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Planning birthday parties for your teen can be a challenge. You need to juggle a reasonable budget, fun-filled activity, and decide on a suitable location. However, having successful birthday parties for your teen doesn't have to be stressful. Here are six keys to party planning success that will leave you and your teen happy.
1. Discuss party expectations with your teenager.
2. Create a reasonable budget.
3. Find a theme based on your teen's interests.
4. Include music that your teen likes and approves of.
5. Set clear ground rules before the start of the party.
6. Remember the event is for your teen and take a step back from taking over the party planning.
If you're brave enough, you may be willing to throw your kid or pre-teen's birthday party at your home. This can sometimes be more cost effective and even more fun for your guests. Outdoor parties will save your home from too much damage, but you have to have a back-up plan in case the weather isn't pleasant. Consider planning a scavenger hunt in your neighborhood for your child or pre-teen's birthday parties. Create a few teams and give them a list of things to find within a few blocks of your house. Be sure to hand out prizes at the end to each team. Or try a camping theme where the kids sleep outside in the back yard and take part in activities like flashlight tag. If you need more help planning birthday parties for your teen, check out the Celebrate Express Website. They have an entire section on party planning that will help you get ideas on everything from themes and games to cake recipes and decorating ideas. If you want to send invitations for birthday parties online, you can do that through their electronic invitations.
Looking for ideas to plan a teen birthday party? There are countless possibilities, depending on your budget, party size, and interests. We've compiled some variations on teen birthday party ideas for every type of cost consideration:
Beach Bonfire:
Budget: Low
Get there in the late afternoon and hold a mini sand castle building contest. As the sun sets, roast marshmallows, pack some picnic grub, sit around a beach bonfire, and tell stories. It's easy, low-cost, and fun.
Survivor Party:
Budget: Moderate
Pick out an “exotic locale” and send out invitations accordingly. Decorate with items like tiki torches and tropical greenery. Have party members divide up into tribes. Set up games like having the tribes compete to build their own shelters and do a neighborhood scavenger hunt. Don't forget to feed the famished islanders – a sampling of Hawaiian food will do the trick.
Concert Party-
Budget: High
Pick the favorite band of your choice, invite several of your closest friends, and get front row tickets to see a concert. Rent a limo to take everyone to a meal before hand and cruise the town after the concert before heading home. If you're really diligent, you can secure backstage passes by going through the band's fan club or a radio show. For favors, pass out a goody bag with CD's from the band, concert t-shirts, and posters.
Need some birthday party ideas for your tween boy or girl? For tween parties, you need some sophisticated ideas combined with some wholesome fun. These tween birthday party ideas will be a guaranteed hit with your preteen.
American Idol Party – It's not just any singing party, it's an American Idol Party. Have the birthday teen play one of the judges along with two buddies. Guests can sing their hearts out to compete for prizes. Don't forget to have contestant numbers for each guest. Record the contest on video and play it back at the end of the party.
Shopping Spree – It's a must have party for tween girls. Have the birthday girl and several of her closet friends hit the mall for lunch. Arrange to have a department store beauty session for each guest. The favors can be a few makeup goodies from their beauty makeover. Then round out the birthday celebration with some shopping!
Polynesian Party– This tween party can be as simple or elaborate as you like. Decorate with some palm tree cut outs, pineapple centerpieces, and festive lights. Add some Polynesian music and serve fruit smoothies. If you want to kick it up a notch, add some hula lessons and a Polynesian fire dance show.
It can be a bit of a challenge to find some good 18th birthday party ideas. Eighteen is an age when most children feel that they are adults. They can vote, join the army, or move out on their own. Boy bands and makeovers are no longer quite as exciting. So, what themes can you use for your child's 18th birthday?
For many teens, a visit to the local paintball range is plenty of fun, but it does cost quite a bit. Why not set up your own version of a paintball course?
Here is how to make a Piñata:
Want to have a piñata at an upcoming teen party? You can buy one, but it's also a fun project to make for your next teen party. This straightforward how-to guide will tell you how it's done.
What you'll need:
1 round balloon
2 cups of flour
3 cups of water
Small bowl
6-7 newspaper print sheets
Scissors
Long Needle
Paint
Flat-edged paintbrush
Colored crepe paper
Glue
String
Just because your child is over 12 doesn't mean he or she is too old to have a little fun. Teen birthday party themes can be silly because most teens enjoy having an excuse to act less grown up than usual.
Costume party themes are really popular with teens. You can throw the party with no specific type of costume in mind or limit it to fairytale, Manga, or movie characters. Decorate the room to reflect the theme and make sure you rent some movies in that genre for the kids to view when they are ready for some down time.
For girls, a spa party is a lot of fun, especially if you can afford to take them to a real spa. If you hold the party at home, don't forget to add spa touches, like plushy white robes and slippers.
For boys, anything sports-related is usually a good idea. A trip to a local sports center is fairly easy to arrange. However, a day spent hanging out with the local sports team is really amazing. While the pro teams probably aren't available unless you have a huge birthday party budget, a few members of the minor league teams are often willing to at least spend a few hours with a group of kids during their off season for a price that isn't astronomical.
Your child is just turning 16 and you need a fantastic teen birthday idea to commemorate this special day. If he or she is a new driver or is about to take the driving test, why not use this event as the party theme?
Teen birthday parties can be a blast. Teen parties also need ground rules to make sure everything goes smoothly. To ensure teen birthday parties stay safe, set up these guidelines for the next event.
1. Make sure a teen party has adult supervision.
2. Make it clear no alcoholic beverages are to be allowed at teen birthday parties.
3. Keep anything you don't want out during a party locked away.
4. Make a limit on the noise level of the music.
5. Restrict the guest list of partygoers to a reasonable and manageable number.
6. Have a cut-off time for the end of the party and stick to it.
Your child is turning 13 and is complaining that the adorable bedroom you so lovingly created several years ago is downright babyish. Why not throw a room makeover party for a 13th birthday theme that is useful and makes your child happy?
By the time a child reaches his or her teens, pin the tail on the donkey is just not that fun anymore. Luckily, there are many options that are perfect for teen birthday party games.
One idea that is fun for girls and a bit scary for any boys who are at the party is a scavenger hunt that is limited to purses. Break the kids up into teams and have the teams hunt for the items on the list in their team's purses. The first team to find everything on the list gets a special prize. (Obviously, there can't be any boys only teams, unless one of the boys is carrying a purse!)
Anything that is messy or gross is still popular with most teens. Egg races, guessing what is in different covered containers by feel or smell and water balloon wars are all good choices. Truth or dare type games are also very popular, but can sometimes get out of hand if they are not supervised.
For girls, any activities that have something to do with makeup, glamour photos or other girly themes are sure to be a hit. If most of them are similar in size, a wardrobe swap can also be fun. Have them each bring a few pieces to swap and make sure you have ten or so extra trendy pieces to add to the pile.
Guru Spotlight |
Jennifer Mathes, Ph.D. |