19 Special Birthday Traditions Your Child Will Never Forget

Are you looking for birthday traditions to start with your family? These are the most unforgettable ways to celebrate your child’s special day. 

Kids look forward to their birthdays all year long. If you are like me, you want to make that one day every year extra special for them. As a mom of three, I am giving you the birthday traditions my kids absolutely love!

You are going to learn all about these special birthday traditions from birthday countdown to birthday door sign and more!

After learning about these birthday traditions you are sure to make your child’s day one they will never forget.

This post is all about birthday traditions that will make your child feel extra special.

Special Birthday Traditions

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1. Birthday Countdown

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THIS FREE PRINTABLE

There is no better way to amp up the excitement than a birthday countdown. Download this free birthday countdown and hang it up about a month before their special day.

Your child will look forward to crossing them off and by the time they get to the last row their anticipation and excitement will be very high!

2. Decorations

When your child goes to sleep the night before their birthday, decorate the house. Hang up streamers, blow up balloons, and get out party hats and noisemakers. 

If they have a theme for their birthday, you can get a birthday back drop with that theme on it.

This is the backdrop we used for my daughter’s Spidey and His Amazing Friends theme this past year and she loved it. Plus it made a great spot to take pictures.

It can take awhile to hang up all the decorations in the house but it makes all the time worth it after seeing the way their face lights up in the morning.

3. Door Sign

Make a birthday sign to hang on their door. Get out some large easel paper or tape a few pieces of printer paper together.

Then get out the markers, crayons, stickers, stamps or any other art supplies you may have.
Let everyone in the family help make the sign.

You may have to be a bit sneaky letting everyone take the sign into a different room so the birthday girl/boy doesn’t see.

Then, hang it on their bedroom door while they are sleeping. Your child will LOVE getting to see it first thing when they wake up.

4. Number Balloon

Hang up a number balloon like this of your child’s new age, or get a large helium balloon for each year old they are. These balloons are very big and kids love getting to see their new age everywhere.

Take a picture of the birthday child with their balloon(s) each year to see how much they’ve grown.

5. Card

Decorate a handmade card for the birthday girl/boy. Either have everyone make their own cards or make one really big card that everyone in the family writes a message on.

Reading all the special messages from each member of the family is sure to make the birthday child feel extra loved.

You could also ask relatives to send cards or letters for them to open up on their birthday because who doesn’t love getting mail?!

6. Birthday Outfit

Get a special birthday shirt or outfit for your child to wear on their special day! I like to have shirts made that include their name, new age and theme which always seem to be a hit with my kids.

Plus, if you’re like me and enjoy collecting your child’s keepsakes, these birthday shirts are perfect to save so you can remember just how big they were each year.

If your children are older and would rather wear an outfit of their choice you could instead make a tradition of taking your child shopping. Let them pick out an outfit they would like to wear for their birthday.

Your child is sure to look forward to this tradition and you will love and cherish the one-on-one bonding time you will get together.

7. Birthday Breakfast

A birthday breakfast is a great way to start the day off celebrating them. Make their favorite breakfast or add a special touch using sprinkles.

Here are some great breakfast ideas to try (sprinkle muffins are a favorite in our house) :

• sprinkle donuts
• sprinkle muffins
• funfetti pancakes
• funfetti french toast
• sprinkle or rainbow waffles
• funfetti pancake bake

8. Birthday Plate

Pick up a special birthday plate that you can reuse for all of the birthdays in your family. Whenever it is someone’s birthday serve all their meals on the birthday plate.

This is sure to make the birthday boy/girl feel extra special.

We have this birthday plate and it’s so fun. It even has a special spot to hold a candle.

9. Birthday Drink

Make your child a special birthday drink and serve it in a fancy glass they don’t normally use. I like to make a smoothie topped with whipped cream and sprinkles.

You can always just add sprinkles around the rim of the glass they are using to make it special. You can do this by coating the rim with honey or maple syrup and then dipping the glass into some sprinkles.

10. Whipped Cream

Everything is better with whipped cream. Add it to their breakfast drink or decorate their plates with it, kids are sure to love it when you bring out the Reddi Wip can!

11. Sprinkles

Sprinkles, sprinkles, and more sprinkles, you can never have too many sprinkles. They are so fun and kids (and adults) love them!

I like to add some whipped cream to their breakfast drink and then shake on some sprinkles to add the final touch. You can also add them into pancakes, waffles, or muffins to change a regular breakfast into a special birthday breakfast.

12. Measure Height

Do you have a growth chart for your child(ren)? Your child’s birthday is the perfect time to measure their height.

They will love getting to see how much they’ve grown over the course of the year.

13. Birthday Dinner

Let your child pick out their birthday dinner. Do they have a favorite meal? Do they like to go out to eat at a specific restaurant? Let them choose their birthday dinner and it is sure to make their day extra special.

You will want to ask a few days in advance so you can prepare and pick up any ingredients you may need.

14. Send an email / write a letter

Write a message to your child for them to open years later. You can either send an email or write a letter and seal it with a date to open, such as their 18th birthday.

It will be so special for them to see these messages in the future.

If you would like to send an email just create an email account with their name so that you can give them the password when they get older. They will then get to read all of the messages you have sent to them over the years.

15. Birthday Pin/ Sash/ Crown

Give your child a birthday sash, pin, or crown to wear all day on their birthday. It is sure to make them feel extra special.

16. Birthday Treat

Let your child pick out a birthday treat. Do they love cake or do they prefer ice cream or cookies. Let them choose their favorite dessert to celebrate.

For additional fun add their number to the dessert. Arrange the cupcakes in the shape of their new age or make a number cake.

Everyone loves getting to make a wish so don’t forget to add the candles. You can pick up a number candle like this or just stick in single candles for their age.

17. Birthday Photo Shoot

Get out your camera and let the birthday girl/boy do a photoshoot. It will be fun for them and you will also have photos to document their birthday.

Make sure to print one off and add it to the birthday interview sheet below. 

18. Birthday Interview

Do a birthday interview with your child. Ask them questions about their likes, dislikes, and favorite things.

You can download my free birthday interview below or come up with your own fun questions to ask your child.

If you decide to use this printable, make sure to print off a wallet sized picture from their photo shoot and attach it to the sheet.

I like to laminate it afterwards and put it with their keepsakes so we can look back on it for years to come. For added fun, take a video while you do the birthday interview.

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THIS FREE PRINTABLE

19. Birthday Book

Pick up a birthday book or check one out from the library. Reading a birthday book like Happy Birthday to You by Dr. Seuss before bed is the perfect way to end their special day.

This post was all about unforgettable birthday traditions that will make your child feel extra special.

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