Is your birthday coming up? You can “brag” a little bit on your big day and let the world know that you’re a year older, wiser and taking on the world. But what should you post? We’re going to share Instagram birthday Story ideas that your followers will love seeing.
And you’ll find that these ideas often get a ton of engagement.
If you use the ideas below, you may even end up on the Explore Page if enough followers reshare your Story and engage with it.
23 Unique & Creative Instagram Birthday Story Ideas
Below are amazing Story ideas that you can adapt and make your own.
1. Birthday Trivia
How well do people know you? Create a Story with a birthday quiz or trivia questions that you’re sure only your besties will know how to answer. Interactive Stories like these drive massive amounts of engagement and are fun for followers.
You can quiz people on anything:
- Who was your first boyfriend/girlfriend?
- What’s your favorite color?
- What’s your natural hair color?
- Anything you want
2. Birthday Haul
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Happy birthday Instagram Story ideas don’t get much easier than sharing your birthday haul. Followers always want to get a sneak peek into your life, and creating a Story with your birthday haul is sure to be a major hit.
You can:
- showing off all of your gifts with a few insights from you
- Share the experiences you had, such as a glimpse of your birthday party or of going out with your friends or loved ones
- Show rapid pictures of your haul
Whether you receive a haul of goods or you want to promote the experience of the day, your followers are sure to love the Story that you create.
3. Countdown
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Birthday countdown Instagram Story ideas are perfect for milestones, such as turning:
- 18
- 21
- 30
- 40
- 50
- Etc.
You can make a daily Story that counts down to your birthday as far out as you want. For example, some people will create a Story a day for a week, counting down to their birthday. Followers will be in anticipation of your big day, thanks to the countdown.
You can even opt to show a picture from each birthday leading up to the milestone.
4. Pranks
Pranks are engaging. Your friends and followers want to start their day with a good laugh. You can prank your loved ones or ask them to prank you and capture these moments to add to your Story.
Here are a few prank ideas that people love:
- Glitter bombs
- Prank gifts
- Loved ones “forgetting” your big day
If your friend’s birthday is coming up, you can prank them and post it to your Story – or theirs.
5. Bloopers
Bloopers are a great opportunity to make people laugh. However, this idea only works if you have a video of the big day. For example, let’s assume that your friends decide to prank you on your birthday and capture all of the things that went wrong during the prank.
You can create a bloopers Story out of these small mishaps and share them on a Story.
If you have videos from throughout the year of funny bloopers, such as yourself tripping and falling or rolling off the bed, you can create a blooper out of them for your birthday Story.
6. Gratitude Post
Showing gratitude is something people want to see more of on Instagram. If you had an especially challenging year or major changes took place, you can create a gratitude post where you:
- Say what you’re thankful for that happened throughout the year
- Call out friends and loved ones who supported you
7. Wishes From Pets
Need cute Instagram story ideas for birthday? Share birthday wishes from pets. It could be a cute photo of a friend’s dog or even your own pet, along with a birthday wish.
People love seeing photos and videos of pets, especially when you’re celebrating something special, like a birthday.
8. Outdoor Celebration
Are you celebrating your birthday outdoors? Share pics and videos from the celebration on your Stories.
Outdoor celebrations are always fun to see, especially if you’re in a stunning location. But even if you’re just hanging out in your backyard with friends and family, the joy on your faces will make your followers smile.
9. Celebrity Wishes
Want to make your followers jealous? Use a service like Cameo to get a celebrity to wish you a happy birthday and share that message in your Stories.
If you just so happen to know a celebrity, you could also ask them to share a birthday wish on your Stories.
No matter which route you take, this is one Instagram Story idea that will be memorable.
10. Cupcake Decorating
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If you’re baking and decorating cupcakes for your birthday, share it on your Instagram Stories. You can share video clips of frosting the cupcakes and adding the finishing touches.
If you’re not into baking, you can take photos or videos of the cupcakes you purchase from a bakery.
Don’t forget to tell everyone that you’re celebrating your birthday!
Your followers will be drooling over the delicious cupcakes you’re enjoying for your special day.
11. Party Favors
If you’re having a birthday party, share pics and videos of the favors you’re giving guests. This is also a great way to let people know that you’re celebrating your birthday and glad to be surrounded by friends and family.
12. Friend’s Messages
Friends, relatives and even your children can be a part of your birthday Story. You’ll need to prepare for this idea ahead of time because you want it to be genuine and from those closest to you.
You can do the following:
- Compile all of the messages from your birthday
- Add the messages into a collage using something like CapCut
- Add the Story
If your friends send you video messages, you can even make a video of these messages and post it. You can edit the video to include transitions between messages and even add in the top sounds, such as:
- Happy Birthday by Stevie Wonder
- Celebration by Kool & The Gang
- Birthday Girl by Lizzo
- Anything you like
People love these types of Stories because they have a feel-good vibe. You’re also promoting your friends who sent birthday wishes, which often leads to them sharing your Story.
13. Birthday Vacations
Are you planning a big vacation, or do you want to give someone else a vacation for their birthday? Share your snapshots from the day as a Story. People love travel videos and seeing their friends have the time of their lives on vacation.
If you go on vacation for every birthday, you can share these highlights in a Story, with the last bit being what you did this year.
14. Make A Wish
Make a wish! And see if it comes true. You can start early and make a wish on your Story for people to do anything, such as wish for:
- People to donate to a special cause
- Your cousin to visit you
- A day at the spa
- Anything
Followers love Make a Wish Stories because they feel very inclusive.
15. Adventures
It’s your birthday. Make it an adventure! You can push yourself out of your comfort zone and capture yourself:
- Skydiving
- Hiking
- Rock climbing
- Etc.
Followers love it when you share these intimate moments with them in your Story. Choose an adventure that you’ll love going on.
16. Post-Birthday Recap
If you planned something big for your birthday, share a recap of the festivities in your Stories. You can post collages, video clips from the celebration or a series of photos and videos from the event.
Don’t forget to add emojis and text to share your gratitude and tell people all about your celebration.
17. Throwback Photos
Birthdays are the perfect time to share throwback photos. Post an embarrassing photo from your childhood or a pic from last year that shows just how much you’ve changed. Add a little message about your birthday and tie it to your throwback photo.
Celebrity Zendaya celebrated her 27th birthday on Instagram by sharing a cute throwback pic and a sweet caption reminding us that life is precious.
You could even share multiple throwback photos and the stories behind them to make your Stories a little more personal.
Choose the best photos for this kind of post. Find pictures where you’re making silly faces as a kid or an adorable baby photo.
18. Birthday Mindfulness
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Are you celebrating your birthday in a mindful way? Share some of your rituals in your Story. Here are some tips:
- Reflect on the year and your gratitude for where you are now
- Share your goals
- Share an inspiring affirmation or poem
Along with being able to join in on your birthday celebration, your followers will also benefit from the inspiring words of wisdom you share.
19. Birthday Selfie Collage Story
No matter how you’re celebrating your birthday, you’re sure to take at least a few selfies. Create a collage and post it to your Story to celebrate.
For this idea, you’ll need a separate app, like the Layout app from Instagram. The app allows you to arrange your photos however you want to celebrate your birthday.
Your followers will love seeing what you’re up to on this special day and can share their best wishes.
20. Makeup
If you’re doing something special with your makeup for your birthday, share it in your Stories. You can post different looks or even a time-lapse of you putting on your makeup.
Creative looks work best for this, so don’t be afraid to be extra. It is your birthday, after all.
People love seeing new and creative makeup looks, especially if they can try recreating them at home.
21. Outfits
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Are you dressing up for your birthday? Share your looks in your Story. Add a poll asking your followers which outfit they like best.
Everyone will love seeing your birthday outfits and commenting on your style.
22. Dessert Time-lapse
Are you baking a cake for your birthday or some other dessert? Make a time-lapse of your dessert baking in the oven. Most smartphones have a time-lapse feature for video recording, so set up a tripod in front of the oven window and start filming.
This is a fun story idea for kids or if you’re having a party and everyone is involved in the baking.
23. Playlist
Celebrate your birthday by sharing your b-day playlist on your Story. Most streaming services allow you to share music to your Instagram Story. Just find a song from your playlist and tap share to Instagram Stories.
People love discovering new music and will join in on the listening party with you.
Conclusion
Birthdays are the perfect occasion to create memorable Instagram Stories. Whether it’s a countdown, a recap of the big day or a vlog of your festivities, your followers will love feeling like they are a part of the celebration. Use the ideas in our guide to make your Instagram birthday Stories unforgettable.
