Tween Birthday Party Ideas
My twins turned 9 over a week ago. Their birthday was on a Saturday, but we had family in town and lots of activities going on that weekend so we couldn’t plan a party. We did go out to dinner with family though. And dad took them bowling while I took our teens to see a play our community theater was putting on. I was hoping that would be enough.
Of course it wasn’t.
I’ve been battling a sinus infection and had a midterm last week (and if you give me a few minutes I can probably come up with a couple more reasons why I procrastinated) so I really put off the birthday planning. You know what happens when you put off birthday planning. TWO sleepovers. With lots of LOUD kids. That’s what happens.
We have boy/girl twins so, of course, they don’t have the same friends. That meant we had a boy party on Friday night and a girl party of Saturday night. And, yes, it was just as traumatic as it sounds. For me at least.
So I’ve decided we need to start brainstorming ways to celebrate birthdays that don’t involve sleepovers.
First I dug in to the Weary Parent archives for inspiration where I found 13 ideas for a fabulous tween birthday party. These great ideas include:
- Bowling
- A movie
- Swimming (either indoor or outdoor)
- Snow tubing
- Mini-golf
- Rockwall climbing
- A sporting event (college, semi-pro or pro)
- Community theater
- Ice skating or roller skating
- Cooking at a make & take dinner establishment
- A cookout or picnic at a local park
- A trip to a local museum
- Volunteering at an animal shelter
Some other great Weary Parent ideas that can be done at a rented community center or a local park are a make-your-own-pizza party or a French dinner party. Or if you must have it at your house, have a a camping party (where the kids stay outside).
If that’s not enough some additional ideas for a tween party are:
- Have a scavenger hunt at the mall (or a park).
- Play laser tag.
- Play paint ball.
- Take a trip to a local amusement park.
- Go to a fun center (a grown up Chuck E. Cheese, such as Enchanted Castle in Illinois) where they have video games, bumper cars, go-karts and the like.
- Go to the zoo.
- Get facials at a local salon.
- Or manicures and pedicures.
- Go hiking at a local park.
- Play a game of football or soccer or go golfing.
- Take a self defense class.
- Have a Hawaiian themed party at the beach.
- Go sledding in the winter.
- Make pottery at a pottery store.
- Make jewelry at a bead store.
- This time of year go to a pumpkin patch.
- Take a trip to an apple orchard.
- Visit a farm. It’s a great place for hayrack or tractor rides. Some local dairy farms even let kids milk cows.
- Rent a room at a restaurant and have your own Tween Idol. Bring a karaoke machine and Mom and Dad can be Paula and a much nicer version of Simon.
What other ideas do you have? What not-at-home parties have your tweens had?
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Having a makeover for girl tweens works well. I have seen the girls getting this done and they love having their hair put up and nails done!
I don’t have much to add to these good ideas. I always need to do something inside in March.
Where were you a month ago when I had 18 screaming 12 yo girls “sleeping” in the living room?
Next year, I swear, I’ll plan better. DH will tell you how unlikely that is
I’d love to take part in the blogtoberfest fun!!
i love it
Happy Belated Birthday to your twins!
GREAT ideas!
I’m having so much fun blog hopping during Blogtoberfest!
I hope I’m chosen as the lucky winner!
Thanks. I hope I win.
Thanks for the contest
the contest is fun
great ideas and thanks for the contest
Don’t forget the good old-fashioned scavenger (or treasure) hunt!
Please enter me
My guys were happy with anything, as long as their friends were there. We’ve done the bowling, orchard, make-up… You’ve got some great ideas to work with. Just stay away from sleepovers! lol!
teens are not easy
Having a party for tweens or younger at your home is a nightmare. It always seems like such a good idea, and then poof, it all goes so wrong. LOL, or we will all go mad! I feel your pain. The things we do for our children! Thanks for the give-a-way.
a slumber party.
I think swim parties are always great and are a big hit. Slumber parties are also a lot of fun. Thanks for the great giveaway.
great ideas
Great idea’s.It will sure help.
Gotta say I typically do the pizza party / sleepover thing !!
oooh i am interested
thanks
good ideas thanks
Thanks for all the wonderful ideas.
You’ve brainstormed some great ideas! Thank you for hosting the surprise giveaway. Hope to win.
past those years but it is still a great idea
We took the Tweens out to pizza, then had a limo meet us at the pizza parlor. We drove the girls around town for about an hour, then called one of the girls family and told them to get their camera out. We pulled up to the house and the family’s all came out, it was great, we repeated this for each girl. It was GREAT
rollerskating is the best.
enter me please
Great ideas. My niece just had a camping sleepover at a close-in campground and everyone had a great time!
Thank you for the giveaway!
wow, great ideas! For my dd’s birthday we had a shopping party. We took her and her friends to the mall, to build a bear and then to eat pizza. They had a mall day!
I think bowling and rollerskating would be a nice tween birthday party. They’re both fun for boys and girls.
Count me in.
Great ideas. Thanks!
We have had a pizza party at a pizza place with games and such.
Borrowed a friends yard to have a huge outdoor party, complete with pinata.
We rented a local community center and had a Luau theme for my daughters 15th birthday party. That was a lot of fun. Tons of kids and noise but they all went home in a few hours. lol
We held a party in an open field near a lake (and a parking lot) in a nearby national park. Most of the boys brought soccer balls and played soccer while most of the girls brought bread and fed the ducks swimming in the lake.
I use to love having bowling parties and when I got older instead of the bowling, my friends and I started having camping parties. Sitting by the fire and telling stories. Great party.
Please pick me!
They grow up to fast! Remember they’re still kids and have fun.
Great ideas. It’s always better to have the party somewhere other than home…it seems less stressful to me. Thanks for the chance!
cool ideas!
Great Ideas, I have went bowling before, thanks for the giveaway
Great ideas.
All depends on where you live, what is close by like an amusement park.
Our backyard is a playground!
Hope I’m the winner!!
Wooo Hooo Make me a winner!
What great ideas.
I like the scavanger hunt party idea.
Like many of the ideas offered.