A Basketball Theme Party

Do you love the game of basketball? Here are some basketball theme party ideas to help you host an event that is a slam dunk!

Basketball Theme Party Invitations

Cardstock Cut Out Basketball Invitations -- Buy some orange poster board or cardstock. First, cut out circles for your invitation background. Next, use a black marker to make your invitations look like a basketball. Write a catchy title such as "Come Help us Make _________'s Party a Slam Dunk!", or "Come Hoop it Up at ________'s Basketball Party!" Put the rest of your party's information on the back of the card.

Basketball Ticket Invitations-- Create your basketball party invitations in the shape of an event ticket. For extra fun you could have your guests present their tickets as they arrive at the party to receive a game day giveaway specific to your event. For some free printable basketball ticket invitations click here.

Pennant Invitations -- Use cardstock in your team colors to make your invitation in the triangular shape of a pennant. Use markers or paint pens to write you party information. You might write something like, "Come Celebrate a Winning Season at _______'s Basketball Party!"

**Basketball Theme Party Invitation Tips** -- If you choose to make your own invitations, don't forget to include the date, location, and time of your party. It is also helpful to put the host's name, RSVP by date, and either your phone number or email.

Basketball Party Decorations

There are lots of ways to get into the spirit of a basketball theme party. Here are some of our favorite ideas for basketball party decorations:

Team Color -- The color scheme for a basketball theme party can be your favorite team colors, or you can use orange and black. You can incorporate these colors into your decor by mixing them up in your tableware, and also by using them in things such as balloons and streamers.

Basketball Balloons -- Turn plain orange balloons into basketballs by using a black Sharpie pen to draw the ball's lines onto the balloon.

Basketball Party Centerpiece -- Arrange trophies, pom poms, small pennants, and a basketball on your table as a sporty basketball centerpiece. Ask your party guests to sign the centerpiece ball as a great party keepsake!

Sporty Wall Decor -- Hang team banners (you can make your own out of butcher paper with the team logo, or a "Go Team" message), posters of famous players, team jerseys, or a photo collage of your own player and his team for some fun wall art.

Team Action -- Set up a television with a DVD of sports bloopers, a famous game, your own team highlights, or a movie such as Hoosiers to play in the background of your party.

Personalized Basketball Pennants -- Make a team pennant for each of your party guests by cutting a triangle out of a stiff piece of 6" x 12" felt. Write the players' names with paint pen, or cut them out of felt and glue them to the pennants. Then use a hot glue gun to attach the pennants to wooden dowels. You can use these as place setters at your table or arrange them in a vase as a basketball pennant bouquet.

Be a Referee -- For a basketball party ice breaker, have an adult dress as a referee, with a shirt and whistle. If you can't find a referee shirt, you could also dress as a coach or even in your favorite basketball team gear.

Basketball Theme Party Supplies

Basketball Player Cutouts

Basketball Pinata

Basketball Theme Party Activities

Decorate Basketballs -- Purchase a basketball (mini balls work well for this also) and set out an assortment of markers, paints, gems, and any other appropriate crafting materials. Let your party guests use their imaginations to decorate their own keepsake party ball. You might have everyone sign each other's basketballs, or you could even have a contest to see whose ball is the most original, the most colorful, the funniest, or whatever category you can dream up.

Have a Mini-Tournament -- If your guests are old enough, divide them into teams and host a basketball mini-tournament

Team Video -- Is you party celebrating a team you've watched all season? Compile photographs of players into a movie, set it to music, and watch it as a highlight reel for both your team and your event!

Drills, Relays, and Contests -- There are many different activities you can do with a basketball. Here are a few suggestions that work well at a sports theme birthday party:

• Play Horse -- The starting player picks a location on the court to make a shot. If he makes it, then everyone else must make the same shot from the same place. If they miss, they receive the first letter "h" of horse. Play proceeds with each player getting to take a turn to decide the shot. A player is out of the game when he misses enough shots to spell out h-o-r-s-e.

• Free throws -- Have free throw contests, such as seeing who can make the most shots in 30 seconds, who can make the most consecutive shots, who can make a shot standing backwards, etc.

• Dribbling Contest -- Time your guests to see who can dribble the longest amount of time with their eyes closed!

• Team Relays -- Make up basketball relay races where the guests have to use different skills, such as dribbling, passing, and shooting.

Basketball Theme Party Favors

• Framed Photos of Your Guests

• Basketball whistles

• NBA Trading Cards

• Basketballs (Decorate or sign these as a party activity)

• Basketball Clappers

• Sports Bottles

• Mini Trophies

• Wristbands

• Pom Poms

• #1 Hands

Share Your Party With Us!

Have you hosted or attended a great party recently? We would love to hear about it! Tell us about your party and what made it special. We'll post it here to share with all our readers. Plus, your party will automatically be entered in our next party submission contest!

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Do you have some great party ideas to share? We'd love to hear them!