Last Updated on November 20, 2019

Teen Birthday Party Ideas

Your child has grown up before your eyes, and now they are salivating over their next “ultimate” birthday party. Feeling the pressure? Sit down and relax – you can have a safe and memorable party with less fuss than you might imagine. A birthday party idea for teens doesn’t have to be over-the-top to be a lot of fun. This article will provide some general suggestions as well as a few ideas to get you going. Grab your teen a start creating their next great birthday party.

Keep in mind who will be invited and why. Are you inviting Julie just because she’s popular, or will she be a good fit with the rest of the group? Is there someone in the group that tends to get others in trouble? Do you have a big gossiper or “clique queen” on the list? Be sure the group is easy going and shows good respect for adults.

Have your teen do much of the legwork for their own party. If you become their “go-fer” person, your teen may see themselves as being in charge instead of you. If they do a lot of the work themselves, they will be more willing to help you keep the party under control. Use the natural peer pressure at this age to your advantage.

Decide on a size for your group. A larger party will require more parents to chaperone. Just because you may trust your child doesn’t mean you can trust everyone. Don’t skimp on the supervision because they are older. Instead, find ways to be subtle about it.

Retire to your bedroom or TV room for a while, and then come out now and then to refill your glass of water, check the thermostat, refill snacks, etc. Consider activities that need adults as referees or “assistants” so you can keep your eyeballs on the kids without appearing too snoopy.

Check out the ideas below to make your teen’s party memorable and fun.

Back-to-Childhood Party – Have a nostalgic trip to childhood. Play pin-the-tail on the donkey, have cupcakes, musical chairs, etc. Have your teens make the cupcakes, eat M&M’s, graham crackers with frosting, dry cereal in a bowl, and other fun “kid” snacks. Gather some of your child’s favorite animated or live-action movies from their childhood. Have everyone bring a stuffed animal and their own sleeping bag.

Decade Party – Encourage the guests to borrow from their parents or hit the thrift store for “period clothing.” Better yet, start the party at the thrift store. Give everyone $10-$15 to create a costume in one hour. Pick a decade or allow your guests to choose their own look. Long before the party, collect some decade-specific lighting such as strobe lights, lava lamps, and mini-disco balls (or prisms to create a disco ball effect) to use as mood lighting.

Sleepover party for boys – Try an action movie night (watch the ratings) with plenty of popcorn, pop, and movie theatre candy. Or, chose a day when a popular sporting event is on and plan a party around it.

Sleepover party for girls – Do a “girls’ night” with glamour (hair and make-up) and fun movies. Again watch ratings and chose themes that emphasize good endings.