Your youngster entering the age of double digits is a big deal! Therefore, you’re laser-focused on creating an unforgettable celebration for your child.
However, you may be overwhelmed with the vast array of birthday party ideas there are from which to choose. Below are some outstanding 10th birthday party ideas that are sure to impress both you and your child!
Memorable 10th Birthday Party Ideas
It’s easy to make virtually any party fun for a 10-year-old, but you don’t want the fun to be quickly forgotten. Below are 15 memorable 10th birthday party ideas guaranteed to make your child’s big day an unforgettable one.
1. Have a Magical Party
Virtually all children love magic tricks, and a magic-themed party is a surefire winner. There are many options in this category, from hiring a professional magician to letting the kids create their own magic show.
Decorate with Abracadabra and Presto banners and lots of glitter and balloons. For magical food, try finger sandwiches decorated as dice and color-changing drinks. Don’t forget to order a rabbit-in-the-hat birthday cake to complete the theme!
Party favors can include black top hats, magic wands, and gold coin chocolate candy. This theme is very versatile, so you can spend whatever your budget allows.
2. Backyard Movie Night
For a 10th birthday idea that produces big fun for a little money, consider a backyard movie night party. Have the birthday child choose a favorite movie, and serve guests movie theater snacks and soda.
To make things extra fun, ask the guests to come dressed as a character from the movie they’ll be watching.
The costumes don’t have to be extravagant, but this activity makes the party more fun. For a terrific intermission game, have each child impersonate an actor and have the others guess which one it is!
3. Have a Party Animal Birthday
You can’t fail when you choose an animal theme for your child’s 10th birthday party. For example, use black and white decorations for a panda party, or try a jungle theme, using a tiger as the animal in the spotlight.
You can also go all out with this theme and create a Noah’s Ark party, with decorations depicting every animal imaginable. Add yet another interesting twist to this idea and have each child come dressed as an animal.
The guests can wear full costumes, or keep it simple with things like cat ears and painted-on whiskers. Unlimited options exist in this category, and most can be implemented merely for the cost of the decorations.
4. Throw a Craft Party
Don’t forget a good old-fashioned craft party. You can purchase kits or simply create a potluck of various craft items and turn the youngsters loose to get creative.
In keeping with the theme, use homespun decorations and cups and plates with animals, polka dots, or rainbow colors. Consider finger food, like kid-friendly hors d’oeuvres, such as chicken nuggets, crescent roll hot dog bites, or baked granola cups.
Use food coloring to dye white icing in pinwheel swirls for a crafty-looking cake!
5. A Riding Birthday Party for Outdoor Enthusiasts
If your child and the party guests enjoy horseback riding, look no further for an excellent 10th birthday party idea.
Gather up the youngsters and take a ride on one of the trails at your local horse farm. Although horseback riding is not cheap, a guided excursion is sure to be an unforgettable experience for each child.
Incorporate themed games before or after the ride, such as horseshoes, pin the tail on the donkey, and lasso competitions. Serve Western-style food, and decorate with horseshoes, cowboy hats, and hay.
6. Launch a Luau
If your child’s 10th birthday party is during a warm season, host a luau in your backyard to celebrate. The kids can pretend they are on a tropical beach and wear grass skirts, Hawaiian shirts, sunglasses, and Hawaiian leis.
Serve tropical fruits, Hawaiian punch, and have rainbow sherbet with the birthday cake.
This party idea should only cost a moderate amount of money, and is an especially good choice if you have a pool or a way to implement water activities.
7. A Spaced Out Birthday
If your birthday child is a sci-fi fan or enjoys stargazing, consider an excursion to a planetarium. This is a surprisingly affordable option, as guided presentations at such establishments are often provided to children for free or at a nominal fee.
Alternatively, deck out your house with space-oriented decorations and bake or buy a Starship Enterprise birthday cake. Follow up with a sci-fi flick, or invite the children to play space-themed video games with the guest of honor.
8. Schedule a Scavenger Hunt
All children love scavenger hunts, and this 10th birthday party idea is limited only by your imagination.
You can hide a “treasure” and provide clues that the children must follow to locate it, or make a list of several items to find outdoors, and give a prize to the first guest to find everything on the list.
Party favors can be tiny treasure boxes filled with candy, pirate coins, or toy spy glasses. Any kind of food works with this theme, and it is one of the most budget-friendly birthday party ideas on our list.
9. Plan an Exciting Go Kart Birthday Bash
If you live near a go-kart track, you don’t have to spend any more time wondering about a theme for your child’s 10th birthday. Ten years old is the perfect age for such an excursion, and it’s guaranteed to be memorable.
Decorate your house with racing flags and racecar streamers, and use matchbox cars or race car cookies as party favors. Use silver or black piping to etch a go-kart steering wheel onto the cake for extra fun.
Go-kart track admissions are not cheap, but you may be able to get a reduction in price for a group or a party discount. Regardless of the cost, this option will create priceless memories.
10. Visit a Trampoline Park
If you don’t have to travel too far to reach one, a trampoline park is a perfect backdrop for a child’s 10th birthday party. The children can jump and tumble themselves silly, and then come home with the birthday boy or girl for party food and birthday cake.
Alternatively, if your budget allows, you may be able to have the party catered on-site, and have the entire birthday bash at the park itself. This is a great option that often includes food, party favors, and of course, park admission.
11. A Birthday Trip to the Zoo
Children never turn down a chance to go to the zoo, so if zoo admission is within your budget, take the youngsters to see birds, animals, and fish in their natural environments.
If the weather is warm, consider having a picnic party, since most zoos have a picnic table section, and some even have grills.
If you choose to eat at the zoo, pack simple, such as sandwiches, pretzels, and potato chips, and of course, an animal-themed birthday cake. Party favors can be small stuffed animals, or even something simple like colorful bags of animal crackers.
12. Amusem*nt Park Birthday Party
If you’re planning to go all out for your child’s 10th birthday party and money is not an obstacle, take the youngsters to an amusem*nt park where they can make unforgettable memories on the Ferris wheel or merry-go-round.
Since food abounds at such establishments, let each child eat the food of his or her choice from one of the many food vendors in the park. You can have a birthday cake when you return home, or bring one along and serve it in the park’s picnic area.
13. Make a Splash with a Swimming Party
If you’re planning your 10-year-old’s birthday party and you have a swimming pool, your problem is solved. Invite the guests to bring their swimsuits, and serve simple food such as chicken nuggets or pizza at the poolside.
You can even opt to serve the birthday cake outdoors to keep all the mess outside! Take some action pictures of the children cannonballing off the dive or dunking each other underwater.
Party favors can be pool toys or practical gifts such as goggles or arm floats. There is no need to get extravagant with this party idea, so you can easily keep it within a reasonable budget if necessary.
14. An Arcade Birthday Party
Consider taking your group of youngsters for an arcade party. Let them enjoy video games, old fashion pinball, and even classic favorites such as whack-a-mole or skeeball.
Finger food works great with this idea, and you can decorate the cake with Pokemon or Super Mario. Depending on your budget, you can also look into having the party catered by the establishment.
Alternatively, bring the arcade to you by hosting a video game party right at home. Don’t overlook going with traditional board games when considering this theme, such as Battleship, Dragonwood, or Scrabble Junior!
15. A Dress Up Celebration
There’s nothing this age group likes more than dressing up in colorful costumes at Halloween. So why not have a costume birthday party?
All children love a masquerade, so invite your child’s guests to come in full costume, and let them have fun trying to determine who’s who. Decorate with sparkly masks and Mardi Gras colors, and use plenty of traditional decorations, such as balloons and streamers.
Decorate the cake with sparkles and piping in rainbow colors, and use mystery grab bags for party favors. This idea is very low cost, but will be a big hit!
16. Video Game Themed Party
There’s no denying that 10-year-olds (both girls and boys) love video games, whether that be Fortnite, Among Us, Minecraft, Roblox, and a deluge of other titles from Nintendo, Play Station, and Xbox.
This theme is ideal for hosting at home as you can print or buy party decorations of your young one’s favorite game and hang them around the house/backyard.
For activities, why not have the birthday boy/girl play multiplayer with their friends or even do some video game trivia.
17. Lego Party
If your birthday boy/girl has caught the lego bug and is obsessed with watching Lego movies or building with Lego, then this could be an obvious choice!
Kids can come dressed up as their favorite Lego character, whether that be a pirate, astronaut, Lego Batman, Lego Robin, Wyldstyle, and many more.
For food, you can serve Lego-themed snacks and cake, and for activities, why not bust the Lego out and have a Lego movie on in the background.
10th Birthday Party Ideas For Girls
Your little girl is 10 years old, and you want to give her a party she’ll never forget. Below is a vast array of themes from which to choose, and each one of them is fun in its own unique way!
1. Throw a Jewelry Party
By the time your little girl is 10, she’s likely exhibited some interest in jewelry, so let her and her friends make some!
This party idea is surprisingly cost-effective, although you do have to invest in some beads, elastic, string, and yarn to make friendship bracelets. Alternatively, you can purchase jewelry-making kits, especially if you have a modest number of guests.
Decorate with jewel colors, such as emerald green, ruby red, and sapphire blue. Party favors can be tiaras, hair ornaments, individual packs of body glitter, lip gloss, or anything that’s bling!
2. We all Scream for Ice Cream
Kids of all ages–and let’s face it, adults too–love ice cream. For a party idea that’s sure to please any 10-year-old, break out the ice cream.
Extremely budget friendly and ultra-fun, an ice cream party is perfect any time of year. Create your own ice cream parlor buffet style by organizing a broad range of toppings, and several flavors of ice cream.
If you know how, teach the girls how to make homemade ice cream. Decorate with pastel-colored balloons and streamers, and serve light foods, so the partygoers have room for a second helping of ice cream.
3. Schedule a Pottery Class
If you can stretch your budget a bit, consider taking your daughter and some friends to a pottery class for an unforgettable 10th birthday party. An instructor will guide the girls through the process step-by-step, after which each girl gets to paint her creation.
This eliminates the need for party favors, as the girls will keep their finished crafts. Before or after the class, have traditional party food and birthday cake, and don’t forget to get a group picture of all the guests holding their crafts.
4. Your Favorite Color Party
Most 10-year-olds form a special relationship with one particular color that usually lasts a few years. Therefore, a simple, fun, and budget-friendly option for your daughter’s 10th birthday is a color-themed party.
Encourage guests to dress in your daughter’s favorite color and use the same shade for the decorations and even the food. For example, if blue is her hue, decorate with light and dark balloons of that shade, use food coloring to create blue icing for the cake, and serve blue soft drinks.
Any color works with this party idea, and you can incorporate all the traditional games and activities for a seamless event.
5. Karaoke Party Fun
Make this 10th birthday your daughter’s day in the spotlight. Have an easy-on-the-budget karaoke party and let the girls take turns singing their favorite tunes with a singing machine or similar device.
Alternatively, stream videos and allow each guest to pick a tune to sing along to. Invest in some sunglasses, glow sticks, and maybe even some inflatable guitars for props.
Decorate the room like a disco or build a makeshift stage, and reward the girls for their hard work with pizza or hamburgers, and of course, birthday cake.
6. Go all out with a Spa Party
Every 10-year-old girl likes feeling grown up, and nothing does this quicker than a spa-themed birthday party. Have the girls experiment with facemasks, hair products, and let them do each other’s nails.
Serve nonalcoholic umbrella drinks and child-friendly hors d’oeuvres. Use sophisticated decorations and serve the food and cake on fancy dishes.
You can tailor this party idea to fit your budget, depending on how many products you purchase and the food you serve. One thing’s for sure, it makes an exciting and unforgettable 10th birthday celebration.
7. A Birthday Cooking Class
If your budget allows, schedule a cooking class for the birthday girl and her pals. Cooking and baking make little girls feel mature, so why not do something that’s fun and educational?
Tell your daughter’s guests that dressing up isn’t required, since cooking classes can be messy. Get creative with the birthday cake, and etch a measuring cup or stirring spoon onto its surface with silver or brown cake piping.
For party favors, give each girl a recipe card depicting a child-friendly project for them to do at home if the party boosted their cooking interest.
8. A Traditional Garden Party
A garden party is a stellar choice if the birthday girl is an outdoor lover, and this idea can be implemented on a strict budget, due to its simplicity:
Set up the food and cake on a picnic table if you have one, or simply use a picnic blanket on the ground. Tie some balloons on nearby trees, and pass out traditional party favors, such as party hats and horns.
Serve simple picnic foods, and decorate the cake with flowers and leaves. Don’t forget classic games like hide and seek, charades, or just some time on the swing set.
9. A Birthday Shopping Trip
If it’s become clear that your daughter was born to shop, use shopping as a birthday theme. Give each girl a nominal amount of money, and head to a discount store to let them buy a few items of their own choosing.
For party favors, coin purses or children’s handbags make fun choices, and you can decorate with shopping bags, gift boxes, and “sale” signs.
Decorate the cake with edible coins or fun slogans such as “shop till you drop” or “malls are a girl’s best friend.”
10. Slumber Party Fun
A tried-and-true favorite that’s a big hit with all girls is a slumber party. This is a terrific, low-cost option for your daughter’s 10th birthday that guests will remember with a smile for many years.
Pizza is a must-have menu item for a slumber party, and you can serve the cake immediately after, or save it for the “bedtime snack.”
One big benefit of this type of party is that any theme works, such as a fashion slumber party, a crafts slumber party, or even a haunted slumber party!
11. Plan a Scrapbooking Party
Scrapbooking is an enduring hobby that many children start early in life. If your daughter has shown an interest in this activity, why not try a scrapbooking theme for her big 10?
Go all out with this theme or do it on a budget; either way, it will be loads of fun. Supply blank scrapbooks for each girl and lots of arts and crafts materials, and make the party’s focus designing your own scrapbook.
The girls can add to them year after year until they get bored. However, they may also find they’ve discovered a lifelong hobby.
12. Make Your Own Mini Pizza
One simple party theme that comes with a relatively low price tag is a pizza party with a twist. Shop for pizza ingredients and mini pie dough, and let each girl make her own pizza.
Make sure you have all the trimmings, such as peppers, onions, pepperoni, sausage, and of course, a variety of cheeses. You may find yourself intrigued by the variety of pies you end up with.
Make sure you take pictures of the different creations for social media!
13. Make-Up Day
Most 10-year-old girls are already fascinated with cosmetics, so why not make this the theme of the party? With the medium price tag, this idea gives plenty of return on the investment.
Set up cosmetology stations with children’s makeup or some of those products that mom never got around to using. Let the girls experiment with different eyeshadow and lip colors, or even do each other’s hair.
Decorate with pastels, and a splash of red here and there, and dress the cake with “makeup colors,” or even get creative and use cake piping to etch on an eye with big lashes and bright eyeshadow. Party favors can include small grab bags containing nail polish, lip gloss, or body spray.
14. A Classic Picnic Party
A simple picnic party can’t be beat, for a very inexpensive 10th birthday celebration. Head to your local playground or state park, and indulge in classic picnic food.
Bring cold cuts, bread, potato and macaroni salads, and of course a traditional birthday cake. Bring all the goodies in classic picnic baskets, and use a red and white checked tablecloth for a homey touch.
15. Flower Power
If your daughter loves flowers, turn this into a party idea. Invest in several dozen flowers, and let the girls make a huge flower arrangement.
Keep in mind the flowers need not be orchids and roses. You can buy daisies or carnations, or even go on a nature walk and have the guests pick flowers for free.
Make sure you get a vase for the big arrangement. Get some smaller ones, too, and divide the arrangement into mini-bouquets that each girl can take home.
10th Birthday Party Ideas For Boys
Your son’s turning ten, but he may have outgrown some of the party activities for younger boys. Fortunately, you can create an extra special celebration for him and his friends with one of the original birthday ideas outlined below.
1. Throw a Laser Tag Party
Laser parties are ideal for a boy’s 10th birthday. This option works on a budget, or you can choose to go all out.
Virtually any laser tag facility can cater to a children’s party, which means you don’t have to worry about the details. However, if your budget is tight, this party theme still works.
Simply purchase laser tag guns and vests, and designate a space for the game. This is much less expensive than having the party at a facility, but every bit as fun.
2. Tour a Sports Arena
If your son is interested in sports, take the party on a tour of a football stadium if you live near one. Of course, any type of sports arena will do.
Contact the facility to discover when they have tours and let the youngsters experience the stadium without game day crowds. It’s guaranteed to be something they never forget.
Head home afterwards to enjoy a football or baseball-themed birthday cake, and then take the gang outside to organize their own sports game!
3. Blacklight Bowling Celebration
Bowling alleys make great venues for a 10-year-old boy’s birthday party. If your budget allows, cater your son’s party at such an establishment, and for a super fun twist, request a black light and encourage guests to wear Day-Glo clothing or accessories.
When booking the party, request neon straws and birthday accessories that will add to the blacklight experience. Remember, other activities are also available at such establishments, such as video games or air hockey!
4. Plan a Rock Climbing Excursion
It’s no secret that boys like to climb. Take your son and his friends to a children’s activity center where they can indulge in rock climbing.
You can rent a side room and bring food and cake, or stretch your budget a bit and have the establishment cater the party. Either way, it is guaranteed to be an unforgettable birthday celebration.
5. Mini Golf Birthday Bash
For an incredibly fun, but medium priced, birthday idea, treat the gang to a few rounds of minigolf. If you live near a putt-putt course, you’ll quickly see how enjoyable this experience is for your son and his fellow partiers.
If there are concession stands there, have lunch on-site and then head home for cake and ice cream. Alternatively, if the facility has a picnic area, combine this birthday idea with an old-fashioned picnic lunch and bring the cake along!
6. Visit a Zoo or Petting Farm
A zoo or an animal preserve excursion is a failsafe choice for all children. Because most youngsters love animals, it’s virtually guaranteed to please your birthday boy and all his pals.
There are numerous options when it comes to animal experiences, and you don’t have to live near a zoo to utilize this birthday idea.
If zoo tickets are out of your price range or the zoo is too far away, consider taking the boys to a petting farm. They can enjoy a pony ride, feed the goats, or even learn to milk a cow!
7. Car Drifting for an Exciting Birthday Adventure
Consider yourself lucky if you live where car drifting is an option for your son’s 10th birthday. This activity lets the youngsters ride with a professional driver who does various tricks and maneuvers.
Children are typically mesmerized as the driver swerves and whirls through the courses, and simply feeling the horsepower of the racing car is unforgettable. This option’s a bit costly, but it’s worth every cent.
Alternatively, hold a race car-themed party at home by decorating with black and white checkered flags, racing banners, and matchbox cars.
8. Birthday in the Great Outdoors
Don’t forget simple favorites like a camping birthday celebration for your 10-year-old boy. This is a very thrifty party option if you live near free camping facilities.
If offsite camping isn’t an option, a good old-fashioned backyard campout is a terrific alternative. Grill food, toast marshmallows, and have cake and ice cream under the stars.
This birthday idea works well when combined with an outdoor movie night, which helps stave off boredom toward the end of the night!
9. Celebration on the Ropes
Treetop obstacle courses have popped up everywhere recently, and virtually any 10-year-old boy enjoys trying to navigate the ropes.
Climbing walls and zip lining are almost always found at these locations as well, making this birthday idea perfect for a group of energetic 10-year-olds. Tickets are not typically super expensive, but check prices in advance just to be sure.
After the boys work up a hearty appetite, head back home for pizza and birthday cake! Use a safari theme for the decorations, and have fun looking at the pictures of each guest as they navigated the course.
10. Superheroes Birthday Bash
Not surprisingly, 10-year-olds are usually quite fond of superheroes. Fortunately, it’s easy and cost-effective to throw a superhero’s birthday celebration.
You can have your son, and his guests dress up as their favorite superheroes or simply use a specific figure as the party theme.
It’s easy to find party packs for a specific figure that include decorations, plates, cups, and party favors. You can go all out and celebrate multiple superheroes at the party with something to please everyone!
11. An Unforgettable IMAX Birthday
If you live near an IMAX theater, then you have the perfect party idea right under your nose! This option is not terribly expensive, but it will be remembered forever.
These enormous screens and intense sound systems create a highly memorable experience. The youngsters will also enjoy having classic theater treats, like popcorn and soda.
Continue the movie theme at home, and serve your son and his friend birthday cake and ice cream in front of the TV!
12. Celebrate Your Son’s Birthday on a Nature Hike
If your boy likes the outdoors, head to your nearest state park for a birthday hike. Pack trail mix and other hearty snacks, as well as iced tea or lemonade, and stop halfway for a mini-picnic.
If the park has cooking facilities, consider bringing food to grill or even plan to have the birthday cake itself in the great outdoors! Bring along simple but fun accessories to extend the excursion, such as balls, frisbees, or even items for an impromptu treasure hunt!
13. A Classic Cook-Out Party
If you want your son’s 10th birthday celebration to be memorable and exciting, but need to work within a strict budget, consider an old-fashioned cookout.
Grill up some hotdogs and hamburgers, serve homemade potato salad, baked beans, and coleslaw, and decorate a giant sheet cake with the picture of a chef’s hat or a giant fork and knife.
Have the boys indulge in old-fashioned (and free) games and activities, such as a scavenger hunt, horseshoes, hide and seek, and even tag. This birthday idea is easy on the wallet, but produces a world of fun.
14. A Monster of a Birthday
For an easy and budget-friendly 10-year-old’s birthday, choose a monster theme. Your son and his friends can dress as their favorite monsters, and you can order a Frankenstein cake and schedule spooky games to play with the lights out.
Hang some cotton batting cobwebs and plastic spiders on the wall and decorate the table with Dracula or werewolf partyware. Wrap up this party with a scary movie or a ghostly tale.
15. Throw a Paintball Party
Consider a paintball party at a children’s activity center, or throw one at home! 10-year-old boys love paintball, and the pictures will be priceless.
Paintball party supplies can be purchased online if you choose to have the party at home, and you can decorate with bright, primary colors, and give out paintbrushes (for that other painting activity) as party favors.
Serve classic finger food and use food coloring to decorate the birthday cake with a “color pallet” design.
10th Birthday Party Ideas At Home
If you want an unforgettable 10th birthday party for your youngster, but a trip to the zoo or amusem*nt park isn’t an option this year, consider one of the outstanding home party options below.
1. Laser Tag
A birthday party classic, laser tag is a favorite of many 10-year-olds. All you need is your backyard and laser tag guns, and you’re all set.
Use decorations with a high-tech flare, or even a space-age theme, and decorate the cake with plenty of sprinkles and glitter. Try a hearty meal of hamburgers and French fries to give the kids their energy for the game.
Simple to plan, with no prep or cleanup, this is a foolproof party theme that’s bound to please everyone.
2. Throw an Art Party
Choose an arts theme and make it the center of your 10-year-old’s party. This can be anything from painting a pottery piece to charcoal sketches.
Alternatively, you can set up workstations with a variety of crafting items and let the youngsters decide for themselves what they feel like creating that day. Serve simple finger food, and give out crayons, markers, or any art-related item as party favors.
3. Have a Music Themed Party
All 10-year-olds would love to be at a grown-up dance. Decorate your home like a dance hall or disco with shimmery disco balls and silver, black and white balloons.
Have the birthday boy or girl pick the music and let the youngsters crank it up and dance away. Throw in fun games like limbo or musical chairs to liven things up.
Serve classic party food like Chex mix, lunch meat and cheese platters, and fruit salad. Try your hand at creating a spotlight or disco ball with piping on the surface of the birthday cake.
4. A Travel Themed Party for Unique Fun
For a terrific at-home party, have each child dress up as someone from another country and let the other youngsters take turns guessing which area the child represents.
For extra fun with this theme, have the guests come with their costumes in a “suitcase.” This can be anything from mom or dad’s old briefcase, to a knapsack or a child’s suitcase.
Serve ethnic food, such as Oriental cuisine or Mexican food, and etch travel stickers onto the surface of the cake like those seen on travel bags. If you’re a good cake artist, draw them in the shape of different states or countries.
5. A Hobby Party
Many 10-year-olds have collections, such as rocks, baseball cards, dolls, or stamps. With this party idea, have each guest come with their collection–or a sample of it–and watch how quickly the youngsters will become interested in each other’s hobbies.
This gets children curious about new things, and encourages interaction among the guests. Any type of food and decor will blend with this party theme, so it’s both highly versatile and budget friendly.
6. Crazy Hairstyle Party
Looking for a unique idea for 10-year-olds? Throw a crazy hairstyle party. Get rinseable hair colors in various shades, hair glitter, and styling gel.
Let the youngsters have the time of their life creating everything from hot pink French braids to orange mohawks. Decorate the cake with a rainbow of colors, and serve fun food like mac and cheese or hot wings.
A party favor that goes great with this birthday idea is to take a group photo of the guests, then print and frame the pictures, giving each child one to take home.
7. Have a Backyard Barbecue
You don’t have to leave the house to have delicious food and loads of fun. Fire up the grill, and barbecue some chicken or pork, make corn on the cob, and serve classic side dishes like potato salad and applesauce.
Set up horseshoes, create a treasure hunt, or play music and have a sing-along. This type of party is enjoyable, but easy to plan, and doesn’t require a lot of decorating since you’re outdoors. Fancy cups, plates, and party hats are good enough!
8. Throw a Pool Party
Most kids love the water, so if your 10-year-old’s birthday is during summer, throw a pool party. If you don’t have an outdoor pool, consider asking one of the other parents who do to let the kids come there for the party.
Make sure you let them know that you will be bringing the food and cake, and offer to host a party at your house for one of their children in return.
Since splashing in the water is always a big hit, you won’t need to schedule other activities, and cleanup will be easy!
9. Have a Sundown Party Outside
Kids love to stay out late, especially when they’re feeling grown-up at their 10th birthday party. Try scheduling an evening party, with activities such as lighting sparklers, catching fireflies, or building an adult-supervised “campfire,” over which to toast marshmallows.
If you have a picnic table or enough outdoor furniture, you can even serve cake and ice cream outside, and then move right on to the activities! Cost-effective and fun, virtually any 10-year-old will enjoy this party.
10. Throw a Pasta Party
Spaghetti or macaroni and cheese are failsafe choices for 10-year-olds. So for something different, try a pasta party, where the kids get in on cooking the food, and can choose their favorite sauce when the pasta is ready.
Have several sauces and toppings on hand so that the children can customize their meals and consider having cupcakes and ice cream in lieu of traditional birthday cake.
If you’re up for it, this can easily turn into a food fight party, which the children can indulge in at the end with leftovers. Just make sure you have it over a plastic mat or in an outdoor area that’s easy to hose off later.
Cheap 10th Birthday Party Ideas
Your little one is turning 10, and you’re as excited as can be! However, this year you’re working with a tight budget, and something extravagant just isn’t in the cards. Take heart, because a successful celebration is still possible with the ideas outlined below.
1. Have a Puzzle Party
For a refreshingly simple and ultra-enjoyable party, make a tiny investment into some big fun. Choose a theme your child loves and get the largest puzzle available that’s suitable for 10-year-olds.
It’s surprisingly easy to carve a cake into the shape of a puzzle piece, or decorate the top with such a design and then cut it accordingly. Use bright, primary colors for the icing, and for an interesting twist, serve it with rainbow sherbet or Neapolitan ice cream.
Traditional party food and decor is all you need for this idea, and after the goodies are consumed, let the youngsters work together to see how fast they can complete the puzzle.
2. Plan a Game-Themed Party
All 10-year-olds love games, so why not implement this party idea for a low-cost celebration? Make your colors blue, green and brown, and use outdoor-themed decorations that depict animals, birds, and nature scenes.
Serve simple food, such as pizza or fried chicken, and head outside to play all sorts of games, such as tug-of-war, sack races, ring toss, and capture the flag. Youngsters will have the time of their lives, and burn off their excess energy by evening!
3. Have a Camp Out
You definitely don’t need a campground to get the most from this option. It’s a fact that children love camping out in the backyard, and they have just as much fun as they would in a traditional campground.
Fire up the grill and the deep fryer, and grab some budget-friendly food, like hotdogs and French fries, or make dagwood sandwiches and serve them with potato chips, pretzels, and coleslaw.
Have the youngsters bring tents or sleeping bags, and tell ghost stories as they toast marshmallows and eat birthday cake.
4. A Free Excursion That’s Fun for All
It may be the last place you’d think of taking 10-year-olds for a birthday, but if your guest list is small, utilize the wonderful free resource of your local library.
There’s nothing wrong with Kindle, but it’s also wise to get children interested in traditional books. Those who don’t have library cards can acquire them, and everyone can have fun picking out a book and comparing choices.
Come home to the traditional cake and punch that children love, and set up an old-fashioned board game or jigsaw puzzle for some classic fun.
5. A Simple but Fun Movie Party
If money’s tight this year, don’t overlook a simple movie party. Have your child, and all the guests gather around to watch a kid-friendly favorite, and serve classic movie snacks and soda.
Use cinema-themed partyware and play games like movie trivia or name-that-candy. With the latter, place different types of movie candies in separate bowls, blindfold the guests and give them one piece.
The youngsters must identify that candy by taste. Party favors can be simple things like glow-in-the-dark bracelets or lollipop bouquets.
6. Schedule a Scavenger Hunt
All children love scavenger hunts, and the cost of this birthday theme is simply the prize and the food and cake! You’ll need some consolation prizes so that no child leaves empty-handed, but it’s still a very budget-friendly option.
Decorate with a safari theme, and serve fun food like chicken fingers or barbecue. Spread the clues out around your home or property, and try to have at least ten, so that the game will last a while.
For a single-prize scavenger hunt, make the treasure a giant plate of cookies or a basket of small stuffed animals–one for every child.
7. A Homemade Birthday
If you’re working with a strict budget, try a classic homespun birthday. If you or any of the other parents have a homemade ice cream machine, you have an instant party theme!
Get all the youngsters involved in the process, and then set up a toppings bar to allow the children to make the sundae of their dreams.
Use carnival-themed decorations and ice cream cone party hats, and give all the children a giant cookie to go with their sundae creations. Kids love TV and video games, so let them indulge in one of these activities for the birthday entertainment.
8. Let the Kids Entertain You
Most children enjoy the spotlight occasionally, so why not have a 10th birthday party where the kids entertain the adults?
Create a makeshift stage and let each child “perform” for a designated number of minutes while the other guests are the audience. You can even let the youngsters collaborate together to do combined performances, such as a mini-play or a reenactment of their favorite movie scene.
Serve popcorn and soda to the “audience,” and let any shy youngsters be announcers or “stage managers.” Once the kids take off with this theme, there’ll be no stopping them!
9. Teach Something New
If you or one of the other parents has a special talent or knows how to do something interesting, mesmerize your young audience with a demonstration.
Have an adult play an instrument, demonstrate how to make a specific craft, or even show them how to use an interesting tool. You’ll be surprised how quickly the youngsters become intrigued!
You can even do a show-and-tell with an everyday item that may seem ordinary to you, but to a 10-year-old, is obsolete. For instance, show them an old rotary phone or typewriter and have fun talking about how they were replaced with their modern-day counterparts.
10. Have a Costume Party
Youngsters love to dress up, so let them pretend it’s Halloween and have a masquerade. Since all the children are responsible for their own costumes, the price of the food and cake is essentially your only cost.
Decorate the cake with a Mardi Gras style mask, which is simple to trace, but packs a big punch. Make sure you use plenty of shimmery balloons and confetti, and use dollar-store grab bags for party favors.
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