Outside Birthday Party Ideas

Take advantage of the outdoors by throwing an outside birthday party.autumn lawn image by Sergej Razvodovskij from <a href='http://www.fotolia.com'>Fotolia.com</a>

One of the major challenges with children's birthday parties is that of accomodating a large group of energetic, highly mobile kids in the middle of having an exciting time. Make the task easier on yourself by moving the party outside. Outdoor birthday parties give kids a chance to take advantage of activities inappropriate for the indoors.

Pinata

Pinatas were made for outdoor parties, since backyard space provides the necessary room for swinging a stick, as well the frenzied rush of children to gather toys and candy. If you don't have a convenient tree branch from which to hang the pinata, create a quick stand using a free-standing collapsible ladder and a curtain rod or broom handle; lay the wood post across the metal joints, then secure it tightly with rope or duct tape before hanging the pinata.

Outdoor birthday parties during the hot weather season are the perfect excuse for water-related fun. Even if you don't have a pool, you can still set up the guests for soaking using some small space and budget-friendly activities like sprinklers, water gun and water balloon fights, giant soap bubble making and ground water slides.

Use an outdoor birthday party as an opportunity to play some games that can only be played outdoors. Introduce children to old-fashioned games like croquet, or let adult guests enjoy the nostalgia of pastimes like bean bag tosses. For a bigger yard game that you can use as the focal point of the whole party, set up your own miniature golf course.

Set up a bonfire or fire pit to enjoy fire activities like roasting hot dogs and marshmallows, or, as the night starts to set, telling ghost stories. This is an especially good choice if you want to enjoy an outdoor birthday during cooler months, like in early spring or late autumn.

For big parties, big enough for a little extra budget, consider renting an inflatable bounce house so kids can enjoy safe jumping fun. Sometimes known as bouncy castles, moonwalks, or commercial bouncers, these air-inflated temporary funhouses are available for day rental in and around most large cities. Make sure you have enough space in your lawn to accommodate one (though you can get them in multiple sizes to help fit different budget restrictions).