How to Celebrate Birthdays from Home

Everyone really wants to see their friends and family in person again, and it is possible! Kind of. There are so many ways your social distancing birthday party can be a unified experience for all of your guests, so check out these fun ideas so you can get together without getting too close!

1. Birthday Parade - Set up a throne for the birthday king or queen in your driveway, then have friends and family drive by in a caravan, wave, and wish a happy birthday! Bonus points if “guests” want to go all out and decorate their cars. 
2. Walking Tour - If your would-be party guests live in walking distance, go for a walk around the neighborhood to wave and celebrate! You could even bring lawn chairs to set up at each stop (at least six feet apart!) so you can stay and chat for a bit.
3. Drive-In Movies - Despite regular movie theaters closing all over the place to encourage social distancing, many drive-in theaters are still operating. Go with a group, bring your own snacks, and park near each other!

In person celebrations have been, for the most part, suspended indefinitely. If parades and walking tours aren’t an option for you (or they aren’t quite the quarantine party you have in mind) you might want to try virtual celebrations! An amazing added bonus of virtual parties is that guests can come from other cities and time zones, so friends and family out of town can join in on the fun! Setting up a video call seems easy enough, but what do you do next? Here are some great virtual party activities.

1. Video Call Party - Choose your favorite group video call app (look for programs like Zoom that are free and accessible on most devices!), and schedule an hour or so for “guests” to drop in when they are available! You’ll want to decorate your background, then get on the call early and stay on a little late to make sure everyone has a chance to see you. Friends and family can say hi, send well wishes, and hang out if they want!
2. Movie Night - If you don’t have a drive-in theater nearby, you want to watch a specific movie that isn’t showing, or you want to celebrate with people out of town, try an extension like Netflix Party that allows your group to watch and chat together. Get your friends together, get snacks, and watch your favorite movie!
3. Game Night - Find some multiplayer games for your group, or find virtual one on one games you could set up an online tournament with! Build a bracket and place bets on who will win!
4. Virtual Tours - Loads of museums, zoos, and aquariums are offering free virtual tours, so find your favorite and explore with your friends! Wander around, or put together a scavenger hunt and race to the finish line, either way you’ll have a good time sharing the experience!
5. Attend Live Streamed Events - Many websites and social media users have live streamed events like shows and concerts, check your favorite artists or bands and see if they have any scheduled livestreams you and your friends could watch together!

Even after a scheduled event or group video call, the birthday kid might still be feeling down. If you’re looking for some family friendly activities to celebrate a birthday at home to keep your kid’s day special and safe, you might want to try some of these fun family party ideas!

1. “Honk to Say Happy Birthday” Yard Signs - Decorate the house and put up signs in your yard letting neighbors know that there’s a birthday on the block! Hear a honk from someone driving by? They’re sending love and birthday wishes to your kid. Leave the signs out all day (and into the night if the neighbors don’t mind!)
2. Try a Family Baking Project - Let the birthday kid take the reins on their cake! Bake together as a family. Of course, an adult will want to take care of all the dangerous stuff, but kids can be in charge of the flavor, the color, and the decorations. This activity is fun and (hopefully) delicious!
3. Build a Blanket Fort - This is a lifelong dream for every kid (and most adults), so why not bring the blanket fort fantasy to life? Gather all the pillows, blankets, sheets, cushions, and chairs in the house and build your kids’ fantasy fort! (Quick tip: clothespins and chip clips are a great way to hold sheets together or connect them to taller objects for maximum fort capacity!)
4. Play Outside - Keep the fun going at home with fun backyard activities for the whole family! A favorite of mine is backyard camping, but any outdoor games and activities are sure to make the day even more special!

Still haven’t found any ideas quite right for your lockdown birthday? If you’re looking for ways to make a quarantine party a little more fun for you and your adult guests, check out these incredible isolation birthday ideas!

1. Virtual Happy Hour - Hop on a video call with all your friends and have a birthday happy hour! Reminisce, catch up with each other, and maybe even play drinking games! Some game ideas include “Never Have I Ever” and “Truth or Dare.” If you want to get super organized, you could even try a Murder Mystery party over video call!
2. Themed Dinner Night - If your birthday plans involved a group dinner, don’t let coronavirus get in your way! Set up a dinner night with your friends! Everyone can cook a meal with a theme in mind (or order delivery from your favorite local business!), then hop on a group video call and eat together!
3. Spa Night - Whether you live alone, with roommates, or with your family, let your birthday be a day you can relax and get away from it all! Don’t check your email or look at any stressful pandemic-related news updates. Just do your skin care routine, play some zen music, and chill out for the night!