63 Perfect Birthday Wishes for a Childhood Friend to Make Them Feel Truly Special

There is something super special about childhood friends. They were there before you cared about trends, before homework got serious and long before you understood what growing up actually meant. They shared your birthday parties, your after-school adventures and the kind of inside jokes that still make you smile years later.

A childhood friend is someone who has seen every version of you, the shy one, the chatty one, the experimental fringe stage, and loved you anyway.

When their birthday arrives, you want your message to reflect just how much they still mean to you.

Whether you want something short, heartfelt, funny or deeply nostalgic, these birthday wishes are easy to copy and paste into a card, WhatsApp message or social caption.

They will help you celebrate the friend who grew up beside you and somehow stuck around through all the cringe and the chaos.

Short Birthday Wishes for a Childhood Friend

A quick wish can still say a lot. These short messages capture years of friendship in just a line or two.

• Happy birthday to the friend who made growing up unforgettable.
• Cheers to another year of friendship that started way back when.
• Happy birthday to my forever friend.
• Wishing you a brilliant birthday filled with everything you deserve.
• Happy birthday to the one who has been there since day one.
• Another year older, still my favourite childhood friend.
• Celebrating you today and all the memories we still laugh about.

Funny Birthday Wishes for a Childhood Friend

If your friendship has always been built on laughter, these playful messages will hit the mark.

• Happy birthday. It is amazing how we survived our childhood and still talk about it.
• Cheers to the only person who knows all my awkward stories and still sticks around.
• Happy birthday. We are older now, but definitely not wiser.
• Remember when we thought being an adult would be fun? Still waiting.
• Happy birthday to the friend who has aged like fine wine, or at least a decent supermarket bottle.
• Another year, another reminder that we peaked in primary school.

Heartfelt Birthday Wishes for a Childhood Friend

These thoughtful messages bring warmth without feeling overly sentimental.

• Happy birthday to the friend who has always felt like family.
• We have grown up side by side and I am grateful for every memory.
• Your friendship has been one of the best parts of my life.
• From playground days to grown-up milestones, you have always been there.
• Wishing you the happiest birthday and a year full of everything you hope for.
• You have made every stage of life brighter.

A Little Trip Down Memory Lane

If you think back to the best parts of childhood, the sleepovers, the bike rides, the after-school snacks you shared, the secrets whispered during lunch break, chances are this friend is part of almost every memory.

They were there when everything felt big and exciting and new. Sending them a birthday message is a simple way to honour the part they played in the story of who you became.

The next sections go a little deeper. They are perfect for cards, handwritten notes or any message where you want to say more than just happy birthday.

Emotional Birthday Wishes for a Childhood Friend

When you want your words to reflect the depth of your shared history, these emotional wishes fit well.

• Happy birthday. I hope you know how much your friendship shaped my life.
• We have shared so many firsts and so many moments I will never forget.
• No matter how life changes, you will always be the friend who knew me before I knew myself.
• Happy birthday to the person who holds some of my favourite memories.
• I am grateful we have grown together instead of apart. Celebrate big today.

Birthday Wishes for a Childhood Best Friend

These wishes are ideal when you want wording that feels a bit more specific to a childhood best friend.

• Happy birthday to my childhood best friend, my secret keeper and my adventure partner.
• We have been best friends longer than we have had decent haircuts.
• To my first and forever best friend, I am wishing you an incredible birthday.
• No matter where life takes us, you will always be my childhood bestie.
• Happy birthday to the one who made growing up so much fun.

Birthday Wishes for a Longtime Friend You Grew Up With

These messages work well for friendships that have moved from childhood into adulthood.

• Happy birthday to a lifelong friend. Growing up together was one of the best parts of my story.
• To a friend I have known practically forever, I am wishing you the happiest birthday.
• We have shared years of memories and milestones. Here is to many more.
• Happy birthday to someone who has been in my life longer than most of my furniture.
• Cheers to a friend I have grown up with and grown wiser alongside.

Nostalgic Birthday Wishes for a Childhood Friend

If your friendship is built on shared memories, these nostalgic wishes will feel just right.

• Happy birthday. I still remember our childhood sleepovers, silly jokes and endless giggles.
• Time has passed, but our friendship still feels like home.
• Wishing you a birthday filled with the joy we had running around the playground.
• We may not be kids anymore, but you will always be part of my favourite memories.
• From school days to grown-up days, happy birthday to a friend who has been there through it all.

Copy and Paste Birthday Messages

These longer messages are easy to drop into a card, text or social caption when you want something a bit more complete.

Message 1

Happy birthday to my childhood friend who has seen every stage of my life, the good, the awkward and the hilarious. I am grateful for every memory we made growing up and even more grateful that we are still making new ones.

Message 2

Wishing the happiest birthday to the friend who has felt like family from the very beginning. Thank you for being someone I can count on, laugh with and trust completely.

Message 3

Happy birthday. Our childhood adventures will always be some of my favourite memories. I hope your day is filled with the same fun and warmth you have brought into my life.

Message 4

To the friend who grew up with me, thank you for years of laughter, loyalty and light. I am wishing you the best birthday and an even better year ahead.

How to Personalise a Birthday Message for a Childhood Friend

A few small details can turn a simple wish into a message they keep forever.

• Mention a moment from childhood you still remember clearly.
• Add one thing you admire about who they are today.
• Use an inside joke you both thought you had forgotten.
• Include how grateful you are that you grew up together.
• Share a hope or wish for their year ahead.

What to Write in a Birthday Card for a Childhood Friend

Staring at a blank card can feel harder than it should. Use one of these simple starting lines to get going.

• “Some of my favourite childhood memories have you in them…”
• “Thank you for being part of every chapter of my life…”
• “Growing up with you was one of the best things that ever happened to me…”
• “From school chaos to grown-up chaos, you have always been the constant…”
• “Here is to another year of a friendship that started a lifetime ago…”

Birthday Wishes You Can Personalise

These flexible wishes are perfect when you want to add their name or a specific detail.

• Happy birthday, [Name]. Thank you for being part of my childhood and my life.
• Wishing you an amazing year ahead, [Name]. We have come a long way since our school run days.
• Cheers to you, [Name], my friend from the very start.
• Happy birthday, [Name]. Here is to many more years of friendship.
• Sending love on your birthday, [Name]. I am so grateful for every memory we share.

Something Extra to Share With Your Birthday Message

If you would like to add a fun twist to your message, you can pair it with a quote from a favourite movie using our Birthday Quotes from Movies post. Movie lines can make a birthday message feel clever, heartfelt or nostalgic, especially for a childhood friend who grew up watching the same movies as you.

You will also find more ideas in our Birthday Wishes for Best Friends list of ideas, which is ideal when you want your message to feel modern and a little bit extra. Plus our Birthday Quotes for Best Friends are super special. 

Extra Tips for Birthday Messages to a Childhood Friend

To make your birthday wish feel even more special, keep these simple tips in mind:

• Keep it sounding like you. Your friend will hear your voice as they read it.
• Choose one strong memory rather than trying to mention everything you have shared.
• Balance nostalgia with the present. Mention how far you have both come as well as where you started.
• If your friend prefers low-key messages, keep it short and warm instead of long and intense.
• If you are sending a card or text, consider adding a photo from when you were little for an instant nostalgia hit.

You can also turn one of these wishes into a simple printable birthday card or pair it with a quick game or memory-sharing activity. Childhood friends love a bit of nostalgia, so even a tiny shared detail can make your message feel unforgettable.