43 Epic Birthday Party Activities Built on Experience in 2025
Cake is nice, but it’s not what people remember. The real fun comes from the birthday party activities — the games, challenges and moments that get everyone laughing together. According to Eventbrite, According to Eventbrite, guests lean toward experiences over flashy extras. So if you’re hunting for things to do on your birthday or trying to plan a birthday party, focus on the activities. They’re what turn your party into something people actually talk about the next day.
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- Creative Birthday Party Activities
- Foodie Birthday Party Activities
- Unique Birthday Party Activities
- Birthday Party Activities for Kids
- Birthday Party Activities for Adults
- Birthday Party Activities for Teens
- Best Games for Birthday Parties at Home
Creative Birthday Party Activities
1. Get Photogenic
A DIY photo booth always gets people mixing and interacting. Grab some props and accessories and some colorful drapery or even an inexpensive party tablecloth to use as a backdrop. Then, let the guests experiment and have fun. A ring light in front of your booth will provide the right lighting and don’t forget to choose a fun hashtag for the gang to share their pics.
2. Create an AI “Snap Lab” Studio
If old-school photo booths aren't really your thing, maybe go high-tech instead. An AI photo station using tools like OutSnapped takes boring selfies to a whole new level. Your guests will be able to create wild, hilarious or magical AI-generated photos of themselves.
Simply set up a little "photo lab" station at the party with fun props and a simple backdrop (a sheet or curtain works). Add a sign that says "Welcome to the Photo Lab: Where You Become Anything." Ask your guests to take selfies or photos of each other using a phone or tablet, then use a free tool like Craiyon, Lensa, Remix AI or even Snapchat’s AI filters. Ask AI to turn you into anything (the wilder, the better) and then print the photos instantly with a mini photo printer (or email/text them if you want to keep it digital). You can also pull on trends like making everyone a Barbie character still in its box, fun avatars or yearbook photos.
3. Party While You Paint
Pick up a brush and turn your celebration into a colorful occasion with a paint and sip party. No experience needed for these paint party ideas for adults — just a glass of wine and a willingness to have fun. You’ll find paint and sips in NYC, Chicago, Atlanta and plenty of other cities, all led by instructors who make the process easy and entertaining.
If staying in feels more your speed, online painting classes let you host the same experience at home. Add wine, invite a few friends and follow along as an expert teacher walks you through painting in acrylics or watercolors. You’ll easily turn a simple get-together into something people will remember.
4. Spread the Creativity
Set up mini art stations with paints, pencils and clay so guests can wander between them and create their own masterpieces. When they’re finished, you can add an "art show" to your list of birthday party activities and have everybody present their work. Add voting and prizes and everyone will try their best.
5. Clay Around a Little
Add three-dimensional creativity to your birthday party activities with a pottery party for the big day. Pottery parties encourage guests to get their hands messy and see what they can create. Even lopsided bowls feel like trophies when you’ve made them with friends. It’s a relaxed activity that always makes for a good icebreaker.
With courses available coast-to-coast from pottery classes in San Francisco, Houston, Boston or a city near you, you’ll easily find a suitable session in your area to get your birthday spinning.
6. Make Special Arrangements
Virtual flower arranging classes turn a party into something creative and hands-on. Guests get to play with blooms, make their own bouquets and take them home as favors that look as good on the table as they do later in a vase.
7. Tie One On
Get your guests in a twist by adding a tie-dye station to your birthday party activities. All you need are plain white tees, some rubber bands and tubs of bright dye. Everyone gets to experiment with colors, then unwrap their creations to reveal wild, one-of-a-kind patterns they can wear home.
8. Slime Things Up
If the question is, "How can I make my birthday party more interesting?" then slime-making is the way to go. Kids and teens love slime for its mess and texture and you probably will too. You can gather glue, contact lens solution and baking soda to arrange your own slime lab or pick up. Here's our quick guide to creating slime for a brief lesson in gooey goodness.
9. Karaoke
Karaoke cuts through awkwardness fast. With an app like Singa, you can queue up hits from any decade and let guests take the mic. Nobody cares if they’re on key — the fun is in the performance, and the laughter sticks long after the music stops.
Foodie Birthday Party Activities
10. Have a Gourmet Get Together
Cooking classes turn a birthday into more than just a meal — they make it an experience. With cooking classes in Boston, Dallas, Los Angeles or a city near you, guests get hands-on with ingredients, learn from chefs and then sit down to enjoy the food they created together. Eating the results is the reward, and it’s way more memorable than just ordering in.
11. Fashion a Virtual Feast
Online cooking classes let you celebrate without leaving the kitchen. Skilled chefs guide you through recipes step by step while everyone cooks along at home. Subjects range from specialty techniques to full-fledged gourmet meals from cultures around the globe. It’s fun to compare dishes on-screen, swap tips in real time and then sit down to enjoy the results together.
12. Taste the Happiness
Add a virtual wine tasting to your birthday party activities and you’ve got one of those adult birthday party ideas that instantly feels more social. With a sommelier guiding the pours, guests pick up tips while sampling bottles they might not normally try. It’s a little education with a lot of laughter. To take the celebration on the road, you can also book in-person wine tastings at locations around your city.
13. Put the Festivities on Ice
Raise a glass to birthday party activities with a kick by cueing up online mixology classes as part of the fun and games. Partygoers can concoct their best cocktails while learning the tricks of the trade from top bartenders and mixologists. You can also schedule in-person mixology classes for a more destination-oriented celebration.
14. Throw a Classic Dinner Party
Put the taste back in "tasteful" with a simple dinner party to show how sophisticated your birthday party activities can be. Plan a clever menu that’s easy to assemble and invite partygoers to dress up a little. Timeless parties like this make lovely golden birthday ideas to suit a more discerning crowd.
15. Put the Squeeze On
Cupcake decorating turns dessert into the activity itself. Hand out frosting bags, sprinkles and toppings, then watch the competition kick in as guests try out different piping styles. Print helpful guides for piping basics from online sites and provide a selection of fun sprinkles and toppings to add color and crunch. It’s messy, creative and way more fun than serving a finished cake.
16. Make a Mockery of Your Home Bar
Mocktail parties bring just as much fun as cocktail ones, only without the booze. Guests can play bartender for the night, mixing their best mocktails with juices and mixers. Some might copy classics, others will invent something wild, but either way, everyone gets a new drink to taste. Have guests draw straws to see who gets to play bartender or host the happy happenings yourself!
17. Gather a World of Flavors
An international potluck makes the meal part of the adventure. Assign each guest a country or region ahead of time and let them bring a dish that represents it. The table fills with flavors from around the globe, and every plate comes with a story. Encourage guests to dress the part as they present their dish to the guest of honor.
18. Socialize Over Ice Cream
An old-fashioned ice cream social is always a fun birthday party activity, no matter the season or the weather. Designate a scooper to serve up scoops and stock a table with whipped cream, sweet sauces and flavorful toppings for guests to go wild. For a fun variation, use broken waffle cone pieces as chips for ice cream nachos.
Unique Birthday Party Activities
19. Dance Like Everyone Is Watching
There’s nothing like a dance class to shake the stiffness out of a party. A salsa session adds instant heat, a hip hop class turns into pure laughter and contemporary dance somehow makes even the clumsiest guest feel like they’ve nailed it. With dance classes in Orlando, San Francisco, Los Angeles or a city near you, you’ll find something that fits your crowd. Or skip the travel and stream online dance classes so the dance floor comes straight to your living room.
20. Jam On
There’s nothing tidy about a jam session, which is what makes it so good. Friends who can really play will jump in, but the tambourines, shakers and makeshift percussion are just as important. Give people permission to swap around and make a racket. Eventually, it starts to click into something that resembles music — and by then, everyone’s grinning.
21. Visit the Masters
Instead of renting another hall, plan the day around a museum. Wandering the galleries together gives people something to talk about that isn’t just small talk, and the setting makes the celebration feel different right away. You can even pull inspiration from the exhibits for theme party ideas back at home, from colors to food to little details that tie the evening together.
22. Put the "Aaaah" in Spa Day
Looking for birthday surprise ideas that invite rest and relaxation? A spa trip could be just the thing. Set up a few hours of massages, mani-pedis and facial treatments to melt away stress for your bestie on their big day. Don’t forget to include sweet treats and tasty drinks to complete your soothing, low-key birthday party activities.
23. Get It on Film
A themed movie marathon is an easy win for film lovers. Let your guest of honor’s favorite genre set the tone for snacks, drinks and décor, then settle in for a night that feels more like a film festival than a living room hangout. Cosplay is always a welcome touch for such a cinematic occasion.
24. Crawl Through the Clubs
If your friend lives for late nights, a club crawl is the answer to how to plan a birthday party for them. Switch spots every hour with different spots for appetizers, drinks, dancing and dessert to give the evening a multitude of exciting options.
25. Zoom In
Sometimes, virtual birthday party ideas like Zoom celebrations are the best way to bring together a widespread group of friends and family. Get creative with your birthday party activities by setting up a selection of online games ahead of time. You can even send out recipes for party dishes to make sure the whole crew enjoys the same spread.
26. Head to the Great Outdoors
Birthdays don’t have to be indoors. Grab some tents, pack marshmallows and make it a camping trip — or cheat and just light a fire pit in the backyard. Either way, s’mores and late-night stories do most of the heavy lifting.
For some extra birthday party activities, you can add simple arts and crafts projects and set up birthday party games like speed s'mores to see who can get their chocolate and marshmallows to melt fastest.
27. Get Trippy for the Day
Pick a destination, pile into the car with snacks and playlists, and make a few pit stops along the way. You can even keep it a surprise and let the birthday guest figure it out as you go.
28. Murder Mystery Game
With these murder mystery game kits, all the set up for your mystery is taken care of. All you have to do is play along and watch the mystery unfold. Your guests step into character, solve clues and spend the night laughing through dramatic “deaths.”
You can choose from themes, such as a 1920s murder mystery game, a masquerade murder mystery game, a Wild West murder mystery game and many more.
29. Gear Up for a Grand Escape
Virtual escape rooms are built for birthday party activities. You’re locked in, the clock’s ticking, and suddenly everyone’s best (or worst) problem-solving side comes out. When you finally crack the last code, it feels like the whole group just won something big.
Best Birthday Party Activities for Kids
30. Head Out on a Hunt
Virtual scavenger hunts make excellent birthday party games for 10-year-olds with mad online search skills. An online guide provides clues that cover the whole Internet, inviting players to determine where the search leads.
These web-based birthday party activities can bring friends together in a virtual environment when a physical party isn't possible.
31. Dance Till You Freeze
This exciting mix of dancing and freeze tag may be the easiest birthday party activity on your roster. To play, set up a playlist of upbeat songs and set one playing.
Players do their most energetic dance moves until the tunes come to a random stop. Then, everyone freezes in a pose to see how long they can remain still. The first player to move is out of the game. Play continues until one frozen dancer is left standing.
32. Act Out
An age-old favorite among birthday party activities, the game of charades and its variations are birthday party games that never go out of style. There’s even a mobile version of the game if your kids need to feel “connected.”
Using titles of well-known movies and books or the names of celebrities or historic figures, fill a cup with strips of paper and invite players to choose one to act out for the rest of their team.
33. Cookie Face
Make your guests work for their treats with this hilarious birthday party activity that uses Oreos as the game pieces.
Each player takes a turn, tilting their head back and placing an Oreo on their forehead, trying to move the cookie to their mouth and take a bite using only their facial muscles.
Be sure to capture lots of video of the grimaces, smirks and smiles it takes to get the Oreos to their destination.
34. Bobbing for Donuts
With bobbing for donuts, you get a game and a tasty treat all at once. Simply tie strings around a variety of donuts and tape them from an entryway or doorjamb.
Using only their teeth, players try to free the hanging donuts from their suspended state.
Birthday Party Activities for Adults
35. Answer the Right Question
Hosted online trivia games give your birthday party activities all the quirky charm of a pub-style trivia night without having to head out. Emcees make every session a party no matter where your guests log in from. All that's missing is the cake.
36. Right, Left, Eat
Think dice game, but with snacks at stake. Right, Left, Eat plays for candy instead of money. Everyone starts with a small stash, then the dice decide if you keep it, pass it or eat it. Watching grown adults cheer over candy — or shots, if you’re feeling bold — is half the fun.
To start, players place three pieces of candy on a table in front of them and take turns rolling three dice, one for each piece.
Players either pass, eat, or keep their candy, like so:
- One: Pass a piece of candy to the right
- Two: Pass a piece of candy to the left
- Three: Eat a piece of candy
- Four: Keep a piece of candy
- Five: Keep a piece of candy
- Six: Keep a piece of candy
Play continues around the table until only one player with one piece of candy remains.
37. Name That Tune
Choose a selection of well-known songs and play a few rounds of Name That Tune. Two players face off and vie to name the tune by listening to second-long snippets. If they’re in a pinch, the host can provide a few simple clues about the song, such as the year it came out and the subject of the lyrics.
Players challenge one another to name the song in five seconds, four seconds, and so on. Once a snippet length is chosen, the host plays the song and gives the player who chose the lowest number of seconds a chance to name the tune. If that player fails, the other player gets a chance to name the tune. The play continues until one player successfully names the tune.
Birthday Party Activities for Teens
38. Wink Murder
Wink Murder is an easy birthday party game that works for teens or adults alike. To play, create a folded slip of paper for every player, one with the word "murderer" written on it and the rest left blank.
Place the slips in a cup and have all players choose one. Once a player knows they're the murderer, the object of the game is for all players to maintain eye contact, watching for the murderer to wink at them.
Once this happens, the player "dies" in a theatrical way. Play continues until all players are "dead" or the murderer is identified.
39. Two Truths and a Lie
This birthday party activity is a great way for unfamiliar groups to get to know one another. If you're not sure on how to play Two Truths and a Lie, players take turns sharing three facts about themselves, one of which is untrue, while the rest of the group takes turns trying to guess which facts are true and which is a lie.
By the end of the game, everyone will know a little more about the other party people at the celebration.
Best Games for Birthday Parties at Home
40. Get Into The Game
Virtual game nights can be a big help when it comes to birthday parties at home. To mix things up, you can always try new titles or stick with familiar favorites and send out invitations for a 21st-century birthday party that even old-school gamers are sure to love.
You could even try your hand at games like Cards Against Humanity for a bit of cheeky fun.
41. Cup Stack
When games for birthday parties at home include everyone's favorite red party cups, you know you're in for a treat. Place two stacked towers of 10 party cups on a table side by side and challenge two players at a time to rearrange the cups into a pyramid shape.
Then, challenge them to collapse the pyramid back into a stacked tower. The first player to complete both challenges without toppling their cups is the winner of this competitive birthday party activity.
42. This or That?
This simple birthday party activity is one of the easiest games for birthday parties. To play, create a simple list of This or That Questions for players to vote on, such as hamburgers or hotdogs, tacos or burritos and so forth.
Begin by asking the group which is better, hamburgers or hotdogs. Whichever item wins the vote moves on to the next round; for example, if hamburgers win round one, round two would be hamburgers or tacos. If tacos win round two, round three would be tacos or burritos. Play continues until the list is exhausted and all players retreat to the snack table for treats!
There are also classics like Who's Most Likely To questions and Never Have I Ever questions for some instant fun and entertainment.
43. Who Am I?
Stick a name on everyone’s back — celebrities, characters, whoever you like — and let the guessing begin.
Players have to try to figure out the name written on their sticky notes by asking 20 questions. When players guess correctly, the sticky note is removed and play continues until all the names have been guessed. It sounds easier than it is.
Remember, at the end of the day, it’s not the decorations or the budget that people remember — it’s the moments. The right birthday party activities bring everyone together, whether it’s kids cracking up over a donut on a string, adults competing in trivia, or friends learning a new dance move side by side. So if you’re searching for things to do on your birthday or just want to plan a birthday party that feels lively, focus on the activities. They’re what turn cake and candles into something worth talking about the next day.
For even more fun birthday party activities and events, check out other experiences happening on Classpop!
