Create Your Own Themed Kids’ Birthday Party Decorations
Planning a kids’ birthday party often starts with one big question: what theme will they love most this year? From the birthday party invitations to the decorations on the walls, visual details help set the tone and bring that theme to life. But creating something memorable doesn’t require store-bought décor or a big budget.
With BeFunky’s Photo Editor, Graphic Designer, and Collage Maker, you can design custom party decorations that feel cohesive, fun, and completely unique to your child. Below, we’re rounding up some of the most popular kids’ party themes and sharing creative ways to make DIY decorations that match each one.
Jungle Animals
Jungle and safari themes remain a favorite for younger kids thanks to their bright colors, playful animals, and sense of adventure. Lions, monkeys, elephants, and tropical leaves instantly create a playful party atmosphere.
Use the Graphic Designer to create welcome signs, animal-themed labels for snack tables, or milestone posters with your child’s name and age. For this theme, custom photo wall backdrops featuring illustrated animals or jungle patterns make a big impact. Here's one we designed in just minutes using clip art from our Graphics library!
To tie everything together, consider printable cupcake toppers, party banners, or even favor bag tags designed with matching graphics, colors, and fonts. Our Designer is also home to plenty of kids’ birthday card templates – including jungle animal themed – so be sure to check those out as your starting point!
Superheroes
Superhero parties are all about bold visuals and larger-than-life energy. Kids love the idea of stepping into their own heroic story, whether they’re inspired by classic comic book characters like Superman and Wonder Woman or more modern creations like the infamous Captain Underpants.
DIY decorations for this theme often focus on strong typography, starburst shapes, and high-contrast colors. In the Graphic Designer, you can create custom posters featuring words like “BAM,” “POW,” or “Hero Headquarters.” Photo-based decorations work well here too, especially when kids are transformed into superheroes using our popular Cartoon or Comic Artsy effects.
Design printable superhero masks, photo booth props, or comic-inspired wall art to make the party feel even more immersive. Consistent colors and fonts help the whole setup feel polished and cohesive.
In the example below, we used the Background Remover tool to turn photos of the birthday boy into cutouts – perfect for a custom superhero bunting. We paired these photos with comic book inspired shapes and text to really take the themed party decor to the next level.
Under the Sea
Under-the-sea themes are popular for their calming color palettes, whimsical imagery, and unisex appeal. Think serene ocean blues, cute sea creatures, bubbles, and shell motifs.
Consider creating ocean-inspired photo wall backdrops using aquatic backgrounds, fish illustrations, or coral textures in the Graphic Designer. Table signs, food labels, and printable party games can all follow the same visual style for a cohesive look.
The Collage Maker is ideal for displaying photos of the birthday boy or girl alongside underwater scenes or their favorite sea animals. Simply upload any photos you want to use to the Image Manager, then drag and drop them into the cells within your chosen collage layout. Then, add some cute underwater animal graphics as the finishing touch – just as we’ve done below.
Tea Party
Tea party birthdays are a sweet, slightly more grown-up theme that kids and adults both enjoy. It’s also a fun opportunity for kids to bring along a favorite toy or stuffed animal to join the celebration, turning the party into a full-on make-believe tea gathering.
Visually, tea party themes tend to be more feminine, which is why they’re especially popular for younger girls’ birthdays. Soft pinks and florals work beautifully for welcome signs, table décor, and custom menus. Using the Graphic Designer, you can create matching signage with floral illustrations, decorative borders, and whimsical fonts to set the tone as guests arrive.
That said, tea party birthdays can easily be styled to feel more unisex. Swapping pastel pinks for neutrals, greens, or blues, or mixing florals with simple patterns like stripes or polka dots, helps create a gender-neutral look. Graphic elements like teacups and cakes keep the theme playful, while still feeling a little sophisticated.
In the example below, we edited a predesigned Invitation template to turn it into a beautiful, on-theme party welcome sign.
Dinosaurs
Dinosaurs continue to be a hit with kids who love all things prehistoric. For dinosaur parties, bold colors and textured designs work well. Create custom posters featuring different dinosaur species, “dig site” signs, or a dino gallery featuring photos of the birthday child paired with dinosaur graphics. In the example below, we’ve created dinosaur themed cupcake toppers and added a personal touch.
The Designer makes it easy to combine illustrations, text, and backgrounds into cohesive designs. Earthy tones mixed with pops of green or orange help the designs tie-in with the dino theme, without being too busy.
Custom Party Decorations That Feel Personal
The best kids’ party decorations are the ones that feel made just for them. Whether you’re designing posters, signs, banners, or photo wall backdrops, BeFunky makes it easy to customize every detail to match your chosen theme. Plus, with editable party invitations and birthday card templates, you can personalize every element of your kids’ special day before the party even begins.
Head to our Graphic Designer to start turning your child’s favorite party theme into DIY decorations they’ll remember long after the celebration ends!
