Virtual birthday parties are a solution many of us are looking for! COVID_19 is delaying many special moments and memories. The list includes weddings, anniversaries, holidays, graduations, and birthday parties. But what if they don’t have to be? What if there are specific ideas on how to throw a virtual birthday party?
Let’s first take a minute to look at what we are gaining during this difficult time. I always like to find the positive, even in the most difficult situations. We are all given extended time with our family, that we would have never had the chance to get. Our children and pets, are ecstatic that we are home and all together!
Granted, we know this is not the most joyous time, let’s look at the bigger picture and be thankful for what we are given. My son turns 1 this month, and I still want to make this day just as special for him. I want to have wonderful memories for him of us celebrating his first birthday. You can read my special letter I wrote for his first birthday here. After doing some research, I found amazing virtual birthday party ideas, and I am so excited for his big day!
1. Send those invitations to your virtual birthday party
Yes, send those invitations out! But instead of mailing them, send them over e-vite! They actually have a ton of invitations right now, just for virtual parties! If you are throwing a special party, you have to make sure you send those special invites out. Your little one, family, and friends will feel the vibes of this special event when they get your virtual birthday party invite!
What I love the most about the idea of virtual invitations is they are easy to make and edit, extremely easy to track, and super easy to save to an email and add to a photo album in the future! Having one place to easily manage RSVPs makes managing the party and details so much simpler. Plus friends and family can leave comments which can be saved and seen in the future. I personally love sending virtual invites to all my parties. One great tip is taking a screenshot of the image, and texting it out to those invited. It’s another great idea to send a virtual birthday party invite!
2. Choose a place to host the virtual birthday party
Companies like Zoom and Houseparty are certainly taking off due to the stay at home requirements. Make sure all those attending the virtual birthday party have the appropriate software installed and login details ahead of the day and time scheduled! This will ensure all friends and family are “on time” to the special event.
The idea of having a virtual birthday hosted by Zoom is life changing! Just think about how much time you are saving setting up and cleaning up after a real party! I have personally attended a few events virtually, and as long as attendees are using a computer instead of a phone, the experience is seamless.
Zoom tends to be more popular than Houseparty, and most people have the app already downloaded and installed.
3. Pick a virtual birthday party theme, decorate your home, and get dressed up!
My son’s first birthday party was going to be sports themed. However, that doesn’t mean I can’t still use all my decorations, and tell friends and family to support the theme virtually! Our entire living room (where the camera is positioned) will be fully decorated with balloons, sports balls, and confetti. You can take it a step further, and have your loved ones make signs to cheer on the birthday boy or girl!
Don’t forget to “get dressed up”! Put on your fancy clothes, or dress up for the theme. Your little one will feel extra special. You will enjoy getting out of those leggings too! Also, those who are dialed in virtually are encouraged to wear their favorite sports jerseys!
When everyone logs in, the excitement will kick in when everyone is dressed the part. You just can’t help feeling festive when 20 people are all virtually dressed the same! Distance simply doesn’t matter, and everyone will feel even more connected if they are all dressed alike. This is one of the best virtual birthday party ideas!
4. Play a game
Who said a virtual birthday party was no fun? There are so many fun ideas you can do, like playing virtual games! My favorite idea is a scavenger hunt. Take a look at some ideas on how to set up a virtual scavenger hunt. Once everyone joins, you can send out a list of items everyone needs to search for in their home. Whoever wins can win a prize, like an e-gift card!
Scavenger hunts are one of the most interactive virtual games. Make sure no one has an idea of what the scavenger hunt will include beforehand, so folks can’t cheat! All the little ones will be so excited to run around the house to find the items as fast as they can to beat their friends! Parents have to be active in this game to make sure the score is being kept fairly.
Some virtual birthday scavenger hunt ideas are finding all the sports items in your home or as many items in one color. You can even do find as many objects in each category (crayons, shoes, balls, bags, etc.).
5. Don’t forget about cake!
Finally, what birthday party would be complete without cake! My favorite virtual birthday party idea would be to bake a cake together. This way, you all get to taste the delicious treats just like you were sitting at the same table. You have many options, but my favorite is a simple Funfetti cake, that way it doesn’t take up the entire celebration. Your little ones will also love to participate in mixing the ingredients (if they are old enough).
They are also some healthier and more natural dessert options. You can go for a simple banana bread, healthy carrot cake, or even make your cake base out of beets.
Make sure you take pictures of your little one eating the cake! Smash cakes are a great idea for a virtual birthday or regular one!
Most importantly have fun a fun virtual birthday party!
Just because we can’t be in person during this time, it doesn’t mean our children have to feel any less special. Make the day about them! You have the ability to make their day even more special than any other birthday.
Check out some daily activities for your babies, if you need some tips during the quarantine!