Best kids' party decorations: banners, bunting, balloons and more for celebrating any occasion

P. A. R. T. Y? Because our kids keep asking. Hosting a kids’ party is a lot of work, but luckily dolling up your living room or local village hall has never been easier. Balloon arches, bunting and streamers will transform a space from plain to party-tastic in a matter of moments.

Thanks to social media and smartphones, a couple of balloons and a jazzy tablecloth doesn’t quite cut it any more. Thankfully, everything you need to throw a party that looks special on the day (as well as in photos) is available online and without a huge price tag.

Mumsnetters have tons of experience putting on fun, easy and budget-friendly kids' parties, and we’ve gathered together their wisdom and recommendations. Every child is unique so we’ve made sure there are a number of party themes included in our list. You’ll be sure to find something perfect for your little one.

These are the best kids’ party decorations to buy.

1. Best overall kids’ party decorations: Party Pieces Pastel Streamer Backdrop

Price: £22.99 | Buy now from Party Pieces

"I've been using Party Pieces for years, they're very good and I can highly recommend them." (Brand recommended by Mumsnet user littlemissbossy)

For making a room look party-ready, this streamer and balloon set is our pick for the best kids’ party decoration. It’s easy to assemble but takes time and patience, and it’s customisable so you can set it up to suit the space you have.

Party Pieces is the go-to party website for lots of Mumsnetters as their decorations are great quality and there’s a huge number of themes - from Peppa Pig to roller disco and Harry Potter to mermaids.

2. Best budget kids' party decorations: Flying Tiger Foil Happy Birthday Balloon Garland

Price: €5 | Buy now from Flying Tiger

"If you have a Flying Tiger store near you it could be worth looking in there. I got inflatable HAPPY BIRTHDAY letters in there and they come out at least three times a year." (Tried and tested by Mumsnet user DependablePenny)

This simple, inflatable ‘Happy Birthday’ garland can be brought out again and again. If you have a Flying Tiger store nearby, you can pick one of these up for under a fiver.

If you order it online it’s a good idea to pop a few more of their bargainous party decorations in your shopping bag as it costs around £7 to ship to the UK, or free if your order’s over €55.

3. Best bunting for kids: Habitat Wonder Happy Birthday Fabric Bunting

Price: £8 | Buy now from Sainsbury's

"Cheapy rainbow bunting and balloons are a hit at any party, whatever age group." (Idea from Mumsnet user MrsBadger)

Fabric bunting is the wise choice for kids’ party decorations. Go for something that’ll fit a number of themes and colour schemes, like this one from Habitat, and it will serve you well for birthday after birthday.

This bunting features quirky, colourful lettering and cute tassels at either end. It’s not machine washable, but up high you’d hope it won’t get too grubby. If high flying party food does manage to reach your bunting, you can spot clean it with washing up liquid and a clean cloth. Once it’s dry it can go back in its box until the next birthday party.

4. Best balloons for kids: Talking Tables Pack of 5 Rainbow Happy Birthday Balloons

Price: £2.86 | Buy now from Amazon

"Blow up a load of balloons and just have them lying around the place (don't bother tying them or pinning them up). Then give one to each child as he or she leaves - voila, nothing to clear up." (Idea tried and tested by Mumsnet user BroccoliSpears)

Talking Tables do great quality party decorations. This set of five balloons is available in six colour combinations and, at around £3 a pack, it’s good value for money.

The balloons are easy to inflate while being robust enough to last for the whole party. They’re suitable for blowing up with air or helium, and measure about 30cm when fully inflated.

3m of paper ribbon is included, and there are matching cups, plates, tablecloths and decorations also available.

5. Best kids’ party plates: Talking Tables Dinosaur Shaped Party Plates

Price: £4.99 | Buy now from Amazon

Keeping plastic waste to a minimum is a concern for Mumsnetters, and these party plates are a great alternative if you want to save on washing up after the party. Talking Tables have removed the plastic lamination from these cute diplodocus shaped plates, making them fully recyclable.

Talking Tables have matching napkins, cups, candles, invitations, party bags and games to make your dinosaur party complete.

6. Best kids’ party pinata: Party Delights Donkey Burro Pinata Kit

Price: £31.99 | Buy now from Party Delights

"We had a pinata at DS's 6th party (at our local farm) which was very popular." (Party idea vetted by Mumsnet user hoxtonchick)

"I bought loads from them, and was very happy with the goods, delivery was spot on also." (Recommended by Mumsnet user Hattie05)

Party Delights have pinatas in a huge range of designs. Looking for a pinata shaped like a game controller? Party Delights has one.

We love this traditional style donkey pinata, which comes with 48 prizes and 840g of sweets to fill it with. It’s available as a standard whack-it-with-a-stick pinata, or a pull pinata if you prefer to keep the small children with big sticks to a minimum. There’s also an unfilled version if you prefer to provide your own prizes.

7. Best kids’ party candles: Unique Party Birthday Candles

Price: £2.09 | Buy now from Amazon

When it comes to birthday candles, simple is best and this set of 12 traditional, colourful cake candles from Unique Party are perfect for the job.

With its bargain price, these are easy to light and blow out, plus they don’t drip too much on your icing. The little plastic holders are included, as is a ‘Happy Birthday’ cake decoration.

8. Best decorations set: Gerlish Dinosaur Birthday Party Decorations

Price: £23.98 | Buy now from Amazon

This set of themed decorations from Gerlish includes everything you need to transform a room into a party zone. It comes with balloons, streamers, paper decorations and a ‘Happy Birthday’ banner, all ready to use and easy to take down after the party.

The brand also do a space, unicorn, ocean, animal, football and basketball party kit, each priced at under £25. If you’re looking for maximum impact with minimal effort, these decoration sets are a perfect choice.

9. Best kids’ party balloon arch: Ginger Ray Rainbow DIY Balloon Arch

Price: £24.99 | Buy now from Amazon

"My daughter and son have had their birthdays in lockdown. We bought some lovely decorations from Ginger Ray. Balloon arch, banners etc. They are in lovely colours and the kids loved having their photos with them." (Vetted by Mumsnet user mintich)

With a lovely mix of sizes and patterns, this balloon arch looks amazing when assembled. There are eight colour combinations to choose from, with 85 balloons in each set.

There’s no helium needed as the arch is held up with tape and glue dots, and it takes around an hour to blow up and arrange your arch.

10. Best eco-friendly decorations: Party Pieces Ecosaurus Biodegradable Balloons

Price: £6 | Buy now from Party Pieces

"Party Pieces website is great, and pretty cheap." (Brand rated by Mumsnet user RiverTam)

Biodegradable balloons - what will they make eco-friendly next? These Party Pieces balloons are made from natural latex and packaged in fully recyclable card, for a guilt-free dino party.

There are loads of different themes available in the Party Pieces eco shop so it’s a great place to start if you’re looking for party decorations that are kind to the environment as well as great looking.

What kind of party decorations make the biggest impact?

Streamers and balloon arches are a quick way to make a big visual impact. Because they’re tall they instantly transform a room, plus they make a perfect photo backdrop.

Do you need a theme for a kids’ party?

A theme isn’t necessary for a kids’ party, but it helps to at least have a rough colour scheme. Most party websites are organised by theme, but there’s still plenty of plain colour decorations out there too.

What are the best kids party decorations to buy?

Party Pieces is Mumsnetters’ favourite one stop party shop, and we think their Pastel Streamer Backdrop is the best kids’ party decoration to buy. It’s great value for money, easy to assemble and makes a big visual impact.

How we chose our recommendations

Because we know that there’s nothing like a recommendation from a real parent, we first headed to the Mumsnet forums to find out which kids’ party decorations discerning Mumsnet users had bought and rated themselves.

We then did extensive research across the wider web, looking at which party decorations had won accolades or been featured in expert ‘best buy’ lists across websites and print media, and what customers’ reviews said about them, noting the authentic and in-depth consumer feedback on retailer sites.

Having collated all that information, we picked the kids’ party decorations we thought would make the best buys in several interest categories.

Why you should trust us

We work hard to provide unbiased, independent advice you can trust. We do sometimes earn revenue through affiliate (click-to-buy) links in our articles. This helps us fund more helpful articles like this one.