Got a Teenager -
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My eldest son Sam is 17 and my daughter Ellie is 16 and they are well past traditional parties of games, singsongs and balloons – enter the age of the teenager. Yikes!
I have put together a few teenage parties over the past few years and although daunting at first, it is much easier than you think.
Just think back to when you were a teenager, how parents were embarrassing and how you wanted to push your parents to the limit......but also how you wanted to be cool and 'in' like everyone else.
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TIP: Don't make it a surprise party unless you know that your teenager would not feel intimidated by it – teenagers like to be involved in case mum or dad does something embarrassing. Image is important. |
Themes can be great but can also be a disaster if you get it wrong! Choose it wisely and it will really give you something to focus on and give a bit of oomph to a teen party.
Teens get together all the time so why not make this get-together a bit more special by trying one of the ideas below.
Activity Days (UK only)
Scavenger Hunt Party
Treasure Hunt Party
Murder Mystery
Out To Dinner
Medieval Madness Party
Sleepover
Sports Match Party
=> Themes suggested by YOU!
=> Party games for teenagers
=> Stuck For a Gift?
=> Tell Us About Your Teen Party
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TIP: Let your teenager make the '4-W' decisions: What, Where, When, Whom. However set guidelines and budgets relevant to your family situation. |
Teen Party Ideas
Teen Party Activity Days
If you want to get the teenagers out the house and don't mind the expense, why not send them on a Teen Party Activity Day. Some of these are just brilliant fun. Think thrills!!
Junior SAS
Get the kids kitted out in combats and helmets and get ready for a search and destroy mission.
Sphereing
Roll them down a hill at 35 miles/hour in a giant 12' inflatable ball!!
Action Stuntman
James Bond here they come. Plus you get a DVD of all your stunts and actions - that will really impress their friends!
Kids Pop Star
The kids get a chance to be the pop star that they've been dreaming of plus they get a video and recording of 'their' song.
Adopt an animal
Just imagine all those cute and cuddly animals waiting to be loved, pampered and visited at the Wildlife Park. You get to choose from 50 different animals ranging from cats and mice to Siberian tigers and pygmy marmosets.
Make Me Beautiful
Wannabe diva's cane be pampered and beautified and then have a fashion shoot.
More activity days (UK only)
Scavenger Hunt Party Next to a treasure hunt, this is one of my top favorites for a teen party idea. In fact it suits any age, young and old plus mixed age groups, so you really can't go wrong. Forget having to think how to organize it, how to lay it out, how to score and so on as this
downloadable Scavenger Hunt Party Planner
is exactly what you need.
Trust me as I have used Nikki Wilson's Treasure Hunt planner (she designs these games for a living) and she has created an excellent product.
Scavenger Hunt
100s of scavenger hunt ideas - Easy setup party game
Treasure Hunt Teen Party
This is one of my favorite ideas as it can be adapted for all ages from young kids to adults. Work in teams and have the kids running round the neighbourhood to search for clues.
For my son's last birthday we used this
absolutely brilliant Treasure Hunt Planner
which comes packaged in a
downloadable Treasure Trove
along with stacks more other party planners by Nikki Wilson (the designer). Trust me they are brilliant - this kit will last for years and for all age groups.
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Treasure Hunt Party Game
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| Click here to learn more | ||
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Instant Treasure Hunt
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| Click here to learn more | ||
These are great for teen parties as they suit both boys and girls and give that element of 'excitement and drama' which teenagers often love. Many murder mystery games however are not suitable for kids or young adults. There are however a few about which I have sourced so check out the following:
Detective Birthday Party Games Package!
Or why not try a FREE FreeForm introductory Trial Download:
Ages 12+:
Deadman's Chest - Free Introductory Trial
Halloween Lies - Free Introductory Trial
Wayout West - Free Introductory Trial
Hollywood Lies - Free Introductory Trial
Ages 15+:
Death In The Fast Lane - Free Introductory Trial
Dazzled To Death - Free Introductory Trial
Under The Big Top - Free Introductory Trial
Davy Jones' Locker - Free Introductory Trial
Out to Dinner Teen Party
The kids all dress up and you could start the evening with cocktails at your house. Check out these great drinks recipe books.
Non alcoholic cocktail recipe books (buy UK)
Non alcoholic cocktail recipe books (buy US)
Book two tables in the restaurant – one for the teenagers and one for you. It's much more fun for them (and you) to let them have their own space. And you could give your teenager a budget so he/she is in charge of the bill.
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TIP: Centre the teen party around food! – Boys especially eat a tremendous amount at this age.. |
An improvisation/role-playing party, the teenagers each have a part and a basic understanding of the other characters and countries when they arrive in their costumes. Acting and interacting to achieve the objectives they've been given, a surprise murder occurs during the party (you need an adult male to play this shortened part), and then a medieval trial by ballot. Amazingly enough- they'll all work toward being judged the guilty one! For middle school aged kids. Everything is included in your party package.
Down-loadable Medieval Madness Party Package
Sleepover Teen Party
Not a new idea but always popular especially with the girls. Rent a couple of DVD's and get in lots of snacks, drinks and treats and get something special for breakfast (more like brunch!). Arrange for younger siblings to stay with a friend or have their own friend for the night so they don't feel left out or get in the way. Make the teen party invitations to look like sleeping bags and insert a picture of the party host. Buy some packs of disposable cameras so the kids can have fun taking photos of each other. We did this for my daughter's last birthday and it was a great success.
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TIP: Relax the rules for a change so that the day feels special. Make it a teen party to remember. |
Most teens are into one sport or another and if they're not, maybe this is a good time to get them interested. Find a park, hire out a pitch at the local sports centre, bring a picnic and drinks (lots) and have a match. It could be football, cricket, rounders, baseball or whatever the teenagers are interested in.
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TIP: Teenagers are often embarrassed by their parents and sometimes even more so if you try to be like one of them. So, keep your distance at the party but be available in case they need you. |
Gift ideas for Teenagers
If you are a bit stuck on what gift to give a teenager, have a look below. Hopefully they will give you a dew more ideas.
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Buy
them a Real Share,
- Football team, Companies, Disney....
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Science kits to make their minds boggle!
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Want to know your teenager's birth stone?
Did you know…..Teenagers are being kept awake by their bodies. The darkness hormone 'melatonin', helps us to fall asleep. Most adults start to produce melatonin at around 10pm but in teenagers it is around 1am. Hence they stay up late watching TV or playing computer games. This however may have a negative effect as the bright lights stimulate the teenager's brain, which inhibits the release of melatonin. Sleep is crucial for teenagers as they release a growth hormone whilst sleeping. They need more sleep than both children and adults, but often they get less than either.
