Stylish Birthday Party Ideas for Every Age

From baby's first birthday to tween tea parties – make it a tasteful affair

Your child’s birthday isn’t just a fun excuse for cake and games, it’s an emotional milestone for the parents too. We say mark the occasion with the style it deserves with these tasteful party ideas for children of all ages. From elegant Peter Rabbit styling to a beautiful take on outer space, our themes will delight discerning adults as much as the little ones.

1-Year-Old Birthday Party Ideas

Even though they won’t remember it, baby’s first birthday feels extra special. Keep celebrations small and curated with a tea party at home: our official Peter Rabbit collection makes a picture-perfect theme for their first birthday, with illustrated tableware and a garland that will look sweet hanging in baby’s room once the party’s over. Alternatively, a ‘One-der the Sea' party with our gorgeous Under the Sea range will dazzle your little one and guests in equal measure, or go for our puppy and kitten tableware for an equally fun baby theme.

In 2024, Western fashion is making a comeback, which is perfect for throwing a stylish 'My First Rodeo' party – decorate your party space with our Horse Plates and Garland, and pair with cowboy hats for your little one and guests to create the perfect finishing touch for your horse birthday party.

2-Year-Old Birthday Party Ideas

Toddlers love a farm! Our take is more modern than muddy, with pastel colours and painterly illustrations on tableware and garlands, full of cute piggies, roosters and tractors. Little guests will love the party blowers and farm animal ears – guaranteed to provide hours of entertainment. Combine your farm themed birthday party with decorations from our Construction range; your toddlers will be delighted as they build towers and race trucks around.

Your little one will also adore an airplane birthday party created using our Airplane Party collection, which includes vintage-inspired plane tableware and a high-flying garland that can later be used as a decoration for their room!

3-Year-Old Birthday Party Ideas

Dinosaur obsessed pre-schooler? Make their day ‘roarsome’ with a dino party: triceratops hats, diplodocus cake toppers and magnificent T-Rex dress-up are sure to delight the three-year-old crowd, while the leafy green balloon arch will bring serious style factor to the décor. The Animal Parade collection is another sure-fire way to please your toddler, featuring adorable animals such as lions and crocodiles and brightly-colored napkins and plates.

For a truly magical experience, a unicorn theme is the way to go – accompanied by glitter, rainbows, and sweet illustrations, this party will be a hit for kids and adults alike. Use our Unicorn Cupcake Kit and challenge your party-goers to a cake decorating competition!

4–5-Year-Old Birthday Party Ideas

Impress their whole class with a trip to outer space, Meri Meri style! Our galaxy of space-themed party pieces is exquisitely designed by our in-house designers: honeycomb planet garlands, cosmic balloon displays and inky galactic illustrations look out of this world. Or transform them into royalty with our Princess range, replete with beautifully illustrated decorations and eye-catching colors – our Magical Princess Centerpiece can feature as the perfect table topper and later become a beloved piece in your child's room!

Alternatively, Meri Meri's Ballerina range, with its pretty tulle outfits and soft pink decor, is the ideal theme for ballet-loving kids and makes for many cute Insta-worthy moments.

6–7-Year-Old Birthday Party Ideas

Boom! Zap! Pow! Take on crimes against fun with a cool superhero theme – well-suited to bigger boys and girls. Our cityscape garland will provide the perfect comic book backdrop to the fun and this free craft activity is a nice idea for guests to make their own superhero cuffs. For a more unique birthday theme for bigger kids, why not try a circus theme party! Replete with sumptuous illustrations and colorful tableware, this collection is sure to create a show-stopping celebration.

Or, if your kids would prefer an underwater adventure, let them play at mermaids and pirates with our imaginative party collections; with swashbuckling decorations and party favors, and shimmering mermaid outfits and iridescent balloons, these themes will allow your kids to enter a magical ocean playscape.

8–9-Year-Old Birthday Party Ideas

From mushroom lawn sculptures trending on TikTok to catwalk prints by Rodarte, mushrooms are the world’s most unlikely current design obsession. It's a trend that translates perfectly to a fairy birthday party – create the dreamiest woodland-inspired party for your child and their guests by using our Fairy Garland alongside pretty Honeycomb Mushrooms and beautiful table candles.

Our Floral collection, with its multitude of fantastic pastel decorations and reusable pieces, can be mixed and matched with other themes – the garlands and flower walls will make for a photo-worthy picnic party!

10–13-Year-Old Birthday Party Ideas

Choosing the right partyware for tweens and teens is just as important as picking the right theme for your toddler or pre-schooler! Interestingly, between 10-13 years-old they may go for a nostalgic theme they liked in earlier childhood such as pink or roller-skates, or they may like the idea of a 90s-inspired party featuring gorgeous pastel designs and statement Happy Face Icon decorations.

Some tweens may be hankering for something more grown-up like a sophisticated French tea party theme (our Ladurée collection is the go-to for this). Sports-themed parties are an easy win for this age group too. Either way, getting every detail right from the napkins to the plates and cake topper will keep them smiling. For more party ideas for your tweens or teens, visit our How To Throw The Ultimate Teen or Tween Party blog post, featuring plenty of inspiration for their big day!

PLUS... Teens and beyond!

You’re never too old for a Meri Meri party theme! We’ve got everything you need for 20ths, 30ths, 40ths, 50ths and beyond - from spectacular candles for the cake, to statement balloon arches that make an entrance and tastefully-designed hanging decorations that create a party in an instant.

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