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New Trends on the Block: Summer 2023 kids’ birthdays

Kids making crafts with beads.

It’s finally summer and you know what that means: longer days, warmer weather and more time to party! We’ve been keeping an eye out for the latest kids’ bday trends for all the summer babies out there, so if you’re planning on celebrating your kiddo between the months of June and September, you don’t want to miss this. From the hottest themes to the coolest activities, keep reading for the ultimate summer trend report.

Groovy, baby!

A groovy party and invitation.

Between Harry Styles’ characteristic bell-bottoms, the return of the curtain bang, and the enormous popularity of mushrooms and fungi right now, one thing is for sure: groovy, hippie-inspired aesthetics are super in. Our spring trend report already highlighted the prevalence of disco decor (which won’t be going anywhere anytime soon), but even more ’70s references are popping up on the bday scene lately.  

Here’s what we’re seeing: plenty of colorful patterns, flowers galore, peace signs and smiley faces, and general ’70s-esque good vibes.

These daisy balloons are an adorable and easy way to create a totally groovy atmosphere.. We’re also loving this personalizable groovy sign set—not only can you personalize with your kiddo’s name, but you also get to choose a pattern for the VW bus!

Try handing out groovy stickers and temporary tattoos during the party and order personalized flower-shaped sunglasses as party favors that’ll totally wow your guests.

For activities, we recommend flower crowns and friendship bracelets. This bracelet-making kit comes with everything you’ll need, including plenty of colorful and groovy beads. Plus, don’t forget to capture all the mems while staying on-theme with a Polaroid station! We love the classic look of this one.

A gif of different groovy party decor items.

Game on—in a truck!

Kids playing in a game truck and an accompanying gaming invitation.

In the age of Fortnite and Minecraft, nothing gets kids excited like a chance to play their favorite games! Video game trucks are taking the kids’ birthday party circuit by storm, offering kids the opportunity to game with their friends in a decked out and teched out truck. Think party bus, but for gaming. Most trucks even offer parents the option to request certain games and usually come with multiple screens and consoles so all bday party attendees can get in some game time.

Here are some of the top-rated vendors in cities across the country:

LA

The Ultimate Video Game Bus

  1. Website: https://www.theultimatevideogamebus.com/
  2. Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ultimatevideogamebus/
  3. Phone: (888) 272-4869 

Xtreme Mobile Gamez

  1. Website: https://xtrememobilegamez.com/
  2. Phone: (424) 261-4386

Game Thrilla Mobile Entertainment

  1. Website: https://www.gamethrilla.com/
  2. Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/game_thrilla/
  3. Phone:  (855) 984-7455

NYC

Fresh Life Ent. LLC

  1. Website: https://www.freshlifeent.com/
  2. Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/freshlife_entertainment/
  3. Phone: (718) 717-8247

Rolling Video Games Long Island

  1. Website: https://rollingvideogameslongisland.com/
  2. Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rollingvideogamesli/
  3. Phone: (516) 596-6226

Atlanta

Legendary Strikes Mobile Bowling

  1. Website: https://www.legendarystrikes.com/
  2. Phone: (678) 899-9096 or (877) 383-0218

GameTruck Atlanta

  1. Website: http://www.gametruckparty.com
  2. Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/gametruck_official/
  3. Phone: (770) 755-5100

Mobile Gaming Lounge

  1. Website: https://mobilegaminglounge.com/
  2. Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mobilegaminglounge/
  3. Phone: (404) 910-3462

Chicago

Windy City Game Theater

  1. Website: https://windycitygametheater.com/
  2. Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/WindyCityGameTheater
  3. Phone: (708) 427-1255

Primetime Game Truck

  1. Website: https://www.primetimegamingnj.com/
  2. Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ptgametrucknj
  3. Phone: (973) 954-0040

Dallas

GOAT Gaming Truck

  1. Website: https://goatgamingtruck.com/
  2. Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/goatgamingmobilearcade/
  3. Phone: (469) 616-6905

Surf’s up!

A surf-themed party and pink, glittery invitation.

Cowabunga! The weather’s heating up, so it’s no surprise that we’re seeing an uptick surf-themed birthday parties. 

The best part? You can take this theme in so many directions! 

For a classic feel, stick to various shades of blue with plenty of surfboard, palm tree and beach decor. Depending on your kiddo’s age, setting up a sand box or kiddie pool are great ways to keep the little ones entertained and bring the beach to your backyard!

Or, channel those Y2K Billabong vibes with pinks, blues and browns! Go heavy on the hibiscus imagery and consider offering activities like puka shell necklace-making. Just buy a bulk pack of shells like this one from Amazon and let your guests get crafty!

With the Barbie movie coming out this July, we’ve definitely been seeing more Malibu Barbie-inspired parties! The hot pink, beachy vibes are truly everything—plus, this theme comes with endless accessory, decor and party favor options. These sun visors are so fun to hand out to guests and we’re loving these customizable Barbie-inspired beach bags for party favors. For even more Barbie-inspired decor, check out our Amazon shop here!

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All of the products we feature are hand-selected by our editors! You see only what we love and what we think you'll love too. If you buy something through links on our site, Evite may earn a commission. Prices are subject to change.

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Evite SignUp Sheets offers parents, teachers and event planners customizable online forms that organizers and volunteers can access and update effortlessly. Volunteers can choose their preferred time slots, sign up for tasks or indicate what they'll bring to the event. It only takes organizers a few minutes to create a signup sheet and send it out with a shareable link, so they can get the word out via text, email or social media—whichever way they prefer! 

Long story short, signup sheets save everyone involved tons of time, avoid scheduling headaches and ensure everything runs smoothly before and during the event.

How do I create a signup sheet?

Creating a signup sheet has never been easier than with Evite! Here’s how to create a sheet that’s sure to make your event an absolute success:

  1. Go to Evite SignUp Sheets and choose the template that best fits your needs. Evite offers multiple signup sheet templates perfect for every occasion, including:some text
    • Signup sheets for standalone events (without different time slots), perfect for when you’re organizing a class party, potluck or end-of-season party.
    • Signup sheets for recurring or multi-day events (without different time slots), perfect for when you’re organizing a meal train, post-game snack duty or during appreciation week.
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  1. After selecting your sheet template, create a title for your signup sheet and add the date, the location, the time (if applicable), who the organizer is, the organizer’s phone number or email and an optional note describing the event to your volunteers. You can also change your signup sheet background and title image if you wish!
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What information should be included on a signup sheet?

When it comes to signup sheet information, there are some essentials to include regardless of what you’re organizing:

  1. A title for your signup sheet. Tip: Aim to keep your signup sheet title concise but clear. You want volunteers to read it and have a general understanding of what your event is about, and also make it easy for them to look for later if they need to reference your sheet again. You have the option to include a more descriptive note in a different field about your event, so save the more in-depth details for that!
  1. When and where the event is taking place. 
  1. The organizer’s name and phone number.
  1. Slots for volunteers to choose from. Once you choose the SignUp Sheets template that fits the occasion, the slots you’ll need for your sheet will be right there and ready for you to add the relevant info, such as dates, times, items to bring and tasks to complete. 

When adding your slot information, clearly define what people are signing up for, especially for a what-to-bring list or role assignments. If you want someone to bring healthy snacks for kids to enjoy after a game, specify that. You want your volunteers to feel confident in what they’re bringing and to make it easy for them to know what’s expected of them. It will save them time and stress (and you, too!). That being said, if you make your ask too specific (for example, asking for a hard-to-source item or something expensive), you may not end up with a volunteer for it. So be clear about what you expect, but also be reasonable!

Aside from providing the basic signup information, you can also add optional descriptions to both your entire signup sheet and individual slots. While not required, they can help guide your volunteers further and provide more information. You can add information about allergies, preferences and general info about the event. You can also add a wish list to make it easier for your volunteers to bring exactly what you need!

What are the benefits of using a signup sheet template?

Signup sheet templates offer a ton of advantages for both organizers and volunteers and with Evite SignUp Sheets, you'll enjoy even more benefits than other digital and paper signup sheets! Some benefits our signup sheet templates offer include:

  • A 100% free experience (no subscriptions required!).
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  • No need to create another login—you can use your existing Evite account.
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With Evite SignUp Sheets, you can enjoy organizing and coordinating all your events with ease. Signup sheets streamline the signup process for everyone involved, ensuring that everything will go to plan on the day of your event while saving you precious time in the process.

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