Dreaming of an outdoor birthday party? Skip the usual BBQ or pool party and plan a picnic birthday party. Picnics give everyone permission to relax and enjoy the outdoors while chowing down on yummy food and playing games.
Need help planning your big celebration? I’ve got you covered. Use these ideas to inspire your theme, menu and activities.
Fun Picnic Birthday Party Themes
Sunflowers and Lavender
A gorgeous theme idea that’s perfect for a spring or summer party. You can set this theme up in your backyard or even at a local park.
Decorate with:
- Yellow checkered tablecloths
- Yellow and white paper lanterns
- Hanging bee decorations
- Vases of fresh lavender, sunflowers and white baby\’s breath
- Wooden boxes to display your food
You can serve sweet treats and display your food in glass jars. This theme really has the cottagecore vibes going on.
Paper Lanterns
This picnic party feels like a fairytale. Paper lanterns hanging from branches. Colorful blankets and pillows sprawled out under the shade of big oak trees.
Guests will feel like they’ve been transported to another world.
The great thing about this theme is that you can be as creative as you want with the decorations and vibe.
But to recreate the decor in the Pin, you’ll need:
- Colorful paper lanterns
- Pastel colored blankets
- Throw pillows
Create different spaces with your blankets and pillows for people to gather, chat, eat and play games together.
Farmer’s Market
What a cute theme for a picnic party. There are so many things you can do with this type of theme.
Set up wooden tables and decorate with:
- Red checkered tablecloths
- Baskets
- Wooden boxes to display food and flowers
- Old barrels
- Wooden wagon wheels
You can serve freshly baked bread and homemade dishes using the freshest ingredients. Set up vases of wildflowers or even allow your guests to make their own bouquets of flowers as a fun activity.
Ladybugs
An adorable picnic theme with red and white decor and food.
Your party can feature:
- Red checkered tablecloths
- Wooden picnic baskets with red checkered cloths
- Wooden display baskets for your red napkins and plates
- Vases of baby’s breath and red berries
As for food, you can serve:
- White powdered donuts
- Strawberry shortcake
- Ladybug and flower cookies
- Vanilla buttercream cake
- Sandwiches
Stick to red and white decor and food to make your ladybug theme pop.
Vintage Picnic
I love the vintage feel of this picnic party. The natural colors and simple decor make it feel special without going over the top.
To decorate, you can use:
- Red checkered tablecloth
- Checkered streamers
- Red and white balloons
- Wooden crates to display your food
- Glass beverage dispensers for drinks
- Galvanized buckets and baskets to add a vintage feel
Keep the theme going at the picnic tables with matching tablecloths and maybe even add vases of flowers.
Related: 17+ Home-Cooked Birthday Dinner Ideas That Will Make Anyone’s Day
Dreamy Cottagecore
This picnic feels so ethereal, and it’s easier than you think to bring this theme to life.
- Start with a rose gold-colored blanket.
- Add vases of flowers.
- Hang a sheer curtain with fairy lights.
- Wrap a string of fairy lights around a tree trunk.
- Serve your food on wooden plates.
Stick to peachy or pink colors to bring the dreamy cottagecore feel to life.
Once you’ve chosen a theme, it’s time to think about your menu.
What to Serve at Your Picnic Birthday Party
Fresh Sandwiches
The most obvious choice for picnic party food is sandwiches. But don’t just serve the usual options. Give your guests a variety to choose from and get fancy with it.
- Sourdough and ciabatta breads beat the usual white sandwich bread any day
- Offer some sandwiches in wrap form instead
- Get your bread from a local bakery if possible
Here are some of my favorite sandwich options to offer:
- Caprese
- Brie and prosciutto with arugula and pesto
- Smoked turkey and cheese with garlic aioli
- Grilled veggies with basil and provolone
The possibilities are endless. You can also serve fresh fruit and a vegetable platter to offer an overall healthy picnic menu.
Fruit Cones
These fruit cones are so easy to prepare and great for picnics because you don’t have to worry about keeping them cool.
Just fill waffle cones with your favorite berries or other fruits. Blueberries, raspberries and strawberries are ideal and will stay the freshest.
If you want to add a kick of sweetness, have a can of whipped cream on hand for guests to use.
Strawberry & Pancake Skewers
How cute are these skewers? The best part is that your guests are sure to love them. And they’re really simple to put together.
You’ll need to make your own mini pancakes or buy them. And, you’ll also need cocktail skewers for this.
- Add a whole strawberry (remove the leaves)
- Spread Nutella on a mini pancake and fold it in half to make a taco shape
- Add your pancake
- Repeat until you reach the end of the skewer
Strawberries work best for picnics, but you can also do blueberries, raspberries or even banana slices.
Flower Sandwiches
How adorable are these sandwiches? And they’re perfect for a spring picnic party.
To make your sandwiches flower-shaped, use a flower cookie cutter for the bread and fillings. This Pinner uses a magic knife to spread the butter on the toasted bread. Then, they add deli meat and Swiss cheese. Use your cookie cutter to make them flower-shaped, too.
You can use whatever meats and cheeses you want, or mix things up and offer a variety.
Add a layer of cream cheese to the top piece of bread and a cherry tomato to serve as the center of the flower. Insert skewers and then add chutes of green onions to create the stems of the flowers.
Fruit Tray
Fruit is a great addition to any picnic party, and this tray is so prettily decorated. Use your fruits to create flowers and greenery.
- Create petals with orange and strawberry slices
- Use blueberries and raspberries for the centers of the flowers
- Add grapes to create some greenery
- Incorporate more blueberries, raspberries and banana slices for more color and variety
If you’re worried about the banana slices turning brown, use a different fruit instead.
Hummus Cups
These hummus cups will be the star of the show. And they’re so ridiculously easy to make.
Grab your favorite hummus (either homemade or store-bought) and some plastic shooter glasses.
To each cup, add a few spoonfuls of hummus at the bottom. Then add strips of celery, carrots and bell peppers. Add a sliced cucumber to the rim of the glass.
You can use whatever veggies you want, but strips are easier to manage and eat.
Your guests will love all of these picnic foods, but don’t forget the cake. Go with something light and refreshing, like vanilla, lemon or strawberry.
Related: 20 Birthday Party Food Ideas Perfect for Any Celebration
Game Ideas to Make Your Celebration Memorable
Giant Jenga
Everyone loves a good game of Jenga, but why not take it to the next level with a giant Jenga game?
You’ll need a larger outdoor space for this game, but it’s worth it. Every move will have everyone on the edge of their seats.
You’re sure to have plenty of laughs and create fun memories.
Paint in the Park
Games are fun, but if you have a more laid-back crowd, you can do a “paint in the park” activity instead.
Supply everyone with:
- Canvases and easels
- Paints
- Paint brushes
- Palettes
You can choose a particular scene for your guests to paint, or they can freestyle it. If you’re in a picturesque place, the scenery should be inspirational enough.
You can find entire painting kits on Amazon to make this activity even easier to plan.
Skip Bo
Skip Bo is a wildly popular card game, and it’s a fun party game to play with your guests. You don’t even have to leave your picnic blankets to play.
The goal is to be the first person to empty their personal stockpile of 30 cards. You play cards in numerical sequences on building piles.
Skip Bo can be played with up to 12 people, so it’s a great party game that you can keep going.
Here’s a quick guide to help you learn the rules:
Ring Toss
Here’s a simple outdoor game that’s tons of fun to play with friends and family. You don’t even need to buy anything special. Make your own ring toss game by:
- Painting old beer bottles
- Covering steel rings with pretty fabric
- Painting an old wooden box
- Using stencils to paint “ring toss” on the box
The goal is to get a ring around a bottle. The person who gets the most rings on a bottle wins.
Related: 15+ Fresh Picnic Side Dishes That Go with Everything
Twister
Twister is always a fun party game, and you can find sets with bigger mats that are perfect for outdoor parties.
The goal is to place your hands and feet on the called colors (e.g., “right hand green”). You have to keep your limbs on the mat and only move when instructed. If you fall or touch the mat with an elbow or knee, you’re out!
Planning a picnic party doesn’t have to be complicated. Use these ideas for themes, food and activities to host a memorable party your guests won’t soon forget.
