If a parent would ask me what party theme would fit any gender or age of a child, it would be a Circus or Carnival themed party. It is so versatile that even adults feel nostalgic at a circus-themed party. Check out this fun list of Circus party ideas for your event.
Circus Party Ideas
Learn how to plan a Circus Party with ideas for decorations, food, and games that will fit perfectly with the Circus birthday theme.
To start our list, here's our Free Circus Party Invitation and Printables set that you can download and use for your party needs. Our printable set includes party banners, party invitation, cupcake wrapper & topper, chocolate wrapper, bottle labels, and thank you cards.
If you fancy a grand entrance at your kid's party, a Balloon Popcorn Arch would be a perfect decoration. You can watch this video tutorial on how to create a balloon popcorn arch. It will definitely save you money!
These Circus Party Lanterns I found on Amazon will be a perfect addition to your Circus party decorations. Definitely a must-buy!
What I love about Circus-themed party is that the set-up is super easy to achieve. Get inspiration from this table set up I found on Pinterest. All you need is a red table cloth, a red & white table runner, and match it with white or blue plates!
If you want to level up your cupcakes, here's a perfect cupcake stand I found on Amazon. It's a cupcake stand inspired by the big top.
A circus party won't be complete without popcorn. Popcorn is super easy to prepare which makes it a perfect addition to your party menu. You can also set up a Popcorn Bar during your party.
Another staple food for a Circus themed party are hotdogs! Set up a hotdog station for your guests or a "build your own hotdog" station.
Cotton candy is also a must-have during a Circus-themed party. Kids love this fluffy treat, so make sure to set up a bar for this one.
Roasted peanuts are one of those simple food you can find when you visit a Circus or carnival. So it definitely has a special spot on your party menu.
If you want to be a little fancy with your treats, try making some candy apples for your guests too. It would be a nice treat for the kids on a circus-themed party.
Another Circus themed party food idea is marshmallow dipped in chocolate to create a strongman dumbells.
For refreshments, a good old lemonade or orange juice will do the trick. You can use our free Circus bottle labels to decorate your bottles!
A birthday party won't be complete without a birthday cake. Here's a cute Circus inspired birthday cake design to get inspiration from!
Circus and clowns are always associated together. A fun way to make your guests enjoy the party is to fill in some clown nose on a container and let your guests grab one during the party. You can purchase set of clown nose on Amazon.
Another way to add some details to your Circus party is to make some Circus signs your guests can follow. It would also be helpful especially if your party venue is big and you have different party areas for kids to try.
Moving on to party activities, Circus-themed party has a lot to offer! Since Circus, in general, is a place where kids and adults have fun with games and shows, there are a bunch of games you can recreate at your party. One of these is the ring toss game.
Another game you can set up is the Balloon Darts game. You can use red, blue, yellow, and white balloons to match the Circus vibe.
This easy to set up Hit-the-Can game is also a must-have at a Circus party. You can use your old tin cans at home and decorate it with colored papers to make it more fun to look at.
Another fun addition on a Circus Party is a prize wheel!
One way to make your Circus party a fun one for the kids, each game they play will give them the chance to earn some tickets. At the end of the party, they will be able to buy little prizes with their tickets. To make the prize board, decorate a piece of foam core or cardboard and add some hooks, string, or clothespins. Then put the prizes in bags and hung them onto the board.
To make your party photos more fun, try some photo booth props at your party. I found this set of Circus photo booth props on Amazon that is perfect for a Circus party.
Another way to spice up your party photos is by adding face-in-hole photo props. Here's a cute one I found on Etsy!
For the party loot box, you can use our free template to create this cute Circus Tent Favor Box.
And there you have it! I hope this list of party ideas will help you achieve the Circus party you want to throw for your kid.