When kids are young, birthday parties are easy, or at least it may have seemed that way back then. As Jennifer Ciampi, a Massachusetts mother of two, says, “When they were kids it was: book a place they could run around, get a sheet cake from the grocery store and call it a day.” Add in a goodie bag, and your job was done.
But now that they're older, things have gotten more complicated. But all is not lost. Deciding what to do for the milestone teen birthday parties offers parents the chance to bond with their teens. “Teen and young adult birthday planning is more tailored to each child’s personality and likes,” Ciampi says. With these birthdays, there is an opportunity to create epic memories that will last a lifetime.
To help you figure out which birthday party theme for teens is best, we’ve come up with a list featuring ideas from actual families with teenagers. Whether your teen seeks action and adventure, a chic and sophisticated "adult" evening or a low-key night with their closest friends, we have you covered. Then all you have to do is bring a top teen gift. Find out what your teenagers likes and share the list to discover the perfect party for your kid’s next birthday, so together you can create the most memorable birthday yet.
Plan a Murder Mystery
Whether you hire a company or purchase a mystery in a box, murder mysteries are a thrilling way to throw a teen party. They can work around a theme as Scarborough, Maine mom Bethany Jensen and her daughter Natalie did for her Natalie's Sweet 16. Jensen, a speech-language pathologist, says, “She decided that the theme would be 'Murder at a Roaring '20s Party' so we modified the pre-packaged theme a little.” Party guests wore costumes, they rented out an old school house to act as the mansion and the whole family got in on the fun. “Her little brother was the one who got murdered and her father and I played a caterer and bodyguard,” Jensen says.
Enjoy a Night Under the Stars
The beauty of a campout is that it can happen inside or outside, making it the perfect party idea no matter the weather or time of year. If your teen has a winter birthday, grab some sleeping bags and some camping gear and set up shop in a basem*nt or living room. Adding some cool stars with a night sky projector and offering up some flashlights will add to the experience. If it’s summer, take the party outside and gather around the campfire for s’mores and scary stories.
Book a Hotel Trip
An overnight stay at a local hotel, or one located in the nearest cool city, is a fun way for teens to celebrate. They can bring along a friend or two, order room service and check out any interesting attractions. Tammie Infantine, a South Portland, Maine mom and registered nurse, took her daughter Bree and two of her closest friends for a birthday at a hotel overnight. "The girls had their own room where they dressed up, did make-up and had mini makeovers while listening and singing to their favorite music."
Advertisem*nt - Continue Reading Below
Plan a Game Night
"Game Night" can mean many things, from firing up the video game consoles like Xbox, Nintendo Switch or PlayStation and letting your teen and their friends dance, or rock out with Just Dance or Guitar Hero to providing a nostalgic return to your childhood with board games. Classics like Clue, Monopoly, The Game of Life and Twister will become instant favorites.
SHOP BOARD GAMES
Plan a Day at the Spa
What teen doesn’t want to pamper themselves with a day of luxury? A simple spa day could include facials or mani/pedis, or you could go all-out and book specialty massages. Make a day of it with lunch at a restaurant, and be sure to include your teen's closest pals so they can enjoy being pampered too. The best part is you can get in on the festivities as well, sneaking in some much-needed and deserved self-care.
Rent Out the Movie Theater
Treat your teen and a group of their closest friends to a night of comedy, drama or horror at a private screening. Depending on the film, they can even wear costumes to dress like their favorite characters in the genre they choose. You can also allow them to pick their snacks and drinks. Many theaters provide party packs filled with popcorn, candy and other delicious delights from the concession stand.
Advertisem*nt - Continue Reading Below
Have an Old-fashioned Sleepover
Nothing says old-school birthday celebration like a sleepover. Stock up on your teen's favorite snacks and drinks and designate a spot for kids to lay out their sleeping bags. Sleepover activities can include practicing favorite TikTok dances, playing board games and watching horror movies. Make sure to have yummy breakfast options in the morning. A waffle bar is just the thing for ravenous teens.
Throw a Pool Party
This one may seem difficult if you don’t have a pool, but inflatable pools have come a long way in quality, and you can get great ones for less than $100. Add a lawn sprinkler or slip n’ slide to your backyard setup for even more fun. Decorations are an essential part of the mood, too. Lounge chairs, pool floats and tiki torches will help set the mood. If you can't have a pool party at home, it's also possible to rent time at a facility that has a pool; many local community centers offer pool party options.
Root for the Home Team
Hockey, football, baseball, basketball, soccer and a host of other sporting events allow you to root for your teen’s favorite team. Let your teen pick the sport and secure tickets for them and a few of their closest friends. If major sporting events are too pricey, many states have minor league or college teams that are just as fun to watch and are far more affordable. Use the money you save to grab some peanuts and Cracker Jacks.
Advertisem*nt - Continue Reading Below
Throw a Dinner or Mocktail Party
Throwing a dinner party with all your teen's favorite foods is a personal way to celebrate. They could also fancy things up by including some mocktails. Maine mom Sandra M. had a "Sassy 17" mocktail party for her daughter, Alexis. “We had a 'bartender,' and kids could dress up in their 'co*cktail attire,'" she says. They also created different types of virgin mocktails including a daiquiri, a cucumber mint "mojito" and blueberry lemonade. “I wanted something that I didn't see very often in the teenage crowd and that could still be enjoyed by everyone,” Alexis says.
Host a Spooky Night of Supernatural Fun
For the teen who loves scares, create a birthday party filled with them. Play eerie favorites like light as a feather, stiff as a board or break out the classic Ouija board. Afterward, head to your favorite streaming service and find a classic or contemporary horror movie. If you want a unique experience for your teen, you can hire someone to read tarot cards. Patti Woods of Trumbull, Connecticut, who provides readings says, “The tarot is experiencing such a renaissance right now and teens love it.” For parties, she spends time discussing the history of the cards and each party attendee gets a mini-reading that lasts about 10 minutes or so. Woods says she also “sets out fun things for them to play with, like a Magic 8 ball, paper fortune-tellers and fortune sticks.”
Jump at a Trampoline Park
Filled with trampolines and a million options for jumping, trampoline parks promise an action-packed birthday adventure. Often these parks also have rooms to eat a birthday meal and host your teen's closest friends. Many also offer additional attractions like mini golf, bumper cars, obstacle courses, laser tag and climbing walls.
Advertisem*nt - Continue Reading Below
Make a Weekend of it
For those who want to go all out, you can create a weekend getaway for your teen. Find the perfect place, book a hotel and come up with an itinerary with your teen's interests in mind. Ciampi brought her daughter Catherine and one of her friends to Adventure Suites in North Conway, New Hampshire. “We stayed at the Animal Farm which is off-site of the Adventure Suite property on a 40-acre farm with horses and other animals, walking trails, a river and a beautiful sunset views over the mountains,” she says. “My daughter loves animals so it was perfect.”
BROWSE VACATION DESTINATIONS
Load up the Car and Head to the Drive-In
For the teen cinephile, who also loves being outside, the drive-in promises to be the perfect birthday experience. It is also one of the most budget-friendly options on the list. Many drive-ins price per car load. Splurge on concessions, bring lawn chairs to put out under the stars or let the kids take over the back of the family car to watch their favorite film under the night sky. While drive-ins have waned in popularity, there are still several hundred operating in the United States, and many of them still do double features.
Visit a Museum
Depending on which region of the country you’re from, a museum party may be the perfect thing. From history to clothing to art to witches, museums offer something to appeal to every interest. Book a docent-led tour, or hand out blank paper and colored pencils and have guests sketch their favorites. Many museums also have places to eat and gift shops where your guests can purchase souvenirs. Several museums also rent out spaces to have birthday cake and open presents.
Advertisem*nt - Continue Reading Below
Build the Party Around a Theme
Is your teen obsessed with a television show or movie? Create a party using that as the jumping-off point for the theme, then go wild! Decor and costumes can all be added to make the experience more authentic. For Maine mom and teacher Heather DiBenedetto and her daughter Alexis, the party idea came from the time they’d spent together one summer watching old Friends reruns on Nickelodeon. DiBenedetto surprised Alexis with a Friends pop-up experience in New York City, where they lived at the time. “It was so much fun to feel like I was on the set of my favorite show," Alexis says,"and because COVID happened right after, I was able to look back on the photos and it made me feel better that I had such a good birthday." If you can't go with an official pop-up experience, you can try to re-create the vibe or set as much as you can at home.
Channel Picasso with a Paint Party
Some paint studios will bring the party to a specific location like a park or home, while others offer a studio space to rent. They also provide supplies including paint and canvas, and some will even have an instructor to lead a group through a painting. One of the coolest things about this type of birthday is the built-in party favor: Each guest will be the proud owner of a new masterpiece they’ve created. If there are no studios near you, can also have the same experience at home with a kit that can be mailed right to your house.
Hit an Amusem*nt Park
There are hundreds of amusem*nt parks in the United States, so this may be not only an exciting option for a birthday party but a manageable one as well. Whether you do it as a day trip or an overnight, amusem*nt parks often offer more than just rides. With fun places to eat that offer snacks from cotton candy to candy apples and entertainment in the form of shows and music, your teen will find plenty of interesting things to do with their friends.
Advertisem*nt - Continue Reading Below
Go on a Scavenger Hunt at the Mall
Malls remain one of the major hang-out spots for teens so there is no better place to throw a birthday party. Mall scavenger hunts are a fun way to test their knowledge of one of their favorite places. Whether you do an informational scavenger hunt consisting of facts about the mall, or an item-based scavenger hunt that challenges teens to take pics of products from A to Z, or any other hunt theme you can think of, teams can band together to be the first to complete the tasks and win a prize. End the day with a meal at the mall food court and pictures in the photo booth.
Go to a Concert
Do you and your teen jam out to a band or artist in the car? Are your teen's walls and playlists filled with a favorite singer and their music? Then scoring a few tickets to a concert may be the best idea for a birthday party. Remember to bring money for a souvenir or two so your teen can remember the night forever. If you don’t break the bank with the cost of tickets, it may be fun to get dinner before or after the show.
