As summer 2022 rolls around and the weather perks up, and with lockdown birthday party ideas still in full flow, there's never been a better time to host an outdoor birthday party for children.

So, if you’re looking for outdoor birthday party ideas for your child, here’s 17 fun ways to make the most of Britain’s green pastures and occasional good weather.

How do I host the ultimate kids garden party?

But first, here’s three tips to keep in mind for a successful party:

• Choose a theme: It always helps to have a theme to bring the party to life, this can run throughout the day from the kids’ party food you serve, to the outdoor party games hosted. Think about your child’s latest obsession; Paw Patrol, Thomas the Tank Engine, Moana, Hot Wheels, Frozen, Blipi… you get the picture!

• The cake: If you only go big with one thing, make it the cake. A kids’ birthday cake is always the centrepiece of the day, and the perfect memory for years to come. Perhaps you’ll go with an outdoor nature/animal theme – perfect for an outdoor kids garden party, and even better served in Munchy Play plates, as shown below (perfect for the Thomas The Tank Engine parties)

 Plan 2 or 3 activities: You don’t have to go overboard, just having 2 or 3 activities planned for the day will help keep the excitement levels up. For instance, pass the parcel is one of the most popular outdoor party games for 5 year olds, along with a piñata and movie.

With the above taken care of, let’s get down to the fun bit.

Outdoor activities for a kids party

1. Treasure Hunt

Fact – kids LOVE treasure hunts. Which is handy, since they’re easy peasy to do. Just leave some clues around the garden and a map of the treasure and it entertain them to no end.

2. Home Bowling

The bowling alleys may be closed, but your toddler will be just as happy with a few wooden skittles and a tennis ball in the back garden! If you’re not so down with keeping it old school, you can buy a skittle pack online for less than a fiver.

3. Get a Piñata

This Mexican tradition has gone mainstream’ of late, widely regarded as the new ‘pin the tail on the donkey’. One bash and you’ll see why! The perfect outdoor party games, just hang the piñata from a tree and watch the little ones smash it to smithereens! Available in all good high-street gift shops and supermarkets

4. Punch and Judy

Oh no you didn’t, oh yes we did! That’s right – an outdoor puppet theatre, or Punch and Judy show is a winner with kids of all ages. It’s pretty straightforward to put on from the comfort of your back garden, making it easy to see why it is one of the most popular lockdown birthday ideas for 3 year olds.

5. Painting club

Subject to lockdown birthday restrictions and numbers allowed to meet outside, you might decide to have a few friends over, and a painting hour is a great outdoor party game to enjoy. Simply set up some canvas and paints, and get the kids to paint portraits of each other. It’s a wonderful keepsake to take home too.

6. Gaming tent

For kids that love gaming, when not bring the fun outdoors with a gaming tent or open-air lounge complete with cushions and comforts. Hot Wheels Unleashed is a popular choice (suitable for 1+ years), and pairs perfectly with this fun Hot Wheels car plate - ideal for filling with snacks. (Ps, if you're looking for food ideas for kids party check out our Pinterest page).

7. Back garden Mini Golf!

Now we’re talking! Grab yourself some kids’ golf clubs, some planks of wood, empty pots and a dollop of creativity! It’s great fun to map out a mini golf course and the kids will love it too.

8. Scavenger hunt

The possibilities for outdoor scavenger hunts are limitless. Perhaps you could challenge the kids to find different tree leaves, or find different colours in nature, or perhaps spot as many mini beasts as possible. It’s a great way to make the most of the great outdoors.

9. Mini Olympics

Looking for the best games for kids parties? Easy - grab some plastic rings, tennis balls and wooden spoons and you’ve got yourself all the ingredients for a set of outdoor party games. One of our favourite outdoor birthday party ideas for 4 years old is the water balloon toss. Just get some filled bucket of water balloons and get your child to throw some hula hoops from afar. Take it in turns to get the most shots without popping the balloons!

10. Outdoor cinema

It has never been easier to create that home-movie experience from your back garden. Print out some makeshift movie tickets and wait until the evening, and you’re halfway there! Don’t forget to add popcorn, fizzy pop, hotdogs and pick n mix for the ultimate indulgence. Amazon, Now TV and YouTube all make it easy to rent movies. Some popular choices for little ones include: Coco (great for Mexican theme nights), Peter Rabbit 2, Dolittle (perfect for pet-theme parties), Trolls sing-along (ideal for popstar wannabees) and the Lego Movie 2.  Watch on your laptop with some bean bags, or if you want to go big – invest in a projector against your wall.

11. Build a den

An outdoor den is always such fun, and you can buy kits from as little as £10. Failing that, gather some cushions, get an old rug and hey presto. It’s what birthdays are all about… well, at least in lockdown.

12. Bubbles, bubbles and bubbles

Did we mention bubbles!? The humble bubble is what two-year olds live for. Get one of those machines that cranks them out and that’s a good hour down without having to hire kids party entertainers!

13. Bouncy Castle

Feeling brave? The much-loved bouncy castle is always a hit for outdoor kids parties. You can even hire a kids party bus that will take care of all the details for you.

14. Slip n Slide

Once the sunny weather arrives, the slip and slide is a perfect party idea for warm balmy days. Argos is one of the many retailers where you can pick one up. Just remember to mention to parents to bring towels.

15. Throw a Mad Hatter’s Tea Party

What’s the best way to bring your kids garden party to life? With a MadHatters Tea Party of course! For all the Alice in Wonderland vibes, you’ll want cupcakes and jam heart tarts and fancy dress.. lots of kids party dress! Bring the party to the next level with some fun plates and balloons, what’s not to love!

16. Egg hunt

Why should egg hunts just be for Easter! Put your own personal spin on your egg hunt, perhaps hide chocolate bars or bags of popcorn around the lawn for the little ones to find.

17. Camp out

If you’re blessed with good weather, camping out under the stars is the perfect way to end a kids outdoor birthday party. But even if it’s a bit gloomy you can still enjoy all the best bits, like hot cocoa, yummy S’mores  and some campfire tunes indoors.

So there you have it, 17 outdoor party games for kids! Read here if you're looking for inspiration for indoors or other lockdown birthday ideas.

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