A soccer themed birthday party is a gender neutral theme you can throw for your son or daughter who loves the game. So, start practicing your "GOOAALL" scream as you start to plan and implement this sports-related party theme.
Invitations
Use one of several options to get the word out to your party guests.
Event Ticket Invites
Treat your soccer party like a sporting event. Create an invitation that looks like a ticket for entrance into a soccer game. Create and print your own ticket photo invitations for free at Print With My Pic. You can also buy custom printed ticket invitations from Party411.com, starting under $2 each.
3D Soccer Ball Invites
Make three-dimensional invitations using inflatable soccer balls. Write the details of the event on an inflated soccer ball. Let the air out, flatten the ball, and slide it into a padded envelope for shipping. Slide a note in with the ball for invitees to inflate the ball for the details. You can buy a dozen 9" inflatable soccer balls from Amazon for around $7.
Black and White Invites
Invitations with a black and white theme or using a soccer ball as a background photo or a border is also possible. You can buy ready-made card stock to print your own invitations at home using graphics on your computer.
Decorations
Minimize the decorations by renting a venue that offers access to a soccer field. Renting space from a local school or community center provides you with the perfect setting for a soccer party where children can run around and play soccer. All you need to do is set up tables for food and drinks and add some table decorations. Black and white linen covers or soccer theme plastic covers, along with soccer tableware can work.
However, if you need to set up the party at home or somewhere without a field, soccer decorations are in abundance. Almost all local and online party supply stores sell soccer themed items like the following:
Scene Setters
Scene setters from Party City easily transform your party room walls into a stadium. Thirty feet long and four foot high upper deck and lower deck backdrops create the look and feel of a stadium full of screaming soccer fans when you apply them to your walls.
Banners and Pennants
Hang a soccer pennant banner around the perimeter of the room. You can also have the banners on the front of food, beverage, and the cake tables. You can find soccer pennant banners at online party stores, such as Wholesale Party Supplies.
Field Decorations
Roll out outdoor green carpeting or use a large artificial grass rug to make the floor of the party room look like grass. Set inflatable goals, such as those available at Shindigz, at each end of the room to recreate a soccer field.
Games and Activities
Playing a game of soccer is a great way the children can spend the afternoon on the field. A soccer video game match is another way the kids can spend some time playing at the party, especially if you have limited space. Also consider these fun activities:
Photo Ops
Set up a photo op area. Purchase a soccer goalie photo prop cut out. Post an adult with a digital camera in the photo op area. Have children slide their heads into the cutout so they can pose as a soccer goalie for their 15 seconds of fame. Email the photo to the kids' parents after the party or use a photo printer to send a memento home with the kids.
Soccer Piñata
Purchase a soccer ball piñata. Instead of having the kids bat at the piñata with a stick, have them kick it instead. Have each child kick the piñata until the soccer ball bursts open and the prizes fall to the ground.
Balloon Pop
Soccer balloon pop is another fun activity, especially for outdoor parties. Overinflate a mixture of black and white balloons and then do the following:
- Divide the kids into two groups.
- Each group should form a line.
- When you blow a whistle, one child from each team runs to the balloons at the other end of the field, grabs a balloon and sits on it in an attempt to pop it.
- When the child pops the balloon, they should run back and tag the next team member in line to take their turn at popping another balloon.
The team that pops the most balloons first wins.
Food
Serve a traditional kids' party menu along with a couple soccer-themed touches.
- Fill clear glass candy jars with black and white candies. Provide silver scoops the kids can use to scoop out the candies of their choice. You can also supply cellophane bags they can use to take the candy home with them, so the party candy doubles as a favor.
- Cover soda bottles with referee bottle covers. Party attendees can take the bottle covers home to use later.
- Serve cake shaped like a soccer ball or decorated to look like a field. Serve cupcakes alongside the cake. Add green food coloring to shredded coconut to create fake grass on top of some of the cupcakes and and add soccer ball toppers to each cupcake.
Favors
Hand out play whistles to each child that attends the party. They can play referee during the soccer game while blowing their whistle while the other children participate in the game.
Personalized water bottles or Gatorade bottles are another favor option. Buy labels customized with the birthday girl or boy's name, the date of the party, and the name of the party. Add these to regular bottles of Gatorade that you can hand out at the party.
Buy plain reusable sports water bottles at local big-box stores and then use paint pens or craft paint to write the name of each child attending the party. Paint a soccer ball on the bottle. Each child can take home their sports bottle to use at home or on the sports field.
Score a Birthday Goal
When your child loves soccer, a soccer birthday can fulfill their dream. It is a fun play-style party that combines your child's love for the game with games, activities, décor, and everything else it takes to turn their dream into a reality.
