If you’re throwing a dinosaur themed birthday party then check out this list of 38 ideas that will surely inspire you. These ideas include invitations, decorations, activities, foods, and party favors to ensure every aspect of your party transports your guests to a dino–mite adventure.
Invitation:
First impressions are always important, and the first impression anyone will have of your party will be through the invitation. This makes picking out your invitation an important part of your party planning. One of my favorite places to look for invitations is through Etsy. There are hundreds of different styles to choose from and the templates are all customizable. Invitations to choose from include dinosaurs, volcanoes, pre-historic fauna, and age related sayings. Check out these invitations that can be customized for any age.
Decorations:
What is a party without decorations? Backdrops, table cloths, centerpieces, and balloons can all be used to transform your party into a dinosaur jungle.
- Dinosaur Themed Backdrop
For your backdrop, use a banner displaying the age of the birthday child. Ideas include a “one-a-saurus,” a “two-rex,” and a “three-rex.” Then, use green, brown, and tan balloons with interspersed leaves to frame up the banner. For your balloons, check out this Balloon Archway Kit that even includes a T-Rex.
- Paper Mache Volcano
If you want a big centerpiece at your party, then consider making a paper mache volcano. This tutorial by The Spruce Crafts shows how to make one that will actually erupt. - Dinosaur Themed Plates
Check out these Dinosaur Themed Paper Plates with matching napkins, cups, forks, and straws. They feature dinosaurs, meteorites, prehistoric foliage, and cute sayings that would fit perfectly with the rest of your decorations. Another option are these Cartoon Dinosaur Shaped Plates for a more playful feel. - Glowing Dinosaur Lanterns
Make your own dinosaur jars to serve as a centerpiece for your tables. Just cut out the silhouette of a dinosaur, tape it to the inside of a jar, and add fairy lights to the jar. You can also add some pre-historic leaves to the top of the jar to really give it a Jurassic jungle feeling.
- Dinosaur Foot Print Table Runners
For an easy DIY dinosaur themed table runner, just roll out a strip of brown paper and paint some dinosaur tracks walking across it. For perfect tracks, make a stamp out of a sponge. - Hanging Pteradactyl Puppets
If you want some dinosaurs hanging out during your party, then follow this tutorial by The Craft Train to make some hanging pterodactyl puppets. These would look great hanging from the ceiling and they can be taken down and played with by your guests. - Beware of Dinosaur Signs
For wall decorations, grab some “Beware of Dinosaur” signs. Hang them up throughout your party to remind your guests that they are in dinosaur territory. - Balloons with Hanging Vines
To make your party feel like it’s in a dinosaur infested jungle, inflate balloons in different hues of green and hang vines along their strings.
Foods:
Now that your guests have arrived, it’s time to feed them. This list of ideas includes sides, main dishes, and desserts to ensure your whole menu is fit for a prehistoric adventure.
- Lava Rolls
Freshly baked bread is a special treat, and what better way to have them fit your dinosaur theme than by making them look like they just came from a volcano. Check out this recipe for Lava Rolls by Garden Seeds and Honey Bees for a complete tutorial on how to make them. - Dino Chips
If you plan on serving chips at the party, then consider making your own dinosaur shaped ones. Just take some tortillas, cut dinosaur shapes out of them, brush them with olive oil, and then bake until crispy. To make the chips dinosaur green, just use spinach tortillas. For a perfect dinosaur shape, check out this Dinosaur Sandwich Cutter. - Carnivore and Herbivore Trays
Set out your fruit, vegetable and charcuterie trays and label them as food for carnivores or herbivores. This is an incredibly easy way to put a dinosaur twist on a regular party tray.
- Cheesy Raptor Claws
Who doesn’t love cheesy puff pasty, especially when it’s shaped like a dinosaur claw? This recipe by Geeks Who Eat will show you how to make these super simple claws. - Dinosaur Empanadas with a Queso and Black Bean Volcano
If you’re looking for a show stopping dinosaur themed entree then you’ve got to check out these Omnomnomnivore Empanadas with a black bean volcano by Chef Club. This recipe will show you how to build a volcano that’s covered with black bean dip and topped with queso “lava.” It also shows you how to make empanadas to dip into the queso and bean dip that look just like dinosaurs. - Dino Nuggets
Serve up some dino nuggets for an easy entree that is already dinosaur themed. Nuggets will take very little time to bake and will surely be a hit with even the pickiest of eaters.
- Dino Deviled Eggs
Deviled eggs are a fun bite sized treat that would fit perfectly at a dinosaur themed birthday party. Just dye them with some green egg dye after you boil them and before you crack them open. This will give them a light green color that will make everyone think of dinosaur eggs when they see them. Check out this classic deviled egg recipe by Downshiftology. - Volcano Bundt Cakes
Turn mini bundt cakes into miniature volcanoes to wow your guests. Just drizzle some red melted chocolate over the completed cake to make it look like lava is pouring from the volcano. For a great chocolate bundt cake recipe, check out this article by Two Peas and Their Pod. - Dinosaur Spine Cupcakes
A great cupcake idea for a dinosaur themed birthday party is to add triangular shaped sprinkles onto the top of the cupcake in a single line. These sprinkles will look just like the spikes on the spine of a dinosaur.
- Dino Dirt Cups
Create a Jurassic scene in a cup with this dirt cake recipe by Preppy Kitchen. Once made, scope the dirt cake into individual cups and top with grass (green icing). You can now add edible rocks and plants, dinosaur figurines, and whatever else fits your theme. You can even set out some of these items and let your guests decorate their own cups. - Dinosaur Track Cookies
A simple dinosaur dessert are these dinosaur track cookies. Take any type of cookie and use a dinosaur toy to make a foot print into the cookie before baking. Once baked, the cookies will look like they’ve been stepped on by real dinosaurs.
For more dinosaur themed foods, check out 25 Dinosaur Themed Party Foods for a Dino-Mite Birthday..
Activities:
After the food, it’s time for the real fun to begin! But how to entertain so many little ones? Here are some of my favorite ideas.
- Create Dinosaur Party Hats
Have your guests decorate their own dinosaur hats. Provide some construction paper and have everyone cut out triangles. Glue these triangles in a single line along the hat to create dinosaur spikes. - Make a Paper Plate Dinosaur
An easy dinosaur craft for younger guests is a Brontosaurus made from a paper plate. Cut a paper plate in half to use for the dinosaur’s body. Then use construction paper to cut out the dinosaur’s legs, tail, and head. Have your guests glue these pieces together and then decorate their dinosaur.
- Decorate a Safari Hat
Every jungle adventurer needs a safari hat. So, let your guests decorate their own by setting up a hat decorating station. Just set out some Safari Hats, paints, dinosaur stickers, and any other crafting materials they will need. - Make a Dinosaur Tail
Get your guests to get into the dino spirit by helping them make dinosaur tails to wear during the party. Have your guests cut a triangle out of construction paper and decorate it however they see fit. Then, tape a string along the largest part of the triangle. Have each guest tie their tails around their waists to transform into dinosaurs. - Feed the Dinosaurs
For this game, paint a dinosaur on a wooden board and cut out a hole where its mouth is. Hang the board up and then have your guests take turns trying to toss a bean bag into the dinosaur’s mouth. Whoever can feed the dinosaur the most snacks is the winner.
- Move Like a Dino
Turn your guests into dinosaurs by playing Move Like a Dino. Call out different dinosaurs and have your guests mimic them to the best of their ability. You can call out the animals randomly or roll a dice with different animals on each side. Some moves you can use include hop like a velociraptor, move your arms like a t-rex, and flap your wings like a pterodactyl. - Dinosaur Scavenger Hunt
Hide some dinosaurs throughout your party and let your guests hunt for them in a dinosaur hunt. You can provide them safari hats and binoculars to get them into character. - Triceratops Ring Toss
A ring toss is a classic game that can easily be adapted to your dinosaur themed party. Instead of tossing rings around a bottle, toss your rings towards a triceratops and try to hook the ring on its horns.
- Hatch the Dinosaur
Give your guests a dinosaur egg to hatch during the party. They will love chiseling away at the egg as they wonder what dinosaur could be inside. Check out this listing for 24 Dinosaur Eggs that contain 24 different species of dinosaur, with some that glow in the dark!
For more dinosaur themed activities, check out 21 Dinosaur Themed Party Activities for a Stomping Good Time.
Favors:
The most successful party is one that is remembered well past the party date. A great way to help your guests remember is by sending them home with a souvenir. Check out these ideas for what to include in your favor bag.
- Dinosaur Eggs
Give your guests a dinosaur egg to take home. They will love chiseling away at the egg as they wonder what dinosaur could be inside. Check out this listing for 24 Dinosaur Eggs that contain 24 different species of dinosaur, with some that glow in the dark! - Dinosaur Paint Kit
A painting kit is a great gift for children who love to craft. This is a gift that can be in the bags ready to take home or broken out during the party for some painting time. Check out these pre-made Dinosaur Themed Kits. - Dinosaur Tooth Necklaces
Nothing is cooler than getting a tooth from a dinosaur. String a dinosaur tooth through some cordage and you’ll have a dinosaur tooth necklace that every little kid will obsess over. Check out this listing for a Dinosaur Tooth Kit to make your necklaces.
- Bag of Dinosaur Bones
If you want to give out some sweets in your good bag, then consider adding a bag of dinosaur bones. To make them, just coat some pretzels in white chocolate. Once they’re all in a bag, they will look just like bones. - Dinosaur Themed Book
A dinosaur themed book makes a great gift for your party goers. Some of my favorite books are the Step Into Reading Series. These books come in nearly every theme and can help improve reading skills as well. Check out this book: Dinosaur Days. - Adopt a Dinosaur
Let your guests pick out their very own dinosaurs. Check out this listing for 20 Stuffed Dinosaurs. They come with their very own carry cases and adoption certificates.
- Dinosaur Figurines
What better way to remember a party than by getting to take home some dinosaurs. Just fill a bag with a few miniature dinosaurs and add a thank you label. Check out this pack of 78 Dinosaur Figurines that would fit in your thank you bags perfectly. - Pre-made kits
Don’t worry if you don’t have time to make your own good bags. There are plenty of pre-made options online. This Pre-made Dinosaur Themed Kit includes hats, crazy straws, bubble wands, slap bracelets, and more.
For more party favor ideas, check out 21 Dinosaur Party Favors that Your Guests Will Love.
I hope this guide has inspired you. Let me know in the comments if you plan to incorporate any of these ideas into your dinosaur themed party.
