20 Fun Birthday Party Ideas for Teens and Tweens
These ideas are guaranteed to satisfy even the pickiest of teenagers.
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Time goes by so fast. Remember when you could get away with throwing your little boy or girl a birthday party without any input? You could just decide to throw an oh-so-cute dinosaur-themed birthday party, and get nothing but thanks. Or what about when throwing your kid a Mickey Mouse-themed birthday party made you a national hero? Those were simpler times. As your kids get older, their list of "cool" stuff gets shorter and shorter. So while you still may be able to privately continue birthday traditions like giving your child a special one-of-a-kind DIY birthday card (with a specially selected birthday quote, natch) and baking up a homemade birthday cake, the tween party themes may take a little more brain power and compromise.
You can think outside the box when it comes to the food (maybe stop by Krispy Kreme for a dozen birthday donuts). Or look to their favorite shows, movies, or games for inspiration. (Combination Harry Styles/Harry Potter party, anyone?) Or click through this gallery for more ideas for terrific tween birthday party ideas.
Fried Fest Tween Birthday
You can never go wrong with fried snacks! These tots are the perfect complement to a birthday feast. Serve them up in a vintage soda crate and don't forget the sauce.
Tweens might scoff at wearing party hats, but you can still jazz up the dessert table with these party hat napkins.
Coke Float Tween Birthday Party
Why not trot out a super sweet retro idea for a birthday party? Set up a bar full of all the possible fixin's for the ultimate Coke float.
If your finicky teenager refused to pick a theme, choose pizza! This party-in-a-box kit makes putting it all together a breeze.
Tea Party
You can throw a fun tea party without actually serving, you know, tea. Kids will devour desserts served in teacups.
Another way to add a touch of confetti! This tabletop size piñata is festive and almost too pretty to bash.
Garden Party
Look to the great outdoors for a party theme. These sweet tulip cupcakes are perfect for birthdays young and old.
Capture the special moments at the birthday party, so they'll never forget these tween years—even if they want to.
Ice Cream Social
This is an easy one to pull off. Get a few pints and a dozen or so toppings and let the tweens go wild.
Show your tween that you are in on internet lingo with this fun birthday cake topper.
Fondue Party
For the more "grown-up" young person, a three-cheese fondue party is just the ticket.
This box has everything you need to get a tween-tastic party started: cupcake kit, matches, and lots of confetti. It's pretty much a known fact that tweens love confetti.
Sure you may only get your brooding tween to wear it for three seconds, but it's the thought (and photo) that counts.
Cocoa Party
A slumber party is not complete until ghost story time with a side of hot cocoa. Try adding a pink whipped cream to really wow the kids.
Picnic-Themed Party
For those summer birthdays, head to the backyard, set up some lawn games, and invite everyone to take five for snacks on a blanket.
Waffle Ice Cream Sandwich Party
Tweens will delight in these fun and easy desserts, featuring their favorite breakfast food.
Tailgate-Themed Party
Got a truck? Then you have a venue. Take down the tailgate and add thermoses, coolers, and a variety of hearty snacks.
Sandwich Party
For the tweens that would die if it looked like you actually tried too hard, keep it simple by creating a sandwich bar where kids can create their own meat-filled masterpieces.
The older you get the bigger your balloons should be!
Hot Wing Party
Have the kids take a break from the video games by enticing them with delicious hot wings. (Maybe have some wipes on-hand so your entire house isn't covered with the saucy handprints of 11-year-olds.)
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