Donuts are quite possibly the most delicious dessert around the world. Everyone loves them, so it’s no surprise they make for the perfect birthday theme.
Here are 15 of the best donut party ideas for you to try. Each one is cheap, cheerful, and sure to put that delicious touch into your birthday celebrations.
15 Best Donut Birthday Party Ideas
1. Donut Party Invitations
The starting point for any great party is the invites. They tell every guest what the theme of the party is. An exciting invite makes any party unmissable.
Donut-themed invites should always be fun, playful, and bursting with deliciousness. You want bright colors and bubbly text. You can buy ready-made invites that you can post yourself, or download editable templates to print them yourself.
2. Donut balloons
Nothing brings a smile to a party quite like a balloon. And if you’re throwing a donut party, it makes sense to try to incorporate them into your decorations.
You have two options: the first is making DIY donut balloons. As the tutorial above shows, the steps involved are straightforward; you only need a balloon, some paint, and a little patience!
Secondly, you can go with professional balloons. They are all brimming with color, and sprinkles and some have playful shapes that will add character to your party. These multicolored aluminum donut balloons, for example, are very eye-catching and are on sale for as little as $8.
3. Donut Wall
One of the biggest donut trends at birthday parties, weddings, and everything in between is donut walls. They will capture everyone’s attention and become one of the go-to spots at your party.
Hang a variety of tasty treats on the poles, or simply use them to hang other decorations, banners, and garlands. Donut walls and boards come very cheaply too.
This 2-board set from Party City costs just $22, while this rainbow-shaped wall costs just $19.
4. Donut cutlery and plates
The next thing that can make your donut party truly shine is tailoring all your party utensils. So many companies produce an extensive line of party sets that takes care of everything.
This 144 set for example contains everything from cups and plates, to forks, knives, and spoons, and comes in at just $20. It looks terrific, and makes cleaning up afterward a breeze! Other party supplies include spiral donuts straws, reusable part cups, and donut serving trays.
5. Donut Party Hats
Nothing says birthday quite like party hats! And if you’re serious about throwing a donut-themed party, you need hats that reflect it!
Luckily, you have lots of options about the kind of hats you have for your party. You can make the hats yourself, even without much arts and craft supplies – all you need is a printer and glue stick. Many websites offer free templates that you simply cut out and decorate with.
Want to go a step further? There are a plethora of novelty donut hats online that can inject some silly fun into your festivities, like this donut headband at $12.
6. Donut costumes
Costumes are a playful way of pulling together your donut theme in a fun, exciting way. There are two sites in particular for all your costume needs.
Amazon is one of the most popular costume vendors online, with a huge selection of donut costumes. On the other hand, if you want to make the costume yourself, Etsy has patterns, sewing kits, and small donut accessories on sale.
And who knows – maybe with the right invite, your party guests will arrive in costumes too?
7. Donut Pinata
Pinatas are a classic party game that can easily become the main attraction at your party. You can stuff your giant donut pinatas with everything from small treats and sweets, to even smaller donuts.
There are many styles and designs of donut piñatas online. Some of our favorites include this delicious-looking piñata from Party City, worth $25, or this ‘Eaten Donut’ pinata with a stick from Amazon, worth $22.
That said, because of their sheer size and attention to detail, many piñatas can be used simply as giant decorations that set the scene.
8. Donut Cake Toppers and Wrappers
You can add a personal touch to every cake, treat, and dessert at your party by using donut-themed toppers and wrappers.
One of our favorite sites for these party supplies is Etsy, which is famous for arts and crafts vendors. The site has everything from edible decorations, to personalized name plates and messages.
As for wrappers, you can use these to hold everything that goes well with donuts, including chocolate, peanuts, and blueberries. Many sites offer beautiful, free donut printables that you can use!
9. Donut birthday cakes
The birthday cake is one of the most important parts of any party! And nothing would add to your theme more than a donut-inspired cake!
Regardless of your skill level, donut cakes are surprisingly easy to make and look breath-taking! Not to mention they’re simply delicious.
There are several delicious recipes online for you to try out, including:
- This Giant Donut with strawberry and raspberry jelly
- This Donut cake with chocolate ganache
- This Cinnamon sugar donut cake
You can even modify these recipes to bake smaller, homemade donuts to satisfy the sweet tooths of your guests.
10. Donut Coloring Pages
At some point, kids will need something quiet to settle down with and hit pause on the sugar rush of donuts.
One of the easiest things you can prepare, while sticking to your theme, is donut coloring sheets! These sheets are very effective because kids love designing flavors, and decorations and adding sprinkles to their creations. What’s more, there are a plethora of sites that offer sheets for free, such as iHeartCraftyThings.
If you want to step up your activities, you can prepare art kits that allow kids to decorate and design 3D donuts.
11. Donut garland
Want to spruce up your dining room for family photographs on the big day? Fancy some more donut decoratives throughout your garden?
A garland is a quick and easy way to mark any special occasion. They can be hung around windows, over doorways, or against a backdrop to frame any family photo. Most garlands, like this 24 donut garland, are simple in design but very effective. You can also make a garland at home with just some paper, card, or even crochet!
12. Donut napkins & tablecloths
Donuts can get messy – especially if there’s a glazed donut being served, or ice cream, syrup, and sauce on the menu. To arm yourself against disaster, while still being on-trend, you should get yourself and your guests’ donut napkins!
Several craft vendors sell beautiful napkins online, which you can order in bulk for all your guests. Any spares can be used as decorations in their own right beside the dessert table or donut walls!
Similarly, donut tablecloths can easily transform even the most mundane table into something special. Both Amazon and Etsy have several designs that will surely catch you and your guest’s attention.
13. Donut party games
Party games are an important way to unwind and have fun! And no matter the age range of your guests, there are plenty of ways to spin the classics into your theme.
Some simple ideas include:
- Donut tossing, using your donut wall as the targets
- Donut bingo
- ‘Pin the Sprinkle on the Donut’,
- Donut relay races
- Donut eating contests and more!
14. Donut Tattoos
While donuts are famous for their taste, they’re also loved for their neat, bright colors. And if you want to make some memorable photos of your party, you can equip your party guests with something small, but special – donut tattoos!
These are growing in popularity for parties, and pair nicely with other fun donut props like costumes, hats, and clothing. The tattoos are all easy to wash off, come in all shapes, sizes, styles, and colors, and are sure to make your photographs pop.
Some tattoos come in sets and include donuts, sprinkles, and other colorful designs. Some vendors can even personalize designs to include your birthday or a special message for guests.
15. Donut Party Favor Boxes and Bags
Want something special for party guests to remember your big day with? Then you need to prepare something extraordinary for them to take when they leave –donut party favors!
So how can you get memorable party boxes? Luckily, there are a plethora of donut boxes you can buy directly from artists on sites like Etsy. Some sell their designs as digital templates, so you can print them at home and personalize them.
The only thing left to do afterward? Stuff your goodie bags full of treats to sign off on your party in style.
