College Life
30 Fantastic Social Distancing Birthday Ideas-The Complete Guide
The pandemic has made it difficult to gather for birthdays so here are 30 social distancing birthday ideas to have an unforgettable day.
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The COVID-19 pandemic has made it anything but easy to gather for special occasions, be it weddings, reunions, or even birthdays. In a year with so much tumult and confusion, birthdays can feel particularly significant. Unfortunately, to limit the spread of the virus, a birthday party must also be a social distancing birthday party. It’s just you need some great ideas.
With the rise of video calls via Zoom and other platforms, families, and friends have proven that there are still many ways to celebrate birthdays during the pandemic. So we’ve got a lot of social distancing birthday ideas via videoconferencing platforms. It also includes some tips on how to decorate your house for birthdays. But if you want to spend your birthday outdoors, don’t worry! We also have outdoor social distancing birthday ideas for you!
IN THIS POST:
Overall Social Distancing Birthday Ideas
1. Virtual Surprise Party
The first social distancing birthday idea which pops in my head is a virtual surprise party. Surprise parties have become a traditional way to celebrate birthdays by now, but the tradition doesn’t have to fade away with the loss of in-person parties. With Zoom, Skype, or Facetime serving as optimal replacements for real-life meetings, it’s all too easy to convince an unsuspecting friend to log on for a virtual surprise party.
Under the guise of a normal business call, anyone can join a meeting with the intent of working, only to find their expectations blown away as they celebrate their birthday in an original, safe way.
2. Birthday Saying Video
In these epidemic times, when everyone is expected to keep a social distance, it may be a luxury to send a blessing in person. Of course, you can wish the person a happy birthday by calling or sending a text message. But this common approach may not be enough to fully express your feelings. Why don’t you try a birthday greeting video?
You may be afraid that this is going to be hard, but it isn’t. You can record birthday wishes from a few friends through Zoom, and then stitch them together with iMovie. Remember to record in some interesting places. Use iMovie to do some simple visual effects as well!
Otherwise, try something more unusual? If the birthday girl or boy loves animals, send them a birthday wish video from animals. It will definitely make them laugh. Many websites can offer exclusive videos like this.
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3. Inside Camping
How about going camping on birthdays! If the weather is bad or you have other restrictions, why not try camping indoors? You will also make your loved ones happy. I think indoor camping can be fun, especially for kids who have been cooped up for a long time.
The most important thing, of course, is the tent. A pup tent is certainly the best. Just put it up. Then place a sleeping bag and pillow inside. So the children can sleep in comfort.
On birthday night, turn off the lights, light a candle and tell a child a fairy tale in the forest for the best birthday night.
Here is a top seller tent we highly recommend!
4. Host a Fancy Virtual Dinner
In a normal world, there would have been a formal and delicious dinner party on birthdays. However, for various reasons, you may not be able to get together in person. But never mind, because you can host a fancy virtual birthday dinner party.
You’d better ask the birthday guy what kind of theme he or she wants for the party, like a French dinner night or a dim sum night? Then send virtual birthday dinner party invitations to friends and family and ask them to cook a dinner that fits the theme of birthdays.
Then, at the official birthday dinner party, share your food respectively! You could even compare whose dishes are most creative and the most beautiful!
5. Go Fishing
Maybe fishing is boring for some people, but at the moment, maybe it’s one of the activities to consider on birthdays – as it is both outdoors and at a strictly social distance. For those of you who haven’t been outside for a while and want to stay healthy, it might be a good choice!
Since you’re fishing, of course, you need to be prepared with fishing tools. If you are new to fishing, you can ask some friends who have experience in this field. In addition, since this is birthday fishing, of course, remember to bring your birthday poster and birthday banners. Last but not least, if you can, sing a happy birthday song! Be loud, because you are far apart!
6. Take a Hike
A friend of mine goes climbing a mountain every year on his birthday to mark his first year older. In the present day, outdoor activities are great. So I thought maybe it would be meaningful to climb a mountain on his birthday. Besides, many recreational activities are not available at the moment because many public places around the country are not yet open. But climbing a mountain does not have this problem.
Choose a nearby mountain, and then check the strategy in advance. You can take your birthday banner or poster to the mountain on birthdays. When you get to the top of the mountain, everyone will get together and sing happy birthday songs. It’s fun to think about it!
7. Be Creative with Your Birthday Wishing Masks
When you go out nowadays, masks have become essential. You may not want to wear a mask for birthday parties, but for safety’s sake, it’s best to wear one!
But, don’t be discouraged. Because you can do something on the mask. In fact, there are now many masks with “happy birthday” printed on them. What’s more, there are also different prints, choose the one you like! The idea of a group of friends in a social distancing birthday party wearing such masks sounds so cute!
Social distancing Party Games
8.Charades Game
The charades game is a great idea of warm-up for a birthday party, even if it’s a social distancing one. The charades game is for teenagers, college students, or adults who are young at heart! This is also a great ice breaker if you have a lot of friends who don’t know each other at the party.
The good thing is, playing it can still keep a social distance. One person can stand at the front of the house and others can make guesses from a certain distance. Even with a Zoom meeting, you can still play the game in full swing. Remember to exaggerate your performance!
Many charades games can be bought easily. But if you want to be special, you can also create some words for someone special on birthday night.
Here is a fun party charades game we highly recommend!
9. Scavenger Hunt
To tell you the truth, I really like scavenger hunts, especially on special occasions like birthday parties. Although the game has been popular for many years, it’s still not out of fashion right now.
Here, I’d like to recommend these scavenger hunt cards. There are four types, including indoor for kids, outdoor for kids, indoor for adults and outdoor for adults. Indoor or outdoor, whether children or adults, can enjoy the fun!
Children can learn focus and teamwork through this game, and adults can experience the joy of childlike innocence as well. Give it a try!
Here is an exciting scavenger hunt game we highly recommend!
10. Paint and Sip Party
On your birthday, be a painter with your friends! Paint and Sip Party is a perfect game for an artist’s birthday party. Just buy a set of paint and sip art party supplies and everything is ready!
First, choose a piece of art that you love. Van Gogh, Monet? Or any trendy artist at the moment. Don’t forget to prepare snacks and beverages for your friends. Before or after blowing out birthday cake candles, it is a great way to relax.
Be careful, if someone is not very good at drawing, choose a simple picture.
Here is some top seller paint material we highly recommend!
11. Movie in the Backyard
Let me guess, you haven’t seen a movie in a long time? But do you really want to go to the movies? For a special birthday, watch an outdoor movie in your own yard. Besides, if some friends are not so keen on playing games, movies are also a good choice!
You can play your favorite movies freely, and there is no time limit, because you can play them all the time! All you need is a projector, a moving screen and some comfy chairs.
After a raucous birthday party, play your favorite movie, grab a cold beer and chat with your best friends!
Here is a cool projector we highly recommend!
12. Tarot Card Reading
The older we get, the more meaningful our birthdays are likely to be. The reason why birthdays are important is not that they allow people to celebrate, but also that they can sum up the past today. If you’re a goal-oriented person, you might want to do a Tarot Reading. Perhaps in the dark, it will give you some inspiration, whether it is career, love, or life.
Grab a deck of tarot cards and you’re ready to get started. If you want a ritual feel, light a beautiful candle and cover the table with a special cloth. If you are a beginner, you can choose the simplest spread and remember to pay attention when reading.
Here are tarot cards we highly recommend!
13. Have a Virtual Baking Competition
The cake is essential for birthday parties, so why not hold a baking contest around it? During the epidemic, we can hold a virtual baking contest, which is much safer.
But how do we do this? Well, first you can send your friends an invitation to a “birthday cake baking competition” on the night before your loved one’s birthday. In this invitation, remind them to prepare all the ingredients and give them a zoom link.
When the competition starts, you can each show your ingredients, talk about your unique cake ideas, and talk about recent events. Don’t forget to remind them that this is a birthday cake baking competition! When everyone finally comes out of the oven with their cakes, it’s fun to sing happy birthday songs together!
Here are baking materials we highly recommend!
14. Old School Games
If you are a video game enthusiast, you can also play with your friends on your birthday. Even if you can’t see each other in person, you can play with them remotely. Here I recommend an old school game to you.
It is the classic card game called Uno. Uno, many people’s favorite board game, is now as popular as a video game. Do you get excited when shouting “Uno” with just one card? Search for Uno in the App Store to download the game. Then you can invite friends to play with you.
There are also classic games like Super Mario in the App Store for you to play with your friends! With these games, even if it is a social distancing birthday party, you are not alone!
15. Enjoy Movies Remotely via Netflix party
If you want to catch a movie with your friends on their birthday night when you can’t see them, why not try a Netflix Party? It doesn’t even cost you a cent! This is a free extension for the Google Chrome browser.
Watching a movie in the backyard and keeping a social distance won’t be any better. However if you cannot, Netflix Party allows you and your family and friends to watch movies remotely while simultaneously pausing or play, and there’s also a side chat bar for you to share your insights with friends. What a thoughtful design!
It’s great to share movies and stay healthy at the same time! PS: It’s easy to download, install and use.
Social distancing Party Ideas
16. Joint Virtual Birthday Party
With so many events canceled or missed out on because of COVID-19, it might be difficult to catch up on all of the celebrations when it’s safe to do so. Many people who have anticipated their birthdays for weeks and months may feel disappointed or left out as the current environment discourages celebratory gatherings.
Fortunately, in a time where virtual gatherings are commonplace, celebrating multiple birthdays at once can be a fun, unique way to create a party for many people who might otherwise miss out on their special day, and it gives you the opportunity to experiment with all kinds of virtual celebrations during COVID-19.
17. Digital Birthday Card
As snail mail and live conversations turn into email and DMs, why not take your greeting cards online too? Digital birthday cards are a great way to share your affection for a birthday guy or gal in a medium that will not immediately be discarded in the trash or forgotten in an envelope.
Websites like Punchbowl or Hallmark offer various designs, videos, and songs that are sure to spread birthday cheer to your quarantined friends or loved ones.
Many ecard sites also have the option to send a virtual gift card, making a digital birthday card useful in addition to fun.
18. Long Distance Birthday Gifts
It is to gather in person during the times of COVID-19. So If you can’t be with your loved one on their special day, it can be incredibly thoughtful to send them a long-distance birthday gift for their at-home celebrations.
During the epidemic, mailing gifts may be the best way to do it. Birthday Care packages are a good choice. After they receive it, invite them to join you on a video call to open the package, if possible. It will be a safe way for you to watch the surprise on their face as they open your special long-distance birthday gift.
If you would rather save on postage, try virtual gifts. After all, long-distance birthday gifts do not have to come physically. Online birthday gifts are a popular way to show you care about someone without having to wrap a single box.
Depending on the birthday king or queen’s interests, you could send anything from an online DoorDash gift card to a subscription for Disney+. In a world plagued by the covid pandemic, online birthday gifts could be just what your special person needs this year.
19. Recorded Message
One of the many losses of COVID-19 is face-to-face communication, and many people still experience this, even as others return to work and school. Being unable to meet in person, many people have gone months without hearing their loved ones’ voices.
Around your birthday, it can be especially hard to go without hearing your friends and family wish you well and sing the traditional song. However, one way to show your love for a friend on their birthday might be through a recorded voice message, a quick and easy way to express your excitement.
The message can be as short or as long as you want, and it can be a very personal way to show your loved one you care on their special day, as well as giving them something to hold on to even after their birthday has passed.
20. Drive-by Birthday Parade
With the onset of COVID-19 and social-distancing laws, many people got creative with ways to safely celebrate birthdays. One of the most popular is the drive-by birthday parade, and there has been no shortage of these for birthday celebrations.
These drive-by birthday parades can be as grand and creative as you like, with signs and decorations to adorn every car in the line-up. The most fun and important part is decorating. Try to look for the things your children like, such as posters, banners, and balloons.
When driving in the parade, you could ask your guests to lift up banners and bubbles. Also, don’t forget to play the birthday song! Believe me, a drive-by birthday parade can create an unforgettable birthday memory during a stressful and dark time.
21. Virtual Make-up Party
Did you miss last year’s Halloween dance because of the epidemic? If the answer is yes, why not have a virtual costume party for your birthday this year? It would be a great birthday activity!
You can have a zoom meeting with your friends to discuss the theme of the costume party before you start the party. Once you’ve decided on a theme, you can prepare the makeup and costumes in advance! When the birthday costume party starts, click on the shared zoom link and you can see each other’s fantastic costumes! And don’t forget to play music!
22. Virtual Karaoke Party
Are you as crazy about singing as I am? Then you will remember the joy of going to karaoke with your friends and singing loudly while drinking! It may not be safe to sing in karaoke right now, but you might as well throw a virtual karaoke party on the birthdays of your special one!
First of all, you should send an invitation to friends that includes a zoom Link, and you should make sure that your friends prepare a song list in advance, including at least dozens of songs. You can remind them that when they search for a song on YouTube, they can add the word karaoke after the song’s title.
When a virtual birthday karaoke party is officially started, everyone who sings should share the screen and computer sound. Although this is virtual, you still can enjoy the fun of singing! Don’t forget to sing a happy birthday song!
Social Distancing Party Decorations
23. Decorate Your Front Yard
Birthdays are, of course, a public event, and social distance prevents many people from celebrating their birthdays in person. During the year, decorating at Front Yard became a trendy thing to do.
You can choose some pretty letters ahead of time to spell out a one-of-a-kind message, like “Special 18.” You can choose any color you like, red, green, purple, whatever. At the same time, you can also put some very cute graphics, such as stars, or cartoon characters, etc.
Imagine the look of surprise on your loved one’s face as they walk into the yard, while hearing the neighbors’ voices exclaim. Don’t worry, there are a lot of decorations for sale on Amazon.
Here is a fun birthday sign we highly recommend!
24. Birthday Banner
A birthday party without a birthday banner will lose much of its luster. Birthday banners can create a happy atmosphere, and at the same time, when celebrating social distancing birthdays, it can make the guests feel happy through a zoom meeting upon seeing the banners.
Birthday banners are available in many styles, such as wood, cloth, and card. Photo birthday banners are also popular now. Print out a picture of the two of you together and put it on the line in the shape of a heart. It’s sure to be a surprise for the birthday guy!
You can also use the rainbow birthday balloon banner, which will add a lot of color to the birthday party.
Here is a birthday banner we highly recommend!
25. Birthday Poster
Banners are important, and posters are also essential for a social distancing birthday party. Create a unique poster for your special someone. If you don’t know what to do, go to the canva website and download the template. You have a lot to choose from there.
Once downloaded, the poster is fully customizable and editable. You are free to change the name, date, and even the image etc. There are both free and paid posters here. Choose a poster that fits your party theme, and then customize it to make your special one feel special!
Here is a birthday poster we highly recommend!
26. Birthday Garlands
Decorate your birthday party with a lovely wreath! It’s colorful, it’s affordable, and it’s also simple.
There are many kinds of wreaths. It can be made from your silk scarves, paper flowers, balloons or curtains that are no longer used. It’s basically free! Balloon Garland is the simplest, remember to link them into any cute shape you like.
Otherwise, perhaps you can go online and print out some of your favorite patterns and letters and attach them to balloons and other decorations. Believe me, the lovely garland is sure to be a big hit!
Here are nice birthday garlands we highly recommend!
27. Birthday Party Hats
One thing you can’t miss is a birthday hat! When I was a child, whenever my parents put a hat on me, I would be very happy. It was as if happiness had been sent to my brain through the hat. So when it comes to your loved one’s birthday, make sure you get him or her a special hat!
Amazon has lots of special birthday hats, square, round, pointed, red, pink, yellow or blue, you just name it! Or you can make one hat by yourself. Here’s the instruction. I believe you can learn it step by step.
Here are cute birthday hats we highly recommend!
28. Chalk the Driveway
Remember to decorate the driveway when doing birthday decoration! I’m sure it will be a surprise, especially the kids will love it! Actually, this driveway is also a very good decorative space.
Remember to choose a good box of chalks, the more colors the better! Then choose a cute picture, such as a lion king for a birthday boy who likes lions! It doesn’t matter if you can’t draw, write something special that will be just as touching.
Here is high-quality chalk we highly recommend!
29. Cake Decor
Many people like to make their own birthday cakes, which is a good idea. But maybe for the majority, it’s easier to make a naked cake, but it’s hard to decorate it! This is important to know because if you make the cake special, your special one will feel that they are special in your heart.
So how do you decorate the cake? That depends on what the birthday guy likes. If he or she likes to eat marshmallows, then you can spread colorful marshmallows all over the cake. If he or she likes flowers, you can add edible flowers. These flowers may be difficult to make, so just buy them off the rack.
After all, decorating the birthday cake is an important part. It is one of the few things that can show the rituality at the social distancing birthday party. Try the idea or you will regret it!
Here is some cake decor we highly recommend!
30. Cute Straws and Cups
There is an old saying that details make the difference. On a special and grand day like a birthday party, you need not only a huge poster and banner, but also some small details, such as straws and cups.
How to do it? Without any doubt, the straws themselves should be special. it should be rainbow colors striped drinking straws. Then you can print different pictures, such as elephant, duck or Mickey Mouse, or a picture of your child! The pattern is about an inch in size, leaving a little space above and below, and then you can put it through the straw.
As for the cups, there’s still something we can do with them. Get some white paper cups and draw some cute patterns on them. If it’s a birthday for your princess, gluing some ribbons on the cups would also be great.
Here are cute straws and cups we highly recommend!
Final Thoughts on Social Distancing Birthday Ideas
So much was lost during the COVID-19 pandemic this past year, including countless memories and celebrations. However, there are always ways to show our love and support for friends and family through coming up with social distancing birthday ideas, and we have every opportunity to express our creativity for the people in our lives who reach exciting milestones.
Now that everyone has access to Zoom, Skype, and Facetime, friends, and family can still create amazing virtual birthday celebrations during COVID-19.
With a little brainstorming and work, it’s easy to turn anyone’s birthday into a memory that they’ll never forget, even during a global pandemic. With all these social distancing birthday ideas, you may even have an unforgettable birthday night!
