Add this easy Lego Birthday backdrop to your DIY Lego party decorations toolbox! I've been wanting to attempt to make a paper plate party backdrop for so long. But not just any old haphazard plates, there had to be some sort of design involved. It didn't take me long to come up with the idea of a Lego version. As a Boy Mum, these little (pain-in-the-foot) bricks have been a staple in my household for many years, since my youngest was three.
A little background…
Despite the mountains of Lego at my house, my kids have never actually had a Lego party. I would really love to throw one for them. There are so many brilliant ways to organize and decorate for this theme. How can you not love that vibrant colour scheme too?!
During the last school holidays, I was trying to come up with ways that I could work that didn't involve the kids being stuck on screens the whole time. I thought making this backdrop with them would be a great way to spend time together, keep them entertained and also get some work done. Ticking all the boxes!
My eldest boy lost interest fairly quickly but these sorts of things aren't really his jam. My youngest boy loves them though, he had a blast helping me out. He's also not shy of getting in front of the camera (as you can tell).
That's enough of me waffling on, why don't we get into the DIY? It really is simple with only a few supplies needed. So simple a six-year-old could do it (okay, with some assistance and supervision!).
I have more party backdrop inspiration for you too! Including How to Make a Paper Streamer Backdrop or a list of Fun Backdrop Ideas for a Party. Below you can read how I made my DIY Lego party decorations or watch the video!
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Supplies
- Small Paper Plates – Red
- Small Paper Plates – Blue
- Small Paper Plates – Green
- Small Paper Plates – Yellow
- Painter's Tape
- Lego Name Sign (optional DIY or purchase)
Making a Lego Name Sign
There is one caveat with this Lego Birthday backdrop DIY, I didn't record how I made the sign. It was actually my first project with my Cricut (and boy, was it a shemozzle!). For this reason, I knew I wouldn't be able to detail the specifics. I do however have some suggestions on how you can make your own without a Cricut. This was going to be my backup if my Cricut project didn’t work. Of course, if you’re a whiz on your cricket machine, you might be able to figure this one out for yourself. I have also found a printable Lego sign you can edit and print yourself as a short on time last-minute option.
Lego Sign Supplies
- Red Scrapbooking Cardstock 12×12″
- Yellow Scrapbooking Cardstock 12×12″
- White Scrapbooking Cardstock 12×12″
- Double Sided Tape Runner
The font I used for the sign is called Legothick and it is free for personal use. Once installed on your computer, open a Word document (or similar) and type in the letters you need. Make these letters as large as you can on the page. Keep the size of your card in mind of course. Even if you don't have a printer larger than A4 or 8.5×11″ the letters won't be that much smaller than the letters that I used for my sign.
Making the Lego Letters
Next, you have two options on how to proceed.
Option 1: Print each letter directly to the red cardstock then cut out. This is the quick option that wastes less paper. However, there are several factors to consider:
- Is your printer able to print to the size cardstock you have?
- Is your cardstock too thick to go through your printer?
- The font is an outline font but you may not like the thickness when it prints out. You can experiment with mirroring the text so you can flip it once it's cut and there won't be any lines.
Option 2: Print each letter on paper/scrap card then cut these out. Use them as a template to trace around the letters onto the red cardstock. The downside to this method is that it wastes paper and takes longer.
Whichever method you use, simply repeat this process using slightly smaller letters for the yellow card stock and then the white card stock. You can attach each layer using a double-sided tape runner.
Step 1: Prepping for the Lego Birthday Backdrop
These DIY Lego party decorations are so simple to create. First I planned out where the “caps” (plates) of my Lego blocks would go. As you can see from the images, there's a piece of paper taped to the wall. On here I had roughly drawn out where I would place the different coloured plates. Prior to this, I did a practice run by placing the plates on the floor to work out what I liked. Then you can draw out your plan or take a photo to refer to.
There wasn't any special planning when lining up the plates, I just went by eye. I recommend putting more time into lining up the first row of plates so that you're off to a good start. Of course, when your coworker is six years old, there can be a need to often stop to realign the plates!
Step 2: Attaching the paper plates
To attach the paper plates to the wall, roll over a small piece of painter's tape and stick it to the underside of the plate. I have found using painter's tape to be quite an effective way of adhering temporary party displays to walls. However, it is not perfect. Before you go ahead and stick your plates to the wall, be sure to read the end of this article where I have some tips to help with the removal of your plates.
Start your backdrop at the base of the wall and work your way up. We started out placing the first row down. As we went along we built it ‘block-by-block' choosing to make each coloured block at a time. Some people may find it easier to keep going row-by-row though.
As a big fan of saving time by batching my work, I experimented with a few ways to do this when it came to putting the tape on the paper plates. First I rolled up a bunch of tapes, sticking them to a plastic box. The plan was to pull them off as I went along.
However, having my coworker meant that I had an extra pair of hands! I found it easier to stick painter's tape to all of the paper plates whilst he was sticking them on the wall. If you're on your own, you could do this to all of the plates before you get started. I actually thought this might rip the plates. But no, I didn't have a single casualty – I lightly stacked the plates on top of each other so I wouldn't be ripping at them when we needed them.
Step 3: Adding a sign to your Lego party decorations
My son diligently worked his way up the wall with the paper plates. I took over as he got further up the wall. Once we got to where the name sign was going, I simply used painter's tape to attach each letter to the wall. If you're using a name sign, you will need to plan ahead to determine where it will go and how much space you will need. This is also why I came up with a hand-drawn plan beforehand.
Step 4: Removing your Lego Birthday Backdrop
When it comes to removing the plates, you will need to do this carefully. The only time I ran into problems was when the plates were attached too securely or I ripped them off too quickly. Otherwise, for the rest of the display, it all came off really well.
These problems created 2-3 areas that pulled off small amounts of paint and or created tiny air bubbles in the wall. My first tip for avoiding this would be to apply the least amount of pressure when putting your decorations on the wall. My second tip would be to slowly remove the tape don’t pull it off too soon.
I did take this display down within a few hours of putting it up. However, the manufacturer's instructions say that you can have it up for three days but please be mindful. I have also found over the years, across different houses that some of my walls/paint just can't tolerate it as much as others have. You might like to test a little area beforehand if you're attached to your walls! Lucky for me there was hardly any damage and any that was, was then covered by furniture once we removed the party backdrop.
Easy DIY Lego party decorations sorted
I hope you get plenty of inspiration from this easy Lego Birthday backdrop! The great things about these paper plate party decorations are that they are cost-effective; super easy; and add so much impact. Oh, and I really love the Tetris/Connect4 feel these Lego blocks have!
Would you like to see more paper plate party decoration DIYs? Perhaps more party ideas for the Lego theme? Let me know in the comments below. I would jump at the chance to make more party decor like this!
Other resources you may like:
FREEBIE: Happy Birthday Coloring + Activity Page
FREEBIE: Party Planning Action Plan + Shopping Lists
ARTICLE: Helpful Tips for Hanging Party Decorations
ARTICLE: Practical Tips for Planning a Party at Home
SHOP: Retro Game On Birthday Party Printables
