and Drink Ideas Starting with Q
- quarter pounder
- quesadilla
- queso
- quiche
- quick bread
Birthday Celebration Ideas Starting with R
- race (egg and spoon, relay race, three-legged race)
- recognition (take time to recognize your child’s accomplishments and highlights over the past year)
- Red Lobster
- Red Robin
- relaxation (give your child a hammock or beanbag chair, or go all out with a spa appointment for your teen)
- reminisce (relive favorite moments and memories from the past year)
- reservation
- restaurant
- retrospective (look back over the past year with a slideshow or pictures)
- river
- roller skating
- Ross Dress for Less
Birthday Food and Drink Ideas Starting with R
- raspberries
- ravioli
- red velvet cake
- Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups
- ribs
- Rice Krispie treats
- Rocky Road ice cream
- rolls
- root beer float
- Ruffles
Birthday Celebration Ideas Starting with S
- salon
- scrapbook
- secret message
- See’s Candies
- Sephora
- Shake Shack
- shopping
- Simon Says
- sing happy birthday
- sleepover
- Smashburger
- Sonic
- sparklers
- Starbucks
- stargazing
- string art
- Subway
- sunset
- swim
Birthday Food and Drink Ideas Starting with S
- salad bar
- salmon
- sandwich
- scones
- smoothie
- snickerdoodles
- spaghetti
- steak
- strawberries
- sundae
- sunflower seeds
- sushi
Birthday Celebration Ideas Starting with T
- Taco Bell
- Target
- tea party
- theater
- tickets
- TJ Maxx
- train ride
- trampoline park
- treats
- trivia challenge
- trophy (have a trophy inscribed with a funny message: best broccoli eater, #1 sleeper-inner, etc.)
- Tuesday Morning
- tug of war
Birthday Food and Drink Ideas Starting with T
- tacos
- Takis
- tangerine
- tater tots
- trail mix
- trifle
- truffles
Birthday Celebration Ideas Starting with U
- Ulta Beauty
- ultimate _____________ (fill in the blank with anything you like)
- unforgettable experience
- unique experience
- unplanned (leave room in the day for an unplanned activity)
- unusual _____________ (fill in the blank with anything you like)
- Urban Outfitters
- useful gift
Birthday Food and Drink Ideas Starting with U
- U-NO bar
- udon noodles
- Uno’s Pizza
- upside down cake
- Utz Potato Chips
Birthday Celebration Ideas Starting with V
- vacation plans (reveal upcoming vacation plans)
- validations (words of encouragement for the birthday child)
- venue (keep the actual venue a surprise until the right time)
- video (watch highlights of the previous year)
- video games
- viewpoint
- virtual visit (video chat with distant friends or family)
- visit _________________ (fill in the blank with anything you like)
- volunteer
Birthday Food and Drink Ideas Starting with V
- vanilla cake or vanilla ice cream
- veggie straws or veggie chips
- vermicelli
- Victoria sponge cake
Birthday Celebration Ideas Starting with W
- watch party
- waterpark
- Wendy’s
- Wetzel’s Pretzels
- whatever (free choice for the birthday child)
- wishes (have child submit birthday wishes in advance and choose one to grant)
- wonderful ______________ (fill in the blank with anything you like)
- word search (create a personalized word search)
- words of wisdom (advice for life)
- wow moment
Birthday Food and Drink Ideas Starting with W
- waffles
- Waterloo sparkling water
- watermelon
- Whatchamacallit candy bar
- white chocolate
- Whoppers
- wontons
Birthday Celebration Ideas Starting with X
You’ll have to be creative with X and use words that have X in them.
- boX (give a gift in a box, especially fun if you give a small gift inside boxes of increasing size)
- eXcellent _______________ (fill in the blank with anything you like)
- eXciting ________________ (fill in the blank with anything you like
- eXhibition
- eXperience
- eXtravagant ____________ (fill in the blank with anything you like)
- inboX (share email well wishes from distant friends and family, or give an e-gift card and tell the birthday child to check their inbox)
- multipleX
- FlipZ yogurt covered pretzels
Birthday Celebration Ideas Starting with Y
- yardstick time (measure height of the birthday child)
- yearbook (compile a yearbook of pics from the previous year)
- year in review (look back at the previous year)
- yes time (grant a request your birthday child has had in the past year)
- yesteryear (reminisce about the previous year)
- you are… (positive compliments for the birthday child)
- YouTube videos (funny videos or video playlist that birthday child will enjoy)
- yummy ______________ (fill in the blank with anything you like)
Birthday Food and Drink Ideas Starting with Y
- yakisoba
- yogurt
- York peppermint patties
- Yumm bowl
Birthday Celebration Ideas Starting with Z
- in the Zone (choose an activity that fits)
- _________ Zone (choose an activity that fits or make it “friend zone”)
- zero (promise zero of something that drives your birthday child crazy: no nagging to pick up shoes, no correcting of grammar, etc.)
- zesty ___________ (fill in the blank with anything you like)
- zingy ___________ (fill in the blank with anything you like)
- zipline
- zoo
- Zoom time (virtual visit with distant friends or family)
- ZZZ (bedtime)
Birthday Food and Drink Ideas Starting with Z
- ziti
- zucchini cake (or zucchini muffins or zucchini bread)
You may also consider using products that contain the letter Z.
- Cheez-its
- Pez
- pretzels
A-Z Birthday Ideas for a Special Celebration
You can easily adapt this idea to have fun for an adult’s birthday also. Think “Happy Birthday Dad” or “Best Friend Ever.” Brainstorm a variety of fun activities, favorite snacks, and meaningful traditions to include using the letters of your chosen phrase and make it an extra special birthday celebration.
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Fun and Meaningful A to Z Birthday Ideas for Kids
