25+ Best Backyard Birthday Party Ideas and Designs

Last Updated on September 25, 2023 by Kimberly Crawford

Having a backyard serves a lot of functional spaces for the family. It is a cheap event place that you can decorate every now and then for any type of occasion.

One of the most fun events that you can prepare your backyard for is a birthday party. If you are planning on staging a backyard birthday party soon, here are some ideas that you can consider. 

25 backyard birthday party ideas 

best backyard birthday party ideas

You can throw up the balloons, the theme, the food, and the decorations but there is nothing more beautiful than a planned one. For some ideas, here are some designs that you can draw from. 

1. Backyard pool party

party pool birthday ideas

Be it built-in or inflatable, nothing is more perfect than a backyard pool party. You can add a lot of entertainment cars and activity portions even if you are working with a small backyard pool.

Just add in some birthday decorations and loads of finger food and you are good to go. 

2. Backyard cookout

party birthday backyard ideas 2

Kids and adults alike surely enjoy a fun cookout by the backyard.

It is easy to set-up one as you only need barbeque grills, skewers, a lot of drinks and the all-time favorite burgers, hotdogs, and fries in one enclosed space like the backyard. Put up long tables for a potluck with friends. 

3. Birthday egg hunt

party birthday backyard ideas 3

If you are setting up a backyard party for the young ones, a birthday egg hunt in the backyard is a fun thing to organize.

This works for all backyard sizes and it is one of the cheapest party activities that you can carry out. You may even have the eggs hand-painted by the kids before the party. 

4. Backyard theater party

party birthday backyard ideas 4

For the movie geeks and entertainment enthusiasts, setting-up a movie night to celebrate an intimate birthday party is such a classy way to have fun.

Relive the best scenes of your favorite movie with friends and family in a wide backyard with just mats, cushions and string lights

5. County fair themed birthday

County fair themed birthday

If you have a spacious backyard, why not bring the fun and flair of a country fair in your home? Aside from the barbeque, hotdogs, and fries, pull out the wooden table and chairs, the checkered stuff, the darts, and the nerf guns and you are all set. 

6. Vineyard theme

party birthday backyard ideas 5

This is another fun way to celebrate a birthday party but with a lot of class. You can pull-off a vineyard replica or just have an outdoor liquor bar for some fine wine tasting.

Arrange a cheese board for the gets and some salad bowl to top it all off. Work on the string lights for a more ambient feel. 

7. Balloon walkway

Balloon walkway

You can easily rate if a birthday is going to be fun depending on the number of balloons waiting for you in the backyard entrance.

If you want to go all the way, make a solid birthday statement by setting up a themed balloon walkway. 

8. Hollywood backdrop

Hollywood backdrop

We all had a Hollywood dream at some point and a backyard party with themed tarps and picture backdrops is a fine way to go all out for that Hollywood dream. With all those cameras and spotlights hovering over you, fame and glamour are the themes of the party. 

9. Pergola and lights

Pergola and lights

Add another layer to your backyard enclosure with pergolas and a lot of string lights. It gives off an intimate celebration with chosen friends and family. Choosing the best string lights for this arrangement is a key consideration. 

10. Colorful drinks and cocktails

Colorful drinks and cocktails

If you want a booming backyard party, you must go heavy on what goes on the party tables. One of the best additions would be a colorful array of drinks and cocktails on one side and more colorful finger foods on the other. Sometimes, this is all that one needs for a good party. 

11. Unique backyard activities

Unique backyard activities

Party like the 60s in Florida or Havana by adding unique backyard activities such as cigar rolling.

You will need wooden tables for that, premium tobacco leaves, wicker accent pieces, lush tropical foliage, candles, and fedoras and you are all set for that old school cigar rolling. 

12. Smores station

Smores station

If you are going for a rustic backyard party, you need all the elements that you need. One of these would be building a simple smores station using wicker sticks. Just keep the mallows rolling and the cheese and chocolate fondue flowing. 

13. Picnic style backyard birthday party

Picnic style backyard birthday party

Another intimate way to hold a backyard birthday party is taking it literally into the ground, picnic style.

Set up a cushioned space in the middle of the backyard and set-up long, wooden tables for family and friends. Keep the string lights low, just above your heads for a cozier feel. 

14. Light up the trees

Light up the trees

This idea is perfect for adding glow and warmth to the whole party. Wrap around the trees in the backyard with yellow-colored string lights.

The mood becomes cozier as the dark sweeps in. Seat around the trees with some drinks and a firepit for a low-key, adult birthday party. 

Related: Best backyard lighting ideas

15. Buntings and decorated tabletops

Buntings and decorated tabletops

Buntings just scream off birthday and if you are going to that traditional path, you can have colorful buntings draping over the tables instead of balloons.

Having a beautiful tabletop decoration using foliage and flower arrangements or anything that goes with the theme is a fine touch. 

16. Balloons on chairs

Balloons on chairs

For cheap decoration ideas for your backyard party, try stringing colorful balloons in the guests’ chairs. Bring out your prized chinaware, home-cooked meals, and the soda for a neat backyard party setup. 

17. Flower crown party

Flower crown party

If you want to have an arts and crafts activity with your girlfriends while ambient music and finger foods fill the air, go for a flower crown party.

Make the flower crowns by hand and have a picture-perfect birthday get together while you sink in drinks, food, and music. 

18. Food tents

Food tents

For a summer al fresco backyard birthday party, you can set up food tents in your backyard and let it be the focal point of the event.

Not far away from it, set up the tables or the picnic-style gathering for your guests. Oh, and do not forget the menus, standees, and balloons to decorate the tent. 

19. Balloon and mat picnic-style backyard dining

Balloon and mat picnic-style backyard dining

If you want to notch up your picnic style backyard birthday, you can plant some balloons around each picnic style dining to serve as the enclosure.

Instead of pillows and cushion rugs, use thin layered mats for the seating like this one. 

20. Playground backyard party

Playground backyard party

For a fun backyard party that both kids and adults enjoy, diversify the elements in your backyard by turning it into a playground. Install ball pits, tea party seats, and painting tables for the kids and a nearby bar cart on the corner for the adults. 

21. Teepee party

Teepee party

Ever heard of a backyard party inside a teepee tent? Yes, it is possible. Be it for kids or for a boho themed birthday for adults, this idea surely works.

You can keep all the drinks and food inside one teepee and make a larger gathering teepee where everyone can dine. Dash in ambient music and good food for a memorable party. 

Related: Backyard tent ideas

22. White party

White party

If you cannot think of a specific birthday theme, you can opt for just the neat lines of a white party. Set up tables in bright white mantles, white and black stools or party chairs, white party cutleries and some string lights and colorful buntings draping down, and you are all set. 

23. Tiki vibe

Tiki vibe

For the feel of the tropics, you can set up a thatched roof attached to coco poles. Position it as the focal point of the backyard. This is a good alternative for a pergola. White mantles and white chairs in a line of colorful cutleries and tabletop decors spruces the setup. 

24. U-shaped table setup

U-shaped table setup

Another case for ambient string lights, white mantles, and a complete rustic vibe would be a U-shaped table setup. Add a lot of wood accents and a simple flower arrangement placed around the table. The confined searing gives off an intimate birthday celebration. 

25. Circus theme

Circus theme

If you want to go all out for your kids’ birthday, try out a circus theme. It is a timeless, colorful design that everybody loves. Bring out those polka mantles, colorful cutleries, and the fun activities upon your sleeve. 

FAQs

What do you do at a backyard birthday party?

No matter where a birthday party is done, it contains the usuals such as the cake, the food, the balloons or buntings and the drinks. Nonetheless, this typical birthday fun is notched up a bit if you take it to the outdoors. You can throw anything from simple wine-tasting, movie watching, activities for the kids, and a lot more. 

If you are considering the setup, there is no limit to what you can do at a backyard birthday party. Just make sure that you have a theme in mind. 

How do you make backyard parties fun?

Since there is no limit to what you can set up for a backyard birthday party, you can count on a lot of fun activities and unique ways to make it more fun. Here are some that you can consider. 

  • Rowdy pool party 
  • Treasure hunting games for kids
  • Face painting
  • Backyard cinema
  • Grilling galore
  • Non-stop party music
  • Arts and crafts (flower crowns, origami, and more)
  • Party games such as beer pong, charades, twister, relay games, etc. 
  • Wine tasting or cocktail mixing
  • Laser tag game

There is more to this list than you can imagine. For other activities that upscales your backyard party fun, you can check out this list

What can you do for a winter birthday party?

The cold should not bother you from throwing a memorable winter birthday party. There are some ideas that you can do outdoors if you want to go unique and extreme but mostly, here is a list of things which you should consider if you are thinking of a winter birthday party. 

  • Ski or snowboarding party
  • Winter wonderland dance party
  • All-day spa and jacuzzi party
  • Hot tub party
  • Baking party or family cookout
  • Indoor luau
  • Wine and cheese party
  • The Caribbean smash party
  • Bonfire
  • Movie party

For other interesting winter birthday parties that you can easily pull off, you can check another list from Thrifty Little Mom.

Conclusion

Backyard birthdays are easily some of the easiest events to set up. You can do a lot of birthday themes in the backyard from a simple cookout, an al fresco dinner, or a playground for kids. There are a lot of ways which you can consider in adding fun to a backyard party too aside from the usual food and drinks. 

It is always a fun time to plan and organize a birthday and you will not need a pricey venue for you to do that. Sometimes, a backyard is all you need to set up the birthday fun.