Birthday parties aren’t quite what they used to be: scrap everything you think you remember about what made for a good childhood birthday in the eighties or nineties and learn from our list.
Here’s a look at the best unique birthday party ideas for 9 year olds.
Last Minute Birthday Party Ideas for 9 Year Old
Movie Marathon
Last minute birthday ideas don’t leave you a lot of time to plan for the birthday, the guests, or the entertainment. There’s no reason why a last minute birthday idea should hold back a great birthday – some of the best parties of the century were planned at a moment’s notice!
A movie marathon is quick to put together in less than an hour’s worth of fast preparation, and it’s enough to keep a whole whack of busy 9-year-olds glued to their seats for hours.
Choose age-appropriate movies, and choose movies that fit a theme.
Marvel / DC Comics
The good news for last minute birthday planning is that comic books never stopped being popular with kids of all ages.
If you aren’t a fan yourself and need some knowledge in a hurry, Marvel and DC Comics are still two of the leading comic franchises in the world (and the theme has a lot of freedom for last minute planning).
Source Marvel and DC Comics series’ or movies on the appropriate streaming channel, and assemble snacks in a couple of minutes for a great, quick birthday.
9 Year Old Birthday Party Ideas Girl
Princess Party
Any 9 year-old girl who wants to feel extra special on their birthday would love to have a princess party where they are the focus of all the attention!
If you have a 9 year-old girl who loves the idea of princesses and royalty, throw an old-fashioned soiree with the fanciest snacks you can make at home (with more ease than you think).
Take inspiration from any princesses they like or admire, and any princess characters they have come to love.
Barbie
If you haven’t been to Amazon’s toy listings for the year 2022 yet, at least we can fill you in on the fact that Barbie is still popular almost everywhere. The beloved Barbie character has been around since the 1950s, and her popularity is still certain in 2022.
If you are lost for a 9-year old birthday party theme, Barbie is still a classic standard that has stood the test of time.
Modern Barbie fans are lucky, there are some great Barbie information available on the internet for free download.
9 Year Old Birthday Party Ideas Boy
Samurai Jack
If there’s one thing boys will always love, it’s the action-packed Samurai Jack.
Originally a series released as part of Cartoon Network, the highly successful Samurai Jack has ballooned into its own franchise that most modern 9 year old boys will know well.
If you have access to the appropriate streaming service, make episodes of Samurai Jack part of the fun.
Yu-GI-Oh!
If the birthday boy is a gamer by heart, then Yu-Gi-Oh! could be the perfect inspiration for their next birthday party. The franchise is based around a card game called Duel Monsters, of which both physical and online versions exist.
Why not have a tournament for their birthday party?
Rules and playable games can be found on the internet, and the game is surprisingly easy to learn.
9 Year Old Birthday Party Ideas at Home
Home Buffet Party
If you don’t feel like going anywhere for birthday celebration, you can also host your 9 year old’s birthday party at home. A buffet is a great idea for a small to medium group of friends who can appreciate great food and snacks.
Never underestimate young foodies! Younger children can appreciate the fun of a buffet-style meal just as much as the adults.
Have fun with a home buffet party, and make sure there are enough healthy options for everyone to choose from.
Halloween Party
No matter what time of the year your 9 year old’s birthday might be, you can always take some solid inspiration from ghoulies, ghosties and things that go bump in the night. Halloween is always a perfect theme – and it can be successfully pulled off by a party-planning parent at any time of the year.
Decorations can be as elaborate or quick as what you have time for, and you can even combine this idea with appropriate Halloween games and movies for a great party.
Snacks should fit the theme. Lucky for parents, there are hundreds of appropriate recipes to be found on the internet.
Garden Birthday Party Ideas for 9 Year Olds
Picnic
Picnics are synonymous with a garden, and you can have a great picnic birthday party no matter what type of garden you might have: large, small, or closed off. All you need for a picnic is comfort and the right comfort food – and everyone involved will have a ball.
Get a comfortable blanket, and assemble a basketful of healthy food, drinks and snacks.
You’ll be surprised at just how much fun you could have!
Moon Camp
If you have enough freedom to host the party at night, turn the lights off and look up to the skies. If your 9 year-old’s birthday party happens to be at the same time as an impressive moon (or star-related) event, make it the party’s theme.
Online resources can hook you up with a real-time view of the stars, and YouTube is filled with interesting fact-filled snippets that can teach kids more while they’re having the time of their lives.
Sleepover Birthday Party Ideas for 9 Year Olds
Indoor Camping NIght
Sleepover birthday parties don’t have to be effort, and they don’t have to keep you awake the whole night. An indoor camping night can make for the perfect appropriate birthday party, and kids will remain under your supervision while enjoying their time.
It’s just like camping outside, except many kids prefer the comfort of keeping the party indoors!
Outdoor Birthday Party Ideas for 9 Year Olds
Lightshow
If your kid wants to host their 9th birthday party outdoors instead, setting up a simple lightshow with the help of a few apps and connected lights. Lightshows are impressive, and it doesn’t take nearly as much money or effort to pull it off as you could imagine.
Outdoor Cinema
If you have access to a projector, turn the birthday party into an outdoor cinema. It’s easy enough to find appropriate movies on the right streaming service – and this is the perfect time for parents to involve their kids in the planning process to ask what they would like the theme of the movie night to be!
A simple USB projector can cost less than $100 to buy from Amazon, and takes less than five minutes in reality to set up and get working. For a movie screen, use any appropriate flat surface – or go the old-school way and hang a sheet.
Almost every 9 year-old has movies they would love to see.
Beach Birthday Party Ideas for 9 Year Olds
Volleyball Tourney
If your kid’s birthday party is going to take place on the beach, a simple volleyball tournament can make a great activity for the kids – especially if you have a couple of very active kids to entertain!
Remember that the tournament rules don’t have to be formal, and it’s best to adjust the net for the height of smaller players!
Sand Castles
Sand castle artists can usually be found close to the beach, and it could give your kids one of the most memorable birthday parties they’ve ever had. Contact a professional sand castle artist if you have the time – and make them build an incredible birthday set!
If you can’t, just as much fun can be had by letting kids set up their own fun sandcastles as part of the party.
Winter Birthday Party Ideas for 9 Year Olds
Disney’s Frozen
If your 9 year old’s birthday party takes place during the winter, you could always take some inspiration from Disney’s Frozen franchise. Stream the movie, style the snacks and grab some free resources to download from the official Disney website to complete the pert Frozen winter party.
Game Night
Game night is still a great theme for any birthday party, and colder winter parties make indoor board games an even better option.
Appropriate board games can be found online, or bought in traditional tabletop form.
9 Year Old Birthday Party Theme Ideas
Video Game Nights
If you don’t have a lot of time to prepare, why not host a great video game night for the kids? The theme for the entire party can be based around the games that they love the most, and it can be anything from Zombies to Minecraft – again, involve your kids and ask what they would like!
Pizza Night
If there’s one thing that almost all kids can say they love, then it would be pizza! Make pizza the theme of the entire night, and let kids get together to make or assemble their own creations on pre-made pizza bases for a whole lot of fun.
