“Can you tell me how to throw, how to throw a Sesame Street birthday party?”
If you’re looking to host the quintessential character birthday party, you can’t go wrong with Sesame Street for any child under five. Best of all, your adult guests will love your Sesame Street birthday party theme, too. It’s a timeless classic. As the children clap excitedly, giddy at seeing their favorite characters, adults will wax nostalgic over the same friends from their childhood.
If you follow the advice we have outlined below, it’ll be nothing but sunny days chasing the clouds away.
First, decide if you want a character-specific party, or a general Sesame Street theme. Favorites include Elmo, Big Bird, Cookie Monster, Abby, Bert & Ernie and Oscar the Grouch.
Then, to make sure you have everything squared away, take care of these 6 main party-planning items: invitations, decorations, games, a meal, a sweet treat, and favors.
Sesame Street Invitations
Parents seem to be sending birthday party invitations closer to the date of the party than ever before. But is everyone really that busy, or are parents trying to cut back on the number of guests who can attend?
To ensure your guests keep the date open, send out invitations about five weeks before the big day. Etiquette experts say not to send invitations any sooner than eight weeks prior and no later than two weeks before the party.
With this guideline in mind, make sure to order your cards to allow plenty of time for printing and shipping. Order matching thank you cards at the same time so you can have them ready to go right after the party.
These are the perfect invitations for an Elmo party. Include all the details of your child’s party on this bright and cheerful invitation.
The matching thank you card will be a reminder of the fun day your guests spent at the party. And what a bright, sunny surprise to find in their mailbox!
Sesame Street Party Supplies and Decorations
To set the scene, you don’t have to turn your house into a total Sesame Street DIY extravaganza. Just include bright colors anywhere you can. Rainbow balloons, signs and streamers. Any color tablecloth will stand out under some Sesame Street plates. Keep paper goods consistent with matching napkins, cups and party hats for a bit of fun. Don’t worry about clashing colors—Sesame Street is all about boldness and being yourself.
Consider carrying a chalkboard theme across the party, to double as decor and activities! Leave brightly colored chalk near the board and invite guests – young and old – to write a birthday greeting or draw a picture for the guest of honor.
Overall think about the three main elements of decor: something outside to signal that the party is here, something for the guests to wear, and something to designate a special “birthday area” in the home—whether that’s a cake table or big banner.
These rainbow-colored hats are customizable with a birthday message for your child, and all of their favorite characters.
Get a matching Sesame Street Sign, personalized with a birthday greeting and your child’s name. It’s a colorful, indoor 3×5 banner.
Sesame Street Party Games
What’s a party without games? Simple, familiar games are best for younger children, but you can add a twist with these Sesame Street birthday party ideas.
Play hot potato, but let children pass around a stuffed Elmo while you play music from Sesame Street. The child holding Elmo when the music stops is out.
You can also play “pin the feet on Big Bird.” Make a big body out of yellow construction paper and mount it on a bulletin board or a wall at child height. Then use white, blue and black crayons to add details to his body. Finally, make orange legs – as many as you’ll need to give one to each child. Write their names on it so you know who each one belongs to. Place a blindfold over each child and give each one a turn to tape the legs on big bird. There will be lots of laughs. The child who gets the closest, wins!
Make sure you have Sesame Street themed prizes to hand out!
This sticker can go to the lucky kid who wins the party game, or hand them out to a few kids since they come in sheets of 6.
This T-shirt is a great prize for the winner of the birthday party game. It’s something useful that they’ll love for months to come.
Kid-Friendly Food, Straight Off Sesame Street
Sure, pizza is the old standby as the main course for kids’ birthday parties. But why not go for finger foods, instead? Make pigs in blankets, hard-boiled eggs, and mini pizza bagels. Label them with clever names like Bert and Ernie tucked in bed, Oscar’s smelly eggs, and Big Bird nests.
Make fruit trays in the shape of your favorite Sesame Street characters. Strawberries can be shaped to look like Elmo’s head. Blueberries for Grover. Green grapes for Oscar the Grouch. Make Bert and Ernie out of pineapples and oranges. Add more fruit for each nose and mouth, and dollops of whipped topping with chocolate chips for the eyes.
You can use the same Sesame Street birthday party ideas to make vegetable trays – red and yellow peppers, carrots, and broccoli can all form the basis of everyone’s favorite Sesame Street characters.
Elmo cupcakes are easy to make – whether you do them yourself or order from your favorite bakery. You can also add chocolate chip cookies for dessert in honor of Elmo’s friend, Cookie Monster. If it’s their first birthday, don’t forget to make a special sesame street cake just for them!
Get customized plates with a fun party message for your child. Perfect for eating snacks or their special muppet cookie cake.
Don’t forget napkins to wipe up all those cookie-crumbs! These paper napkins are also customizable with your child’s name and age.
Sesame Street Party Favors
Don’t forget the party favors for your guests. They will love customized Elmo tote bags or melamine plates (or both)! They can use these handy gifts time and again, and they will remember the fun they had at your child’s Elmo birthday party.
Pick a favor to match the party’s character theme, or go for a Sesame Street gift. Make a craft during the party as a favor, or buy them a little something. It’s especially cute to send them home with custom bags for all their goodies!
Say “thanks!” to your party guests with this cute, on-theme takeaway. Send them home with treats, crafts and any maybe even a rubber ducky like Ernie’s.
Why not send guests home with cookies? Instead of spending money on knick knacks, you know this is one favor that will come in handy. C is for clever!
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