As parents, we like to ensure that we make each and every birthday that our children have extra special. After all, it’s a special day - the day that marks their entry into the world. When they’re young, our kids are all too happy to have a birthday party complete with party games, a bouncy castle, and lots of balloons.
However, as they get older and approach adulthood, a lot of teenagers don’t like the idea of having a party like they used to when they were eight. Instead, they want to celebrate in a way that the other kids at school will see as being cool. For us parents, knowing what this is can be a real struggle, making it hard for us to plan them any kind of celebration.
It might be hard to plan a birthday celebration that your teen is sure to love, but there’s no need to panic. Luckily for you, we’ve got you covered. Below is a collection of tips and ideas for throwing your teenager a birthday party that they’re sure to love.
Think about their likes and dislikes
The best advice for throwing your teen a birthday party is to take their likes and dislikes into account, just like you would when they were younger. You wouldn’t just throw them a fairy party for their sixth birthday without thinking whether they would like it, would you? No - so make sure to take the time to think about your ideas for their birthday and whether they would like them. For instance, for a girly girl, a manicure and makeover party could be ideal. However, for a girl that’s into sports and video gaming, it most probably wouldn’t be something she would appreciate. Think about what your child would like and appreciate, to ensure that they enjoy their birthday celebrations.
Talk to them about it
If you’re unsure about an idea that you’ve had for your teenager’s birthday, sit down with and talk about it. Say, for example, you think that your son might like a paintball party. However, before booking it, it’s worth asking him. As otherwise, you could pay for a party that he won’t actually enjoy. If you want it to be a surprise but want to ensure that your child will like their party, ask their best friend what they think. That way you can make sure that they’ll like it and will have a nice day celebrating with their friends. It could also be worth asking their friends who to invite along to the party. If you’re unsure who your child would like to celebrate with, that is.
Find ways to put a grown-up twist on their celebrations
All teenagers want is to feel grown up. So to make you teenager’s birthday that little bit more enjoyable, consider putting a grownup twist on it. To come up with the best ways to do this, you may need to get a little creative. Think about the things that your teen used to like to do as a child to celebrate their birthday, and find a way to put a grown-up spin on it. Say, for instance, your daughter used to love to have a movie and slumber party at home. How about booking her and her closest friends VIP tickets at your local cinema, followed by dinner at a restaurant you know she loves? Or, how about allowing her to have a movie marathon at home with her friends, complete with a takeaway of her choice. Get creative and think about how you can put a grown-up spin on the ways that your teen used to love to celebrate their birthday. For inspiration, have a browse online.
Revamp the party bags
Teenagers might like to think that they’re all grown up but that doesn’t mean that they won’t appreciate a party bag. However, call them party bags and the chances are that nobody will touch them. Instead, rename them 'goody bags' and find ways to revamp them to make them more grown up, so to speak. As well as filling them with birthday cake and sweets, get creative with the other bits and bobs that you put inside them. Have a browse online to see what there is on offer that teenagers might like, such as custom-made friendship bracelets, for instance. Or how about custom-made bobbleheads from sites like Mbobble? There are so many simple ways you can put a grownup spin on party bags for teenagers, it’s just a case of taking the time to get creative.
Think carefully about the food
At 13, 14 or 15 years old, the idea of having a party with traditional party food is incredibly embarrassing. So if you want to ensure that your teen’s birthday celebrations are a success, think carefully when it comes to the food that you serve. There are so many different options to consider, from buffet style food to BBQs - it just depends on what your teen would like. Ask yourself what their favorite food is and go from there. Say, for instance, they’re mad about pizza. Perhaps you could create an Italian-inspired menu for their celebration? Say, for example, your teen loves ice cream. How about hiring an ice cream station where they can top their ice cream of choice with all sorts of sauces, sweets, and chocolates? Get creative, and there are plenty of menu options. Of course, if you don’t fancy feeding the guests yourself, perhaps the answer could be to go out and eat? Or, how about ordering a takeaway?
So there you have it, how to plan and throw a birthday party that any teenager will love. Admittedly, as children get older, they become much harder to please when it comes to their birthdays. This is because they want to celebrate in a way that their friends deem cool. This can make the process of planning a celebration for your child much more complex. Hopefully, however, the tips and ideas above have given you a better understanding of how to go about planning them a birthday party.
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