Tween and Teen Party Ideas

Planning & Invitations

Invitation Ideas for a Teen's Party

Get guests excited to celebrate with creative invitations. The ideas below go from simple to extravagant. Choose the idea that fits best with your budget.

• Send out a Facebook event invite. For the event's picture, choose a cute baby photo. Make sure you ask the guests to reply "yes, no or maybe" in the invite so you can keep track of who's coming.


• Blow up a balloon (don't tie it off) and write the party details carefully on it with a permanent marker. Deflate the balloon and wash off the tip. Mail the balloons to the party guests. Include instructions for them to inflate the balloon to read the party details!


• Have custom t-shirts made that feature the party details and guest list. Have fun and design the shirt to look like a concert t-shirt with a big logo on the front and all the guests names on the back.


• For a sleepover party, deliver the invitations with a pair of flannel pajama pants.


• If the guests live close by, hire a limousine company and then ask the chauffer to knock on the guest's doors to deliver the invitations. Each invitation could be placed on a silver serving tray and uncovered in front of each guest and include a decadent treat on the tray as well!


• Order personalized invitations from Birthday in a Box. Choose from more than 200 designs that match your party theme. We personalize each invitation with a name and the party details.

Decorating & Food Ideas

Party Decoration Ideas for a Teenager's Birthday

Whatever the party theme, we offer a multitude of different decorations that will create a festive atmosphere. For example, if you're having a pool party, we have festive luau party supplies and decorations. If your party is based around a movie or television show, use found objects to create scenery that's similar to the show's set. Here are some more ideas that will work with most party themes.

• String Christmas lights around the room and dim or turn off the main lights. Add several black light bulbs to create a nightclub atmosphere.


• Don't just serve food in cups and bowls. Be creative with your food presentation with goblets, jars, hats, wicker baskets and fancy silverware.


• Play some favorite music that goes along with your party theme. You can also set out a video game system or movies for guests to play and watch.


• Display an object that your party guests can sign with a message for the guest of honor. This can be a large poster board, scrapbook or t-shirt. Be sure to include a permanent marker and ask everyone to sign before they leave.


• Scatter disposable cameras around the room for guests to use. Collect the cameras at the end of the party and see what develops!


• Create a curtain for the party room's doorway with streamers. Create a streamer chandelier by grouping a bunch of colors together in the middle of the ceiling and then draping them out to the corners of the room.

Party Food Ideas for a Teenager's Party

In addition to pizza, hamburgers or hotdogs serve some creative snacks at your party. Here are some suggestions the party guests will surely devour.

• Provide hors d'oeuvres like mini pizza bagels, pizza rolls, sliders, pigs in a blanket and chicken strips. Also provide a veggie platter or cheese and crackers.


• Serve breakfast food at the party instead of dinner foods such as waffles, pancakes, cereal, bacon, sausage and bagels.


• Serve a variety of candy like jelly beans, M&Ms, gum drops, licorice and lollipops in glass jars. The colorful candy will also serve as a nice table decoration.


• Set up an ice cream bar where the party guests can choose their own ice cream flavor and toppings.


• If you're showing a movie at your party, provide popcorn with toppings such as cinnamon, powdered cheese, and caramel.


• Have a cookie decorating contest. Use cookie cutters to make sugar cookies and then see who can decorate their cookie the best using frosting and candy.

Party Favor Ideas

Party Favor Ideas for a Teenager's Party

You're never too old for treats! Thank your guests for coming to the birthday party with a favor that rock! Here are some of our favorite ideas.

• At the party take a photo of the birthday teen with each guest. Send each guest home with a photo frame and then mail the picture of the two of them with your thank you notes.


• Temporary tattoos


• Friendship bracelets


• Notebooks or stationary with a cool pen


• Mini board games


• Swirl lollipops, rock candy or candy bars


• Personalized zipper pulls are a popular way to decorate jackets and bags. Choose from more than 200 designs and we'll customize them with your friend's names.

Party Theme Ideas

Quick List of Preteen and Teen Party Theme Ideas

Here are some creative preteen and teen party ideas that your guests will be talking about for years to come! For more in depth ideas, see the Games and Activities section at the bottom of this page.

• Black Light Highlighter Party: Ask your guests to arrive wearing an old white t-shirt and then pass out highlighters. Replace the lights in the party room with black light bulbs or lamps. Everyone can draw on each other's shirts to create their own glowing wardrobe!


• Ice Cream Sundae Party: Decorate the kitchen to look like an old ice cream parlor and then invite your guests to make the ice cream treat of their dreams. Make sure you provide all sorts of yummy toppings.


• Backyard Movie Night: Rent an inflatable screen or projector and then provide picnic food and blankets for your guests. Then, wait for dusk and start the movie.


• Casino Night: Ask your guests to dress in formal attire and then invite them over for a night of non-alcoholic piña coladas, strawberry daiquiris, and Shirley temples. Ask some adult friends to be card dealers and dress the part too. Then, let the card games begin! Have some pennies on hand for the guests to pretend gamble with or use candy. Cash out for bigger prizes or gift cards.


• Come as You Are Party: This idea has to be 100% cleared with parents first! On the day of the party, fake kidnap the party guests and then drive them to a special place such as a hotel, restaurant, ballgame, spa or movie.


• Olympics: Put your guests' skills to the test by hosting your own Olympic games. You don't need to play sports for this competition; get creative with the type of games that are played. They can be silly or theme related.


• Fortune Telling Party: Get out the Ouija Board and spook your guests with a night of horoscopes, palm readings and scary movies.

Quick Game Ideas for Preteen and Teens

If you just want to invite a group of friends over to play games and hang out, here are some of our favor ideas.

• Dodge Ball Tournament: Find out who has the same skills they had in Elementary School with a few rounds of dodge ball.


• Water Balloon Battles: Cool down on a hot day with an impromptu water balloon fight. This is great fun if your guests don't know it's about to happen!


• Neighborhood Scavenger Hunt: Send your guests out in teams to find a list of objects from around the neighborhood. The first team back can win a cool prize.


• Gingerbread House Contest: Work together in teams of 3 or 4 to create theme-related gingerbread houses such as a house of rock, sorority house, tree house or old-fashioned gingerbread house. The best creation can win a prize.


• Whacky Races: Use household objects to create all sorts of silly races for your guests to play. Have a relay race while balancing books on your head, wearing high heels or spinning to the finish line without falling over. Award gag gifts as prizes.


• Man Hunt with Squirt Guns: Dress in old clothes and then fill squirt guns with water and a little bit of food coloring. Then, go crazy in the backyard with a game of water gun freeze tag.

View More Game Ideas

Party Planning Toolbox

Use the links below to quickly find related theme party supplies, planning tips, printable checklists, and advice from our party planning experts.

• Themed Party Supplies: Includes paperware, invitations, personalized items, favors, and decorations for over 150 themes.


• Themed Personalized Items: Check out our exclusive personalized items including invitations, bookmarks, stickers, and more!


• Birthday Party Decorating Ideas: This guide will tell you how to decorate for your party theme, what to do with balloons and streamers, how to decorate with food, how to set the table, and how to make your own party decorations.


• Parties Under $100: Use this guide to celebrate in style without breaking the bank!


• Party Budget Estimator: Download this guide to help budget your expenses.


• More Birthday Theme Ideas: Browse our list of over 130 themed party guides to find tips for your child's next birthday! Each guide includes ideas for invitations, decorations, food, favors, games and more.

Games and Activities

Game Night Party Board games, card games and video games will give your party guests a chance to have some laughs while winning big!	Girls Craft Night Sleepover Party Get crafty with the girls and make bracelets, friendship pins, scrapbooks and more! Everyone can keep the items they make or trade them with their friends.
Camping Party Invite a small group of close friends to go camping or, just camp out in your backyard for a night. Tell ghost stories, roast marshmallows and have a blast in the great outdoors.	Dance Party If your teen's friends have the moves, they may enjoy a themed dance party. Choose a favorite style of music and DJ the night away!
Themed Costume Party If the party guests have a common interest such as a popular TV show, sport or hobby, consider a themed costume party.	Murder Mystery Party Invite your party guests to a dinner party they'll never forget. Everyone will be assigned a character to play at the murder mystery party. The good news is, we've written the whole thing for you!