9-Year-Old Birthday Party Ideas that Take the Cake

Nine-year-olds are a real treat to celebrate. With tons of energy and enthusiasm, the birthday child and their friends will turn any kids’ birthday party theme into over-the-top fun.

Throw a birthday party everyone will be talking about for weeks with these 9-year-old birthday party ideas, including age-appropriate themes, fun activities and party games, and take-home party favor suggestions.

10 Themes and 9-Year-Old Birthday Party Ideas 

Selecting the right party theme is all about the soon-to-be 9-year-old, what their interests are, and how many kids are on the guest list. They’re probably at the age where they’re becoming more vocal about their likes and dislikes — and might even have their heart set on a specific theme. But if you’re still looking for the right theme, we’re here to help with these 9-year-old birthday party ideas.

1. Video Games

Design: Elizabeth Silver | Level Up Invitation

Break out the video game systems! Watch them jump up and down (literally) as they battle in Mario Kart and Super Smash Bros., or see their creativity in action on Minecraft adventures. 

If you have extra handheld systems to keep the other attendees occupied while they patiently wait their turn, great! If not, set out some snacks, coloring materials, and board games in case they’re getting a little antsy watching the others. 

2. Dress-Up 

There’s something thrilling about stepping into somebody else’s shoes for the day. If you have a large-enough pile of dress-up clothes and accessories at your house, invite your son or daughter’s friends over, break out the dress-up bin, and take in the interesting outfit combinations they come up with. 

If you don’t have an overflow of options, add a callout on the digital invitations to have partygoers dress in their own favorite costume. It will be just as fun as Halloween and is a great fit for a young girl’s birthday party. Group pictures are a must!

3. LEGO Time

LEGO sets are all the craze — and for good reason! There are endless things you can create with LEGO blocks. Set up an array of bins so all attendees can reach the LEGO bricks, and purchase some base plates so everyone has a dedicated building area. Watch the creative juices flow. 

Build in some LEGO-related challenges, like who can make the best car or building in under a minute, and let the excitement and competition unfold. 

4. Super Hero

Design: Elizabeth Silver | Heroes Needed Invitation

Similar to a dress-up party, have attendees come as their favorite superheroes. (Be sure to specify on the invitation if they need to be Marvel-themed or if any superhero counts.) 

Have some icebreakers prepped to get the conversations flowing — e.g., if you could have any superpower, what would it be? Or who is your favorite superhero, and why? 

Consider having comic-book-, mask-, shield-, and/or cape-making stations to align with the superhero party theme. 

5. Jumpin’ Time

We know 9-year-olds don’t NEED to be hyped up any further, but giving them a dedicated place to burn off their energy is a great idea. Trampoline parks and inflatable/bounce house party venues are excellent places to host your 9-year-old’s birthday party. 

Find out if the venue offers catered party packages, or see if you’re allowed to bring in your own food — did somebody say pizza?! 

If there aren’t any venues nearby, look into renting a bounce house for your own backyard. 

6. Pet Adoption

Design: Carrie Cantwell Surface Design, LLC | Festive Cats Invitation

You would be hard-pressed to find a kid who didn’t love cats or dogs — and especially stuffed animals. Purchase a pet adoption lot on Amazon, or splurge for the Ty Beanie Boos. Watch the kids’ eyes light up when they receive a new stuffed animal (err, we mean, pet) to add to their collection. 

If the pets are all different and to eliminate any issues, draw names out of a hat, or use an online tool like Wheel Decide to determine who gets to adopt their pet first. 

Set up some pipe cleaners and beads for kids to make their pets a collar or leash. Add to the festivities with Scooby Bones and fetch sticks (e.g., pretzel rods) for snacks. 

7. Wet and Wild

You don’t have to make the trek to a beach or have a pool party to have a wet and wild shindig (though, those are great options too). Instead, set up some backyard sprinklers and giant bubble machines, order some reusable water balloons, and make a DIY slip and slide. 

If the crew is especially on the wild side, break out the squirt guns, and duck for cover. Or, if there’s room in the budget, consider splurging to rent (or even buy) an inflatable water slide.

8. Magic Show

Turning nine is an age where much of life is still magical and enchanting. If you have a magician in the family or know of an exceptional one in the community, hire them to put on a magic show in your own backyard. 

Ensure the 9-year-old boy or 9-year-old girl is easy to see in the crowd so they get extra-special attention by being an assistant to some of the many tricks the magician will have up their sleeves. 

9. Mad Scientist

Design: Bonjour Berry | Super Science Invitation

If science is the birthday boy or girl’s favorite subject, consider hosting a mad scientist party. Put together some stations with popular science experiments:

• Prepare a gooey creation in the slime lab.
• Make an erupting volcano.
• Grow crystals.
• Write invisible ink messages.
• Make dry ice.

Or, have the kids mix up their own frosting concoctions to decorate their desserts or even make their own ice cream.

Add to the fun with protective eyewear and lab coats for a picture-perfect moment.

10. Pokemon

This probably isn’t news to you, but Pokemon is a hot topic for 9-year-olds, so why not center the party around it? Search for themed party decorations online, and purchase some figurines to dress up the birthday cake or cupcakes.

Odds are good that their friends have Pokemon trading cards at home, so customize your party invitations to request guests bring their cards along for some swapping fun. To ensure everyone is included in the trading, have some cards on hand for attendees who don’t have a collection, or buy a pack for each kid as a party favor.

Pro tip: Pokemon cards get expensive, so purchasing a group of cards off of eBay or Facebook Marketplace might be more affordable, plus the kids still get new cards. It’s a win, win!

10 Activities for a 9-Year-Old Birthday Party

Regardless of the party theme, there are an array of kid-friendly 9th birthday party activities and fun games that can be incorporated into the special day. There’s something for every personality, including high-energy activities, team-based competitions, individual conquests, and more. 

Here are 10 fun activities to complement your 9-year-old birthday party ideas:

1. Face painting: Hire a pro, or if you have an artist in the family, put them to work with a face-painting station. Purchase some face-friendly paints, and have attendees get in line. Be sure to set some expectations if there are limitations to what the artist can paint. Temporary tattoos are also a good option.
2. Party hat or crown-making station: Set out some glitter, markers, glue, stickers, and felt balls, and let partygoers decorate a hat or crown for the occasion. These make a nice addition to a party and doubles as a party favor.
3. Musical chairs: If you have enough chairs at the venue or your house, place chairs in a circle and have a 9-year-old-inspired playlist at the ready. Ensure there isn’t too much time before each start and stop so attendees stay engaged.
4. Limbo: How low can they go? Have two adults hold a limbo stick, tee up the playlist, and see who the limbo queen or king is. 
5. Pin the tail: It doesn’t have to be pin the tail on the donkey anymore. There are a wide range of options, many of which likely relate to your theme. For example, if you decide a Pokemon party is the way to go, there is a pin the tail on Pikachu available. 
6. Bingo: Just like pin the tail, there are plenty of theme-based Bingo sets available online. Plus, this is a game that nearly every kid will be familiar with, since plenty of teachers use it as a teaching tool. 
7. Photo booth: Use your themed party selection as the baseline, then make, assemble, or purchase photo props that support the theme for attendees to hold or wear. Or, use poster boards to create a large frame and hang it from a tree. 
8. Freeze dance: This works kind of like musical chairs, but with a dance party vibe. Blare some Taylor Swift (or the birthday kid’s favorite music), and have everyone dance until the music stops. Then, they freeze until the music starts back up. See who can keep still the longest. 
9. Tug of war: Divide the kids into teams, and watch an epic showdown unfold.
10. Hula hoop contest: Purchase a few dollar-store hula hoops, and see who can shake their hips the longest. You might be surprised! 

Party Favor Ideas for Any Theme

Trust us: 9-year-olds will never let you live it down if you forget the goodie bags. To make sure you’re prepared, we’ve compiled a list of favors that will get the kids excited and (mostly) keep the parents happy:

• Mini games and brain teasers: Rubik’s cubes and miniature marble mazes never go out of style. 
• Blind bags: There are oodles of blind bags on the market that would fit the bill, from Disney Doorables to Cutie Cuffs to mini figures that lend an extra thrill to the gifting experience.
• LEGO minifigures: Speaking of blind bags, there are even LEGO minifigures that are blind-bag-oriented, or you can purchase minifigures that go well with your theme. 
• Sensory toys: Squishy toys, fidget spinners, stress balls, and NeeDoh Noodlies are fun to play with for kids and adults alike.
• Outdoor goodies: Even if your party isn’t outside, frisbees, beach balls, diving toys, and bubble wands are much-appreciated party favors.
• Candy: Set up a candy bar, and let kids fill their own party favor bags. 
• Play-Doh or slime: Similar to sensory toys, there’s just something about the sensory experience of Play-Doh and slime that kids can’t get enough of. 
• Glow sticks: Glow necklaces, bracelets, and wands can be used for any occasion. 
• Trading cards: Pokemon cards aren’t the only trading cards that are hot. There are Minecraft cards, sports cards, Disney Lorcana, and much more. But these can get pricey if you have a big guest list.

Goodbye 8, Hello 9!

We hope these 9-year-old birthday party ideas, complete with themes, activities, and party favors have set you on a course of party-planning success. We know regardless of what type of party you move forward with, your son or daughter will be booming with appreciation and delighted with their special day.

If you’re looking for inspiration for other upcoming birthday parties or festive affairs, check out our Stationers blog. There you’ll find an array of invitation designs, party decoration suggestions, gift ideas, and everything else you would need to throw an epic celebration for any age.