Lockdown birthday / winter birthday ideas

So birthday ideas during covid 19 is something not many people would have imagined ever googling, but it is now something we are all very much experiencing. Take heart and keep going - not much has to change other than the reduction in party attendees.

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1. Video 'Happy Birthday!' Montage.

This is a special one, but one you'll have to prepare ahead of time. Contact your nearest and dearest (family, friends, parents of classmates) and ask them to film a Happy Birthday - You could also mention that they can get as creative as they want with it. There are lots of great apps/websites online that allows you to edit them all together, or you can just play them individually - Either way, its a guaranteed way to make your little one feel special and excited seeing all of their favourite people on the screen!

2. Decorate!

Whether it's home-made or store-bought it's always lovely to wake up to some decorations on your birthday. Everyone loves a birthday banner. Maybe you could get your child to choose the theme they would like beforehand. Fairies, Football, Circus or Jungle - there are so many great ones to choose from. As you can see my 4 year old loves Disney Pixar Cars so I was spoilt for choice for aspects of a film I could replicate.

Making a cardboard '1980s-era Mack Super-Liner semi cab' wasn't the easiest however! Always a great activity for siblings to get involved in too. Make some homemade banners, gift wrap, birthday cards, or even your own cardboard cutout of a princess, superhero, or favourite gaming character. Maybe even some LED balloons for your balloon banner.

3. A Sparkle Trail To A Special Gift

So they've woken up full of beans and have leapt out of bed, so why not make their walk downstairs even more exciting with a sparkle trail (I used this hologram tinsel curtain) and some silver star sequins- A trail is a special way to lead your little ones to their birthday gift.

4. Scavenger Hunt

I know what you're thinking, "Here she is again with her scavenger hunts" but my kids are obsessed with these. If it's not candy canes at Christmas, it's chocolate eggs at Easter. It's a great way to pass 20 minutes.

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It's lockdown, so we have a bit more time than normal in the mornings (usually it's the mad rush before the school run!) so a scavenger hunt is a lovely way for your children to look for their birthday gifts and treats. Collect them in a bag or open them enroute - you decide! To make it a bit quicker for you I have made pre-made 10 scavenger hunt clues for you ....

• JUST CLICK ON THE LINK BELOW FOR YOUR DOWNLOADABLE 'SCAVENGER HUNT' PDF AND PRINT IT OFF

5. Camcorder Footage - A Trip Down Memory Lane

As a treat, let your little ones have breakfast in front of the TV today. While they're gobbling up their breakfast, we like to connect up our camcorder out and play footage of them from when they were newborns and the times they can't remember. The kids always LOVE seeing old camcorder footage. If your anything like me GET THE TISSUES READY!!!

6. Crepe Paper Hair Dye

It's my birthday and I'll (hair)dye if I want to! You've done the gifts and breakfast, and it's time to wash and dress. Why not jazz up everyone's hair with some crepe paper hair dye. Get your little one to choose the colour they want. Run some warm water in a sink. Pop your gloves on (unless you want coloured fingers - could be cool?) Scrunch up the crepe paper into a ball and pop in the water.

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Once the tissue starts to loosen and starting to lose its colour take it out of the water and start to rub onto the DRY hair you wish to colour. Comb it through and let it dry. Ombre or full rainbow effect, ours have always lasted a few days and doesn't damage the hair.

7. Birthday Picnic

Is there anything more disappointing than knowing you're having a birthday with no buffet? Let's put a stop to that immediately. Pack up your picnic blanket, favourite sandwiches, crisps, sausage rolls and party rings and go out for a lovely walk and have a birthday picnic instead.

Or in our case, it'll probably be a carpet picnic with our Welsh weather!

8. Drive-By / Walk-By, Honk And Wave - It's a Birthday Parade!

Travelling to an outdoor public location to take one form of daily exercise (either alone, with other members of your household/support bubble or with one member of another household) is allowed in the national lockdown we're currently in, so why not get local family friends and neighbours to drive by on route to their walk (or socially distances walkthrough) at a certain time.

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Windows down, tooting horns and some balloons and banners - This would be an epic surprise!

9. Virtual Shopping Trip

Is there a present more synonymous with quarantine birthday gifts? A great way to spend those gifted vouchers and money in a lockdown. Grab a pew with your kids and browse their favourite stores. Currently, still in the midst of the January sales, you might be lucky with some bargains too!

10. Birthday Photoshoot

Don't forget to capture this day as they may not (hopefully won't!) have another birthday in lockdown again. We take a picture every year with their cake. The children love looking back over these to see what cakes they've had over the years.

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Could even print them our and make a birthday banner out of them to bring out every year on their birthday.

11. Crepe Paper Obstacle Course

Pop on the Mission Impossible theme tune and get your kids weaving and ducking through a homemade obstacle course using crepe paper. You could also set them time trials to make it even more exciting, deducting points for every strip they break. Crepe paper is the best to use as won't hurt them, and be sure to use painters tape to tape to the wall so it won't damage your paint or wallpaper.

12. Birthday Playlist

They say music is the soundtrack of your life, so today of all days it's love to have a house filled with music. Pop together a playlist with all of your little one's favourite songs. Play over dinner or have a little disco for dancing.

13. Video Call Family

One of the best quarantine party ideas. I know for us it hasn't been just us struggling with the feeling of missing out, our parents have felt a big piece of their life missing not being able to see our children. Be sure to include your family into the special day with a video call.

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You could even use this opportunity to do the birthday cake so you can all sing Happy Birthday together. Make it fancy dress so that it ticks all the boxes for birthday video ideas.

14. Gaming Session Online

If your older children are anything like our 10-year-old, then Fortnite is life whether its on a Nintendo Switch or PS5 ! Try to arrange an hour or two for your children's friends to game together. It's another great opportunity for them to connect with the important people in their life whilst doing one of the thing they love the most.

15. Recreate Favourite Meal

Which restaurant does your little one jump at the chance of going to? A Nando's burger, A Wagamama's Katsu Curry, A Chinese Fakeaway - There are so many incredible recipes in books and online to recreate some of our favourite restaurant meals!

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My eldest will always go for a Katsu Curry but my youngest always asks for a Wahaca Cheese Quesadilla

16. Birthday Bonfire

Last year my parents gifted us this sweetest firepit for our garden. Our children love sitting around it all wrapped up warm with lots of blankets toasting marshmallows to make smores, and it would be such a lovely thing to do together when the sun goes down. We highly recommend these extendible campfire roasting sticks.

17. Games

So games were a must for a 10th birthday ideas. Everything that age group loves - Board games, Musical Bumps, Twister, Pass The Parcel, Dobble - Whether there's two of you, or several the list for games is endless.

18. Movie Night

Get your popcorn at the ready and pop on your favourite movie or rent a new one. I recently invested in this portable home cinema projector which is great for an outdoor cinema for the children if the weather is dry and mild.

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We don't have a TV in any of the bedrooms, so as a treat the other night we lit some tealights, turned on fairy lights and all piled into our bed and projected a film onto the wall. My youngest said it was the best night of his life!

19. Pamper Session

Quarantine birthday sign of the times. I would say this is a lovely one for little girls, but my boys love a pamper. A bath bomb for their bath is always a big hit, as is a facemask (Some of the natural ones from Lush come in lovely bright colours.) It's not for everyone but I've always practised massage on my kids since they were babies.

My eldest only asks for them now if he's aching from sport, but my youngest loves 10 minutes most nights before nights. Massage has SO many benefits in children and there are loads of online courses you can do in lockdown teaching you the basic techniques. This is a lovely way to wrap up a special lockdown birthday.

20. Den For Sleeping

Make your little ones a magical place for them to rest on their birthday night. Siblings Welcome! Throw up a birthday poster!