How to Hold a Social Distancing Birthday Party

As invitations to more intimate versions of surprise and milestone birthday parties enter our inboxes, there’s a new question to consider: how do we maintain social distancing at a public event? After all, we know how important social interaction is to our mental health, and staying connected with family and friends is essential in such uncertain times. So how do we balance the two? With these tips on how to maintain social distancing guidelines at birthday parties, you’ll have the knowledge and know-how to enjoy yourself while respecting social CDC recommended social distancing guidelines.

Why Social Distancing Matters

Whether you are planning or attending a birthday party, it’s important that all guests are safe and feel comfortable. The CDC recommends that people monitor their health, avoid close contact, wash hands and sanitize frequently, wear masks, and cover coughs and sneezes, even providing handy pandemic planning checklists to keep your event space safe, especially if your job entails planning events for others.

Location, Location, Location

Ideally, your social distancing birthday is outside with plenty of space to spread out. Drive-by parades are not the only option for a celebration. A local restaurant or brewery with plenty of outdoor could be the perfect location. Even if their outdoor space is limited, having a smaller guest list and six feet of space between tables are appropriate for an indoor celebration. Social distancing signs and safety strips remind guests to maintain their distance. Safety strips are easy to install, removable strips that remind everyone to keep their distance. They come in a variety of shapes, sizes, and bright colors, so you are sure to see them, even from six feet away. If the venue has small tables, set up enough chairs for guests to sit with members of their household. With larger tables, use table-top signs to remind attendees to sit six feet apart.

If your socially distant birthday is indoors, sneeze guards are an excellent option for protecting your delicious appetizers and stunning charcuterie. “What are sneeze guards?”, you ask. Sneeze guards are clear barriers that keep people from, well, sneezing on and contaminating food. Sneeze guards reduce the chance of exposure to respiratory droplets. You’ve probably seen them in cafeterias and buffets, or at the salad bar in the grocery store. Sneeze guards are most often made of transparent plastic or acrylic, so it’s still easy to communicate. Sneeze guards are available in all shapes and sizes so you can find the right style based on your needs.

With sneeze guards and safely strips in place you’ll feel confident knowing you’ve put the necessary precautions in place to keep all of your guests safe and comfortable.

Decorating for a Social Distancing Birthday Party

Don’t forget about the signage! Safely6ft™ floor and tabletop signs help to promote social distancing and give proper direction to the bathrooms or buffet, while social distancing wall, window & door signs complement your streamers and balloons around the event space.

If you want to skip the decor, use nature as your background! A backyard, local park, the lake, the beach, or any large open area could also work for a social distancing birthday. Take advantage of the fresh air (and free backdrop), but remember to have plenty of hand sanitizer stations no matter your location. You could place balloons or embarrassing baby pictures by each stand to entertain your guests and make the event more festive!

Entertainment

There are plenty of socially distanced ways to entertain party guests, from hiring (and supporting) local musicians that have lost work due to the pandemic (as long as they play quietly enough for guests to converse from 6 feet away), to hiring a local caricature artist to draw pictures of your guests. Another idea is to give out a door prize for the most extravagant or decorated mask!

By setting up a projector outside, you could host a video game themed party or turn the lawn into your own outdoor theater. If you don’t have the space to host the event, you might even go to a drive-in movie. Everyone could video chat during the show. You could also stream a recording of your favorite concert outside if you’ve got the concert-bug!

Refreshments

Food and drink is a big priority for many of us when planning a party. A potluck with Aunt Sally’s famous seven-layer dip is not ideal given the current CDC recommendations. However, you can take this opportunity to support local businesses and surprise your guests by ordering individually packed meals or having a food truck (or two) come to the event. Sandwich trucks are always crowd pleasers, or you could introduce guests to your favorite global cuisine. Digital menus can be made available using QR codes so there’s no need for party guests to touch menus that have gone through many hands! Your signature cocktail could be premade and served in capri-sun style bags. For dessert, opt-in for cupcakes in lieu of birthday cake. You might even give your guests a healthy dose of nostalgia by renting an ice cream truck for dessert, yum!

While birthday parties may look a little different these days, there are still plenty of ways you can celebrate the ones you love with safe and socially distanced fun. Be sure to check out Safely6ft™ large selection of social distancing products for all of your birthday party needs and let the celebration continue in safety and style!