Throwing a birthday party for toddlers is a daunting task. With all the energy in the world that never seems to dwindle, you want something fun and safe that can match the high energy of the youngsters running circles around the adults. The answer? Throw a gymnastics birthday party for your tumbling tykes! With soft mats to catch every jump or tumble, it's a sure crowd-pleaser for kids and adults.
Gymnastics Center Parties
Gymnastics training centers often have options to have birthday parties at their facilities or gyms. Your child will love the idea of having a party at a place where they're able to play with friends. It can make planning the birthday party easy on busy parents, as the gym or center provides birthday party games and activities utilizing the gymnastics equipment, including foam pits, trampolines, Tumbl Trak, or an obstacle course. All you will need to do is invite the kids and bring the cake!
Weekends, afternoons, or nights when the gym is closed is when birthday parties will often occur, so your child's actual birth date may not be available. When you call ahead to reserve a party time, be sure to inquire about what the gym includes in their party packages. Parties at the gym your child attends may run anywhere from $100 to $300 for a few hours. This fee may or may not include the following:
- Coach(es) to supervise floor and equipment activities
- Private area for food and drink
- Table and chairs
- Music system
- Entertainment (for example, a tumbling demonstration set to music)
- Invitations
- Photo memento
- Gymnastics party favors
Most gyms will require a consent or waiver form signed by a parent prior to any child attending the party. This is for legal and safety reasons. When inviting children, be sure to emphasize the need for children or parents to bring the signed forms completely filled out. Additionally, let parents know that kids should be in loose-fitting athletic clothing that doesn't inhibit movement and with absolutely no jewelry.
Gyms may have a limit on the age of children or the number of children allowed on the floor at one time. You will also want to find out any instructions for setting up and taking down decorations and food. Go over everything with the scheduler when you set the appointment for the birthday party.
Gymnastics Birthday Party at Home
A gymnastics-themed birthday party does not have to take place at a gymnastics center. Instead, host your own party at home as a cost-friendly alternative or if you don't have a nearby gymnastics center. Thanks to so many gymnastics training companies now catering to home training apparatus, you can bring the party to your home and keep the equipment.
Invites
Start by creating or sending party invitations that let everyone know they should wear loose, sporty clothes and come prepared for an afternoon of activity.
Color Scheme
Decorate the area with lots of red, white, and blue. Gold, silver, and bronze are also good colors for a gymnastics theme. However, today's mats, both cushioned and folding, come in an array of colors, so you can even pick out a favorite color or two. Have the birthday boy or girl wear a favorite gymnastics outfit.
Gymnast Decor
Print photos of famous world gymnasts to hang around your house; consider Simone Biles, Shawn Johnson, Aly Raisman, or Suni Lee. Any awards or medals your child has received, whether academic or athletic, can also be displayed on a table or throughout the party area. Plan on having children do about an hour of various gymnastics activities. If you have a lot of children attending the party, split kids into groups that can rotate through activity stations with an adult helper. Ideas for stations include:
- Hula hoop twirling
- Balance beam (You can achieve this by marking the space in tape four inches wide and roughly four feet long on the floor or purchasing one for a small price)
- Relay race
- Somersaulting
- Jumping jacks
- Handstands
- Cartwheels
- Parachute games
- Supervised jump time on a trampoline is also a great option. You can also play a game of following the leader, where each little gymnast does a jump, the second does the first jump and adds their own, so on and so forth.
Location
Hosting the party at a local park provides plenty of obstacle-course opportunities. Kids can have monkey bar challenges such as who can hold on the longest, slide races, and more.
Other Party Activities
If children have a hard time calming down after all the activity, consider reading them a fictional book that revolves around gymnastics. She's Got This by Laurie Hernandez and D.W. Flips! by Marc Brown are both excellent choices for children under the age of eight.
Food and Drink
Finish the day with food and drinks while the birthday kid opens presents. Healthy finger foods, like carrot sticks and apple wedges, will balance a decorated birthday cake. The cake might feature an edible photo of your child doing gymnastics or a favorite piece of equipment such as the bars, vault, or pommel horse.
Keep your camera on hand throughout the day to capture all the memories from your child's gymnastics party. Print a photo of each guest in action at the party to include in a thank-you note.
Gymnastics Party Supplies
Party supply stores offer a wide range of invitations, decorations, and favors to use at a sports-themed party. Save time by ordering invitations and supplies online:
- Gymnast Custom Banner: Customizable options ensure you get precisely what you want.
- Gymnastics Cupcake Toppers: Super cute and colorful gymnast silhouette cupcake toppers.
- Gymnastics Dinner Plates: There are lots of options in a variety of styles so you can match your supplies. You can even get cups!
- Gymnastics Invitation: An invite fit for boys and girls, perfect for any age.
Continue the decorations throughout the house or party with additional gymnastics-themed garland, bubble wands, or snack boxes. You can also make or buy a piñata for kids to break as part of the gymnastics birthday party fun. Make a medal shape and paint it gold, using red, white, and blue streamers to hang it.
Send your guests off with gymnastics party favors as you end your routine and stick the landing. Consider stickers, hair ties, fun socks, or customized goodie bags that can double as grip bags. You can even send everyone off with a gold medal ceremony.
Flipping Out for a Gymnastics Birthday Party
If your little one has the bug for gymnastics, there's no better birthday party than one that includes some jumping, running, and tumbling. With a big world of gymnastics birthday party ideas, narrowing down your options is the hardest part. But no matter what you choose, it'll be a gold-medal experience. Cue the Olympic music.
