Everyone loves a disco, and kids are no exception. So, turn up the music, bring on the glitter and get that disco ball spinning with these great kids’ disco party ideas!
Let’s dive in!
Location
Trying to keep costs down or have access to a large space? Consider holding your disco at home.
If, on the other hand, space is limited and you want to invite a lot of guests, you’ll probably need to hire a venue such as a community centre, sports hall or dance studio.
Don’t forget to check out the catering facilities if you’re hiring somewhere – it could affect the food you’re able to offer, or you might need to bring cold boxes.
Invitations
With the venue organised, the fun starts with the invitations. Feeling creative? Why not make your own invites using black card, metallic marker pens and glitter tape?
Alternatively, Canva has multiple free templates that you can customise to suit your needs before printing at home. Or perhaps you prefer ready-made, in which case try Etsy or eBay for a wide range of reasonably priced personalised invitations.
Fancy dress
Kids love to dress up, so what better idea for your disco party? To keep costs (and parental stress levels!) down, suggest an easy ‘dress code’ for the party on your invitations:
- Dance clothes
- Bright / neon colours
- 70s / 80s themed
- Gold / Silver/ Metallics
- Pop icons
Another way to ramp up the fun is to provide a dressing-up box. Here are a few suggestions, but almost anything goes:
- 70s style headbands – easily and cheaply made from cut up old t-shirts
- Hippy style plastic glasses
- Kipper ties
- Tinsel wigs
- Sequin caps
- Neon coloured plastic beads / bracelets
- Sparkly tops / belts / headbands – try your local charity shops to keep costs down.
Glitter-stop
Get ready to sparkle! Set up a table with a mirror (ideally draped in lights), provide some glitter hairspray and let kids restyle their hair on arrival!
Bear in mind however that this stuff needs washing out, so it’s probably best to check with parents first! Alternatively, you could consider glitter tattoos which are much easier to remove post-party.
Thinking outside the (party) bag!
You might like to provide guests with disco-themed items like glowsticks or oversize neon spectacles at the start of the party rather than giving gifts in a party bag at the end.
Place these items out on a table near the entrance and encourage guests to pick them up as they arrive.
Disco Décor
Decorating your venue to reflect the disco theme is a must. Get the party off to a great start by hanging a swishy foil curtain across the doorway, so kids literally walk into the disco atmosphere, or hang one as a backdrop. Throw in some brightly coloured latex balloons, foil banners and streamers and you’re good to go!
If you have old CDs lying around, these make fabulous wall decorations. Use MS Word to print circles (insert/shape) with funky disco hit titles and music notes (insert/picture), cut out and stick to the centre of your CDs. You could also use circular labels and decorate them with neon or metallic markers. Attach individual discs to walls with blue tack or connect multiples with hot glue and string so they spin and reflect the light.
Lighting
No disco is complete without an iconic mirror ball to create a dazzling disco light show. If you don’t want the expense of a rotating ball and spotlights, other options include a floor standing disco light with remote control or disco ball light bulb which simply screws into your light fitting to produce a coloured disco light effect.
Music
It wouldn’t be our best kids’ disco party ideas without the music! Music is of course an essential component of your disco party and there’s plenty of choice. Try these popular hits:
- Staying Alive – Bee Gees
- Agadoo – Black Lace
- YMCA – Village People
- Saturday Night Fever – Bee Gees
- Don’t Stop Me Now – Queen
- Dancing Queen – Abba
- I Will Survive – Gloria Gaynor
Need more inspiration? Give Spotify’s Top 100 Kids Disco Party Songs a whirl:
Entertainment
While you can certainly organise your own music, hiring a professional DJ will enable you to relax and enjoy the party too.
A good DJ will not only organise the music, but can also show kids the dance moves, oversee games and hand out prizes. You can also find a list of our favourite Disco Party People on PartyWizz.
DIY Photo Booth
With the kids already glammed up, it’s a shame to miss the opportunity to create some wonderful memories.
All that’s needed is a large cardboard or inflatable frame and a selfie stick plus phone, or a willing adult with basic photography skills – anyone who doesn’t chop heads off will do admirably!
You probably won’t need many extra props if you’ve gone with the dressing-up box idea, but you could think about adding an inflatable guitar or two and some fake mikes.
Alternatively, if you’re based in Ireland, you can rent a Photo Booth online through the PartyWizz website.
Games and competitions
These are always popular, especially if there’s a prize involved! Games / competitions that work well at a disco party include:
- Musical bumps / chairs / statues
- Hula hoop sardines
Like musical chairs, but kids dance around a limited number of hula hoops. When the music stops, all players must get inside a hoop (waist high) within 30 seconds. There is no limit to the number of children who are squashed together, but anyone not within the confines of a hoop when time’s up is out. Before the music restarts, remove a hoop. The number of hoops needed will vary according to the headcount / size of hoops. Hoops needn’t be the same size either and it’s probably funnier if they’re not, so definitely try borrowing them – unless of course you have another use for half a dozen hula hoops once the party’s over!
- Limbo
No need to buy an expensive limbo set, just get two children to hold the ends of a broom handle (spruce it up with glitter tape!), or even sparkly string, while contestants try to wiggle their way under. Alternatively, support your limbo stick on chairs or low tables.
- Best / worst dancer
- Loudest singer
- Best group dance (encourages less confident kids to take part)
If there are any children who can’t. or don’t want to, participate, ensure they don’t feel left out by letting them help with the judging.
For some more game ideas, check out our article about easy party games.
Food and Table Decoration
A finger-food buffet is usually easiest for this type of event, and kids usually prefer familiar foods such as:
- Sausage rolls
- Sandwiches
- Carrot sticks
- Cherry tomatoes
- Crisps
- Cheese cubes
- Mini pizzas
- Popcorn
- Fruit kebabs
- Cupcakes – decorate with liquorice wheels (vinyl records), cardboard toppers / mini plastic disco balls / glitter spray.
- Breadsticks sparklers – dip the ends in melted chocolate and coat with sprinkles. Add a chocolate star and spritz with shimmer spray!
Don’t forget the liquid refreshments either – adding edible glitter/shimmer powder to fruit squash transforms it into a dazzling drink!
Finally, think about decorating the buffet table. Brightly coloured disposable tableware, fancy straws and confetti sprinkles all add to the party atmosphere. Or why not set up a donut board as a backdrop to your table? Coloured icing and sprinkles are as decorative as they are edible!
For some more party food ideas, check out our separate article on the topic.
That’s a wrap
All that’s left to do, is to run with our kids disco party ideas and get dancing!
We hope you’ve enjoyed this content! Remember, keeping the kids happy will definitely make the adults happy. Everyone will enjoy your special day that bit more.
At PartyWizz we help parents and party organisers easily book entertainment and key elements of a party online.
We pride ourselves in working with the best entertainers in each category – magicians, face painters, balloon modelers, princess parties, arts and crafts, and many more.
If you’re based in Ireland and you’re interested in hiring a kid’s entertainer you can place the booking directly through PartyWizz.
