Do you have a teen’s birthday coming up and want to celebrate it in such a way that you will be crowned the coolest mum ever? We’ve got you. Here are 10 teenage birthday party ideas that your teen will actually think are fun and not at all lame. #BREATHE
Thinking of teenage birthday party ideas can be tough, after all, teens can be a fickle bunch. But it is doable, promise.
Be warned, not all tweens and teens are into the structured parties of old, so it might be time to pack your party run-sheet away mum. But of course, that doesn’t mean your teen doesn’t want to celebrate a birthday milestone – you just need to loosen the apron strings a little and possibly put away the pinata. Supervision, yes. Entertainment officer, not so much.
So what do tweens and teens think is a cool way to celebrate a birthday? Scroll down to see!
10 Tween and Teenage Birthday Party Ideas
1. Paintballing
GREAT FOR: Active and adventurous kids
If your teen and his or her mates love a bit of adventurous fun, a paintball party is full of laughs. Kids can dress in camo gear, conquer obstacles and fire paintballs at each other in the name of good and not-so-clean fun. When booking a party package, check to see if there are barbecue facilities so you can put on a cheap lunch too!
2. Movie marathon and sleepover
GREAT FOR: Homebodies who love to lounge
For the more relaxed kids who just want to stay comfortable at home, an at-home movie marathon is always a popular choice for teenage birthday party ideas. Gone are the days of hiring a stack of Blockbuster DVDs, but letting the kids form their Netflix watch list, lining the floor with air mattresses, beanbags, and pillows and preparing to get cosy (and tired) for the next 24 hours is the next best thing. Don’t forget the movie snacks!
3. Escape room
GREAT FOR: Kids who love challenges, teamwork and problem-solving
Perfect for teen puzzlers, teens and tweens as young as 12 can experience some Escape Rooms. A little bit more grown-up than other birthday parties, an Escape Room tests kids’ problem-solving skills, requires kids to work together AND is still a little competitive – if you can beat the clock, bonus!
4. Laser tag
GREAT FOR: Kids who love a sneaky, mess-free activity
Laser tag is active fun you can have at a centre or at home, it’s mess free and the perfect way to exhaust excited and rambunctious teens. LaserTag in a Box is a brilliant choice if you prefer an at-home option – or if your yard isn’t big enough, head to a local park or reserve with trees and bushes to hide behind before they ambush each other.
5. Go-karting
GREAT FOR: Those kids counting down the days to drive the family car
Got a bunch of car-obsessed petrolheads to entertain? Go-karting is a superb choice to get some fast-paced, four-wheeling fun under their seatbelts and harnesses while they belt around a go-karting track. One of our favourite teenage birthday party ideas, do be warned though, it CAN be expensive, so having a small party group is wise!
6. Amusement theme parks and water parks
GREAT FOR: Containing kids who just want to have some old-fashioned fun
This is a REALLY good option if you live close to a theme park of any kind where you just have to pay an entry fee where kids can have fun but still be contained. Particularly so in summer if there are water slides, rides, wave pools at any of the parks. PERFECT. Set up a base spot with ample food, drinks, towels and sunscreen. Ask that the kids stick together and if older, check back in with one of the adults reasonably often.
7. Ten-pin bowling
GREAT FOR: Competitive kids who don’t like to break out in a sweat
Don’t underestimate the competitive nature of teenagers – they’re all hungry to beat each other at ten-pin bowling. Many bowling alleys do party packages for kids, teens and adults, adjusting the entertainment accordingly. Teen parties usually involve a dedicated bowling lane, a cool place to hang out, food and some upbeat music for a couple of hours. Nice!
8. Pampering party
GREAT FOR: Tweens and teens who love to invest in their self-care
For the girls and guys who love to have a self-indulgent moment where facials, face masks, manis, pedis and foot spas are plentiful, a pampering party is a pure bliss. Head to Kmart or Target to buy up all your beauty supplies at a price that won’t hurt the hip pocket too severely, or alternatively, search your local community Facebook page to see if someone local offers a pampering party service!
9. Smash room
GREAT FOR: Angsty and destructive teens
Release those pent-up teen frustrations with a Smash Room party! It’s exactly as the name suggests, a clean environment with a variety of smashable items (cups, plates, TV screens etc), for teens to safely unleash upon. Safety is paramount with safety clothing, gloves, face shields and earplugs etc generally included in the entry fee. It’s sure to get the adrenalin pumping!
10. Kmart party
GREAT FOR: Tweens who love to shop
A mum threw an epic Kmart treasure hunt party for her tween daughter, and we all know this is one store that doesn’t age discriminate. No matter how old your kids are, I’ve no doubt they’ll love spending cash as they please in Kmart! Tweak the party rules to suit you and your budget and get ready for the giggles as partygoers compare their Kmart hauls.
So you’ve got read the list of teenage birthday party ideas and you’ve picked one – EXCELLENT. So now here are some solid tips for handling the execution of the day!
Teenage birthday party tips:
- Let them have fun, they’re still kids! Ask your tween or teen if they have any birthday party requests and try to work with their ideas as much as possible (within reason).
- Try not to suffocate your birthday kid with your presence (unless they request it). Supervise from a distance if you can and periodically check in with your kid to make sure everything is ok. Don’t hover like a helicopter!
- Do remind your child about your expectations and to respect others and property. Teens often show off in front of their mates which can sometimes turn into being mouthy or rude to adults, without them realising at that moment, that they’re doing it.
- If you’re having a party at home, warn the neighbours with a note, a bottle of wine and a pair of earplugs. Let them know the music will be off at 10:30 pm so they know it won’t be all night. It’s less embarrassing to have the neighbours on board than to be dealing with the police over noise complaints. #trustme
- Keep the food coming and don’t forget breakfast! If you have half a dozen kids staying over, I highly recommend cooking eggs and bacon on the barbecue for breakfast and having bottles of juice and some fruit on offer. You’ll be amazed how quickly it disappears!
- Make sure you have at least one extra adult to hang out with for the time that you have other kids in your care. If one child requires assistance or needs to go home, or if you need to run home or to the shop, it means you can tend to those things and there’s still a supervising adult for the rest of the group.
Teenage birthday party ideas can be tricky, but at the end of the day, it’s important for your teen to know their birthday is worthy of being celebrated and everyone should have some fun. And if it all goes pear-shaped, it’s fine – it will set the pace for the following year. Hang in there teen mums, you’ve got this!
