Simple Birthday Decorations For A Whimsical Home Birthday Party

An at-home birthday party with simple birthday decorations can be so special for young kids!

Here I share the birthday party decorations we set up for my son’s 5th birthday. We had the party at our house and as far as I know, everyone had a great time!

All of these decorations are budget-friendly and are great for adding whimsy and festive vibes to a kid’s birthday party!

1. Colorful Pennant Banner Flags

Some quality pennant banner flags create a playful atmosphere for an at-home birthday party.

I found a five-pack of rainbow felt pennant flags on Amazon, and we hung them in a couple of spots around our house for my 5-year-old’s birthday party. We will be reusing these pennant flags for future parties as well!

For a more budget-friendly option, there are fun paper pennant flags as well.

I even thought about DIYing some pennant flags, as this would be a pretty simple project with a stack of colorful cardstock, some string, and a hole punch.

2. Birthday Banner

No home birthday party would be complete without a birthday banner!

I found a colorful felt happy birthday banner at Target and some pom pom garlands for about $10. We hung them behind our dining room table and my 5-year-old was so excited to walk out in the morning and see these simple birthday decorations.

My 5-year-old also helped make some colorful paper chains out of construction paper for the birthday banner wall.

3. Foil Curtains

A colorful foil curtain is an easy budget-friendly way to add some fun birthday pizzazz to a party.

Foil curtains can be used as a backdrop against a wall, or hung in doorways.

At my son’s birthday party, we hung a foil curtain in a hallway doorway, and kids had a blast running through it. It didn’t make it to the end of the party (they need some tape reinforcement if wild preschoolers are blasting through it), but it was great while it lasted!

4. String Lights

There’s nothing like a good set of string lights to bring whimsy and fun to a home birthday party.

String lights will not have as dramatic an effect during daytime birthday parties of course, but they still add a festive vibe even during daylight hours. I bought a long strand of multi-colored mini bulb string lights from Amazon, and they brought life to some dark shelves in our house during the party.

We also hung some Edison bulbs back and forth across the ceiling in our family room. This made the room feel extra warm and cozy during my son’s birthday party.

5. Balloons

What would a birthday party be without balloons?! Regular latex balloons or foil balloons make for fun and simple birthday party decor.

Foil balloons are an easy way to enhance a birthday party theme. There are foil balloons that come in the shape of dinosaurs, woodland creatures, stars, hearts, cars, etc. We found some big dinosaur foil balloons because my 5-year-old loves dinos!

We also bought a huge pack of latex balloons from Amazon and blew them up ourselves the night before the party.

This is a more budget-friendly option than buying helium-filled balloons at the grocery store or party store. Plus, little kids love to toss balloons around!

6. Twinkle Fireplace or Fake Flames

A fireplace brings a special hygge (coziness and togetherness) vibe to a space; however, I would not recommend a real fireplace at a kid’s birthday party. I have used though, twinkling fairy lights and fake flames in a basket for a cozy fireplace effect.

I bought some cordless rechargeable fake flame lights from Amazon and placed them in a basket with dried plants. It looks surprisingly real and creates a fun ambiance during a party with kids without the fire hazard.

I also love twinkling fairy lights bundled in a basket to add some birthday party whimsy.

7. Activity Stations

Home birthday party activity stations and supplies can be both part of the party decorations as well as the entertainment.

At my 5-year-old’s birthday party, we set up a picnic table with a fun seasonal tablecloth and some colorful craft supplies. We also had a playdough station set up, a cute playdiner, and a fort. All of these activity stations added to the birthday decor. I share pictures with more details in my post At Home Birthday Party Ideas For Kids.

8. Birthday Cake or Cupcake Toppers

I do not quite understand it, but cupcake toppers are a big deal to kids. They love them!

We bought some glittery monster truck cupcake toppers for my son’s party, and he absolutely loved them. As adults, we tend to think of birthday decorations as the big glitzy items, but kids adore the smaller decor items as well!

9. Party Plates, Cups, and Napkins

Birthday party paper plates, cups, and napkins serve a utilitarian purpose and decorative purpose!

My son chose some dino-decorated birthday plates and napkins for his party. Again, another small thing that means a lot to little kids.

10. Festive Snack Table

A good snack table is another functional and decorative aspect of birthday party decor.

Kids and adults alike love snacks, so having both kid-friendly and adult snacks out is great for a children’s birthday party. Snacks can be displayed in fun and creative ways to add an element of fun to the party. For example, we made a rainbow fruit platter with strawberries, mandarins, bananas, grapes, and blueberries!

We had salami, crackers, cheese slices, olives, a ton of fruit, mini croissants, deviled eggs, juice boxes, coffee, tea, and bubble waters set out on our kitchen island. Nearly all of it was gone by the end of the party!

Throwing a Children’s Home Birthday Party

Throwing a kid’s birthday party at home requires some work, but it’s 100% worth it! It’s also usually a more budget-friendly option than renting out a venue, and parents can customize the birthday party decor to their liking and their child’s favorite things!

In addition to having fun party decorations, organizing some home birthday party activities is a good idea. Here are the 10 Indoor Home Birthday Party Activities I set up for my son’s 5th birthday party.

I hope this list helps with your home birthday decor shopping list! Start gathering those birthday decorations early, store them all in a big box, and then pull them out the night before the party and go wild!