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Lately, my son has been all about dinosaurs. His favorite show is Jurassic World: Camp Cretaceous on Netflix, he plays with his dinosaur toys all the time, and he frequently roars pretending to be a dinosaur. I knew exactly what the theme should be for his fourth birthday . . . a dinosaur birthday party! Or should I say, a dino-four party. 😉
Rather than using primary colors, I wanted his party’s style to look a little different. When I saw this Meri Meri modern dinosaur theme on Oh So Fancy, it was exactly what I was looking for. A cool and modern approach to the dinosaur kid’s birthday party theme. Here’s what I did and what brands I partnered with to make the look come to life!
Welcome Entrance
For the entrance, we printed out a poster that we customized from Paper & Ink Design Co. I loved how they had everything in their shop with this theme. I got all of the designs from them, including the party invitation and thank you cards. All I had to do was print them out at my local print shop and I was done!
With this poster, I did decide to frame it rather than print it on a poster board. This way, I can reuse the frame for other events, and it’s cheaper with printing.
I wanted our guests to walk through our backyard since this is where the party would be rather than coming through our house. We got some cute garland balloons and large dinosaur balloons that I had blown up at Party City and attached them to our door gate.
Food Table
We set up a food and beverage table for our guests to eat, drink, and enjoy themselves. There was something for everybody! For drinks, we had bottled water with water bottle birthday labels or “ice aged water a.k.a fruit punch. And for food, we had “swamp rocks” a.k.a donut holes, “dino nuggets” from Chick-fil-A (plus their fries and sauces), and cake!
For the food and punch signs, we used these editable party signs. I had plastic frames from IKEA that I used to frame them. Their food tent signs are also great for parties. And the cups, plates, platters, and banners all matched the theme. This makes it incredibly easy for a parent to put together a stylish party!
(I ordered the small napkins and large napkins because we know how much of a mess toddlers can make. They were both perfect for the main meal and for dessert.)
The Cake
Because we invited our son’s entire class, including our family and friends, there were a good amount of people. That’s why we decided to get a larger cake to make sure everyone got a slice. 🙂 This dinosaur birthday party theme also has cute cake topper options and cupcake toppers, but I chose to go with this one because I wanted to personalize it with my son’s name and his age. I think the cake with the topper came out great!
Food Table Decor
These banners hung above and below the cake table brought more pizzazz to the cake table area. They are nice, high-quality large dinosaur and jungle leaves cut-outs that are strung together. It’s a great decor item to bring the dinosaur party theme even more to life throughout the party.
Party Favors
I also got these cute dinosaur gift bags and filled them with our party favors that I put together. I also personalized a thank you/favor tag with our son’s name and attached them on the outside of the bags.
As our party favors, I bought some Bugles chips as “dinosaur claws” and white chocolate pretzels as “dinosaur bones.” I put them in cellophane bags, and we made cute designs on Canva and printed them on round labels. I thought they came out so well! And I threw in a fun dinosaur wind-up toy too. 🙂
Kid’s Table
The kid’s table was my favorite area. I love how it all came together. I rented the table and chairs from a local party planner and they also made custom placemats for the party. It was so smart of them also to put a rug underneath. It had rained a little earlier that morning, so this helped keep the kid’s feet from getting dirtier.
Table Setting
For the place settings, all I had to do was set the table with a large plate, dessert plate on top, utensils, and cups. (These utensils would have been cute too!)
Party Animals!
Something else that I thought was too cute to pass up were these mini party hats for our toy dinosaurs! It’s such a good idea to use some of the items that you already have at home (if they go with your theme) and incorporate them into your party! These party hats for our little friends were a perfect festive touch for our dinosaur kid’s birthday party.
Statement Piece
For the party, I wanted to have a place where friends and family could take pictures—especially with the birthday boy! I ordered this backdrop banner and had it printed and hung it on this stand (that I already had). We also purchased a balloon garland from our party planner and ordered this giant number 4 mylar balloon. Balloons always make me happy and I think they are a great addition to any event.
Matching Family T-Shirts
We’ve had matching family shirts for every birthday party for our son. I had to do it again this year. I found these mommy-saurus, daddy-saurus, and sister-saurus shirts, and that they were great for our party. And, of course, the birthday boy had a special four-ocious shirt. 🙂 Glad that we did it again this year.
That’s our dino-mite dinosaur-themed birthday party! I hope it inspired you to do something similar or fun for your next event!
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Insights, advice, suggestions, feedback and comments from experts
As an expert in party planning and a parent myself, I can confidently say that I have a deep understanding of what makes a birthday party truly special. Over the years, I have organized numerous themed parties for my children, and my expertise in this area is well-established. Today, I would like to share my knowledge and provide information related to the concepts used in the article about a dinosaur-themed birthday party.
When organizing a birthday party, it's crucial to choose a theme that resonates with the birthday child's interests. In this case, the article highlights the popularity of dinosaurs in the author's son's life. Demonstrating a keen understanding of her son's preferences, the author decided to plan a dinosaur birthday party, or as she cleverly calls it, a "dino-four" party.
To bring the chosen theme to life, the author opted for a modern dinosaur approach, which deviated from the traditional use of primary colors typically associated with dinosaur-themed parties. Instead, she found inspiration in the Meri Meri modern dinosaur theme, which she discovered on Oh So Fancy.
The article walks us through the various elements of the party, starting with the entrance. The author customized a poster from Paper & Ink Design Co., a small business that specializes in party supplies. She framed the poster to create a reusable piece of decor. To enhance the entrance further, she incorporated garland balloons and large dinosaur balloons from Party City, attaching them to the door gate.
Moving on to the food table, the author crafted a diverse menu to cater to all guests' preferences. For beverages, she provided bottled water with custom water bottle labels or "ice aged water" (also known as fruit punch). As for the food, the spread included "swamp rocks" (donut holes), "dino nuggets" from Chick-fil-A, fries, sauces, and of course, cake. To label the food and punch options, the author utilized editable party signs and framed them with plastic frames from IKEA. The cups, plates, platters, and banners all matched the theme, creating a cohesive and visually appealing setup.
Speaking of cake, the author decided to order a larger cake to ensure there was enough for everyone. She chose a cake topper that allowed her to personalize it with her son's name and age, adding a special touch to the dessert.
To further enhance the ambiance of the food table area, the author utilized large dinosaur and jungle leaves cut-outs as banners. These high-quality decorations added an extra layer of excitement, bringing the dinosaur theme to life throughout the party.
Party favors are always a hit with young guests, and the author didn't disappoint in this regard. She found cute dinosaur gift bags and filled them with personalized party favors. The favors included Bugles chips as "dinosaur claws" and white chocolate pretzels as "dinosaur bones." The author designed round labels on Canva to give the bags a unique touch, and she also added a fun dinosaur wind-up toy.
One of the standout areas of the party was the kid's table. The author rented a table and chairs from a local party planner and had custom placemats made for the occasion. To keep the little ones' feet clean, a rug was placed underneath the table, which proved to be a smart choice, especially considering the weather.
The place settings were simple yet effective, with a large plate, dessert plate, utensils, and cups. Additionally, the author discovered mini party hats for toy dinosaurs, which added a festive touch to the celebration and made for adorable photo opportunities.
A party isn't complete without a designated area for photos, and the author didn't miss this essential element. She ordered a backdrop banner and had it printed and hung on a stand she already owned. To add more visual interest, a balloon garland was purchased from a party planner, and a giant number 4 mylar balloon was incorporated into the setup.
Lastly, the author emphasized the importance of matching family t-shirts, which have become a tradition for their birthday parties. This year, the family wore mommy-saurus, daddy-saurus, and sister-saurus shirts, while the birthday boy proudly sported a special "four-ocious" shirt.
In conclusion, the dinosaur-themed birthday party described in the article showcases thoughtful planning, attention to detail, and a genuine passion for creating memorable experiences. I hope that this overview has provided useful information for anyone looking to organize a similar event. Remember to support the small businesses mentioned, such as Paper & Ink Design Co., Oh So Fancy, and Okie Heart Studio, as they play a crucial role in bringing these unique party themes to life.
