Dinosaur Birthday Party Ideas

Thanks to great shows like Dinosaur Train, kids now throw around words like herbivore, carnivore, theropod, crustaceous, and dromaeosaurus. The love of dinosaurs has grown exponentially beyond the singing purple dinosaur, Barney, and today’s children are learning real, exciting facts about these great beasts. But still, with all the newly acquired knowledge, dinosaurs still manage to hold a fascination for kids from 3 to 103 and encourage imagination, fantasy, and creativity. All of these are great elements to include in a birthday party!

Your dinosaur birthday party invitations provide you with the perfect excuse to write, “dino-mite.” Here is a sample text from www.kids-birthday-party-guide.com to get you started:

You’re invited to a Dino-Mite Party!

Tyrannosaur (name) is turning (age)

Come to the Dinosaur Nesting Groups (date, time, address)

Don’t be extinct! RSVP to the Prehistoric Parents (phone number or email)

There are so many templates and ideas online that your dinosaur birthday party invitations needn’t be a big source of worry or a time-consuming project.

The decorations, though, are an important focus for your child’s dino-mite party. Depending on the age of your guests, there is a variety of great ways to transform your home into your own Jurassic Park. If you have a sand box, fill it and lay out dinosaur bones (which could be anything from dog bones to plastic toys). This can double as an activity later. Dinosaurs and volcanoes go hand-in-hand, so why not make one yourself as an interactive centerpiece? Kids of all ages will love this. Find instructions here and do it ahead of time or save it for an activity for older children.

Mix dinosaur-shaped Mylar balloons with regular balloons for a festive atmosphere, sprinkle your child’s dinosaur stuffed buddies or figures around the room, tape dinosaur footprints to the wall, and create a jungle scene by hanging strips of green streamers from the ceiling. You can find large dinosaur wall posters that make an excellent backdrop for the party and can be hung in your child’s room after the party.

To feed your hungry dinosaurs, decorate your table with houseplants, rocks, and play dinosaurs (these can later be used as favors). You can find dinosaur-shaped chicken nuggets at most grocery stores, and you can serve tater-tots or grapes for dinosaur eggs. You could divide the table into “carnivore” and “herbivore” sections and let children choose from mini meatballs, pigs in a blanket, chicken wings, nuggets on one side, veggies and fruit on the other, and of course birthday cookies everywhere. Most are omnivores – as they will probably tell you.

Again, depending on the age of your guests, there is any number of fun activities. You could conduct a dinosaur egg hunt, have a dinosaur tattoo station, and play a rousing game of Carnivores vs. Herbivores. Divide the partygoers into two teams, and give the Carnivores a sheet of dinosaur stickers. The Carnivores chase the Herbivores, and when one is “caught,” a sticker is placed on his back and he must freeze until another Herbivore releases him by removing the stickers. When the carnivores run out of stickers, give a sheet of stickers to the Herbivores and repeat the game.

For your cake, you can easily find dinosaur molds online and at party supply stores. You can make an oval cake and decorate to look like a cracked dino egg, make the all-time kid favorite Dirt Cake, bake a giant cookie shaped like their favorite dinosaur, or build a volcano cake with a sheet cake and round cake covered with chocolate frosting. Drizzle red or orange frosting for the lava.

Ideas abound when you are having a dinosaur themed birthday party, and you will find yourself having a great time as well.