Planning a birthday party for tweens requires thinking of what makes tweens different. They’re not little kids, but not yet teens, either. Tweens are at an in-between age where you have to mix things from the kids and teens categories to find the perfect balance. They want more independence while still having time to play. Tweens and parents can work together to plan the party, too, making sure everyone’s happy with how it turns out and offering a bonding opportunity as you work together.
Here are some of the best birthday party ideas for tweens.
Classic Party Ideas for Tweens
Trampoline Park
Check your area for a trampoline park that hosts birthday parties. You typically just have to have every guest fill out a safety waiver, and then they plan and execute the party for you. It’s an active party with tons of high-energy fun.
@someonebringmecoffee #birthday #teenager #13 #happybirthday #fun #trampoline #trampolinepark @altitudetrampolinepark #momlife #boymom #party #jumparound #houseofpain #boymomma
Skating Party
Choose from roller skating or ice skating, where all you have to do is show up, and the venue does the rest. Many venues provide the food and cake, but make sure you ask for those details when booking the party.
Arcade Party
Arcade parties are easy because you don’t have to plan the fun – it’s just provided. Give game tokens and let the kids have at it, choosing which games to use their credits on.
Creative & DIY Party Ideas
Arts and Crafts Birthday Party for Tweens
Choose a few crafts and set up stations tweens can rotate to, creating things they can take home with them. Painting, hat decorating, bracelet-making, and tie-dye are all fun options. You can also have a slime station where tweens make their own slime with sequins, glitter, or beads to mix in. If you’re making slime, just make sure to keep things tidy so that nobody makes a mess or gets slime in their hair.
@summer.salts Girly bow craft birthday party 🎀💘🎨 #girlbirthdayparty #bowparty #craftparty #hatbar #charmbar #necklace #tweengirl #indoorparty #partyideas #bowpartydecor #birthdaygirl
Spa Party
Book a salon for a spa party with the girls, or plan a DIY spa night at home. Either way, it’ll be a party tweens love because it’s fun and makes them feel a little more grown. Plan for facials, masks, nail-painting, and other self-care stations.
@simplyjessskincare Tween facial party! #orangecountymoms #spapartyforgirls #spapartyideas #missionviejo #orangecounty #tweenskincare #lagunaniguel #HPRadicalReuse
Tween Birthday Parties at Home
Movie Night Sleepover Party
Host a classic sleepover party and have a movie marathon. Set up a cozy area for watching the movie, plan a popcorn bar, and serve themed drinks. Plan some other activities too, like birthday party games, fort building, or challenges in between movies. If the guests don’t want to spend the night over at your house, you could have a sleepunder instead!
Backyard Campout
Set up a tent or two in your backyard, and complete the night with camping snacks and foods like a s’mores station and some flashlight games. Planning a scavenger hunt or camping charades would be fun, too. If the weather doesn’t cooperate for this event, you can clear out your living room or basement and set up tents there, instead! An indoor campout can be just as fun.
@arloforpresident For context in my household we have 3 Teens and 1 Toddler and they all had a blast LOL. A budget friendly summer Activity. #family #momsoftiktok #momlife #camping #budgetfriendly #creatorsearchinsights #fyp
Video Game Party
A video game party at home is so much fun and completely customizable. Consider setting up two or three stations with different games for tweens to rotate between. One station could have racing, like Mario Kart, another could have a sports game, and the third could be a random, fun party game. Another idea is to choose one video game for the theme and go all out with it. A mix of video games vs active fun is essential at these parties, so make sure to plan something high-energy, too.
Birthday Outings and Adventures for Tweens
Escape Room Party for Tweens
For small group sizes, an escape room promotes teamwork and communication. You can book a room at a local escape room venue, or you can plan your own escape room at home. Either way, make sure it’s an age-appropriate theme, and then relax as your child bonds with their friends.
Mini Golf
If you have a nearby mini golf location, you can utilize the space for your tween’s party. If you don’t have a place nearby, you could set up your own mini golf course in your back yard or in your basement! Use cups as holes, and set up challenges to see who can get it in.
Bowling Party for Tweens
Bowling perfectly mixes the fun that tweens still crave from their “kid” years with the socialization that they need as they get older. Many bowling alleys have birthday packages that include food, drinks, and cake, but if yours doesn’t, ask about the rules of what you can bring yourself.
Hiking or Scavenger Hunt
Tweens still love time to play outdoors, even if they won’t willingly admit it. Planning a hike or outdoor scavenger hunt (or both combined into one) allows them to have outdoor fun while making memories with friends. You can choose a local park or hiking spot that offers a place to serve party food and cake, and give small prizes for scavenger hunt winners.
Tween Party Themes
No matter the location or activity involved in your party, you can set up a theme to make it even more fun. Ask guests to dress up according to the theme, or provide accessories that fit it for everyone to put on when they get there.
Here are some themes for a tween party that they’ll love:
- Glow-in-the-dark
- Carnival party, complete with carnival games
- Hollywood glam
- Cooking party
- Sports theme
- Minecraft
- Dance party
- TikTok
- Taylor Swift
Budget-Friendly Birthday Party Ideas for Tweens
Throwing a birthday party for your tween on a budget is completely possible. You don’t need to reserve a large event space for a birthday party, you can have a ton of fun at home. Like we mentioned earlier, you can set up a mini golf course at home instead of paying for everyone at a mini golf course. You can also DIY other parts of your party planning to save some money!
- Create your own decorations
- Make printable games
- Have guests decorate their own dessert
- Cook homemade food
Food and Drinks for a Tween Party
There are limitless options when it comes to food and drinks for a tween birthday party. The best options are finger foods that are fun, customizable, and east to eat.
Taco Bar
A taco bar is easy for a party, and guests can customize their plate, so everyone likes what they have. It’s low-stress and doesn’t require too much work. You only need taco shells or tortillas, seasoned ground beef or chicken, and all the favorite taco toppings.
Slider Station
DIY meals make things feel special, and a slider station offers plenty of choices for everyone. You’ll need mini buns and some type of filling option – think cheeseburgers, pulled chicken, or ham and cheese. Then, offer an assortment of toppings and condiments.
Cookie or Cupcake Decorating
As part of your tweens’ party, you can have guests decorate their own dessert. It doesn’t require too much setup – you can keep it simple with pre-baked items and easy toppings. You can even turn it into a contest, where the best design wins a prize.
Sundae Bar With Toppings
A sundae bar is so much fun and perfect for the in-between stage tweens are in. Offer a couple of ice cream flavors and plenty of toppings. This is a great idea for the summer, as that’s the best time to eat ice cream.
Mocktail and Snack Bar Party
Give teens a chance to experiment with recipes and create delicious drinks for themselves or their friends. Along with ingredients for making fun mocktails, have a snack bar where they can munch as they bond and talk throughout the night. You can also set out some easy games or icebreakers (that don’t seem like icebreakers) to help keep the conversation going.
Drinks for a Tween Party
No matter what drinks you serve, consider the presentation – tweens love a fun, colorful setup. Some ideas include:
- DIY mocktail bar
- Fruit punch in a clear dispenser with floating fruit slices
- Flavored lemonade
- Infused water – cut up fruit and add it to pitchers of water
- Hot chocolate bar
Conclusion
These birthday party ideas for tweens make it easy to plan and execute the perfect party. Tweens and parents can plan together to make sure it’s perfect for everyone and to bond during the process. You’ll want to make your invitations and get them out on time for other families to plan, and then think of a theme, activities, food, and your party timeline to keep things moving. The most important thing is to have fun and encourage bonding based on your tweens’ interests.