Throwing a party for your preteen or teenager can be a great idea and a lot of fun, though you may have a headache afterwards! Even when your child has reached the point that they are "too cool" for a birthday party, you might be surprised how much they will want to participate when you involve them in the planning. This article will give you some birthday parties ideas on planning an outdoor party for your preteen or teen and their closest friends.

One of the most important things about throwing a party for your older teens is the music that you play. Remember this is a party for him and the music should reflect their personal favorites. Sit down with your child and make a list of the bands and favorite songs he would like to have played. This is a good time to discuss what will be appropriate and what won't be appropriate at the party. There may be songs you don't want played because of a their racy nature so compromise where possible to avoid a fight about the music at the party.

Birthday Party Activities

Preteens and teens are at an age when they either still love to dress up in costume or are too cool to attempt to do it. Come up with the perfect party idea on specific themes - 60's, 70's, 80's, 90's, famous characters, your favorite band members, famous time period, etc. Show your child how the costumes might look and tell them why it would be fun for the themed party. It is best if your child has a good friend with him to encourage him/her to accept the birthday celebration idea. Once they are dressed up and kids are coming to their party dressed up, they will have fun talking about their costumes and being silly in them.

Unique Teen Birthday Party Ideas

Having a beach party or the pool is great if your child is confident about his body. Don't put him in an uncomfortable position of showing skin if he is self-conscious. But, if he is ok with it, having a pool party or beach trip with water games, bar-b-queing some fun foods and music will be a fun way to spend the day.

Scavenger Hunt Party Ideas For Teens

Scavenger hunts are raucous, clean fun games at any party or celebration and keep energetic teens entertained. They offer competition between groups of guests while encouraging teamwork. Most scavenger hunt parties can also be modified for guests of any age group, making them equally suitable for 13 to 18 year-olds.

Nighttime Hunts Are Great Party Games

Nighttime scavenger hunts work well at slumber parties and late-night blow outs. They keep everyone entertained and require only light supervision for teens.

Take advantage of the dark for this classic game. Replace the lights in your yard with black lights. Write your clues in glow-in-the-dark ink or white ink on black paper so guests can read them in the dark. Don't make things too easy; paint several objects that could be possible fits for each clue. Guests will have to follow the directions closely to get the right item.

Use only glow-in-the-dark lighting outdoors because black lights won't show up well outside. Mark the edges of the search area with small tap lights. Hide a few items in trees and some in low spaces under shrubs. Hide household items like combs, toothbrushes, flip flops, candles and sunglasses.

Outdoor Scavenger Hunts

The falling temperatures in autumn and winter don't mean you need to stay indoors. Outdoor scavenger hunts work well all year round. They get your guests outside and into the fresh air and are novel enough to keep even the antsiest guest occupied.

In the fall let teens loose in a lightly wooded area. Give them a list of things like a perfect acorn, twigs shaped like certain letters, bird's feathers, berries and flowers of a certain color. In the winter, create ice cubes as your items and clues. Write clues on plastic poker chips and freeze them in an ice cube tray. Freeze small prizes like coins or candy in other cubes as the items to be found.

An Outdoor Movie Night Is A Great Birthday Party Idea

Hosting an outdoor movie party for your teenager and their friends is a fantastic way to create a memorable and enjoyable experience. First, involve your teenager in the planning process to pick their favorite movie. Let them choose the movies they want to watch or create a theme for the movie night. This way, they will feel excited and invested in the event.

Create a comfortable and cozy seating area for your movie theater. Set up bean bags, blankets, and outdoor cushions for everyone to lounge on. Encourage guests to bring their own pillows or comfortable chairs for added comfort. Enhance the ambiance by adding string lights, lanterns, or even a fire pit if it's allowed and safe. This kind of party theme will create a cozy and inviting atmosphere for the guest list.

Consider providing a variety of movie snacks and treats. Popcorn is a must-have as party food, but you can also include plenty of snacks like nachos, candy, and soda. Set up a concession stand or a snack table where guests can help themselves throughout the movie.

A Mall Crawl Is A Good Idea That Is So Much Fun

Mall scavenger hunts work well for little kids, older children, teenage girls and their best friends. During a mall crawl, make as many items as you can free or inexpensive. For example, teens may have to take silly pictures next to a mall plant, pose with an elderly person on a bench, bring back three flavors of Tootsie Roll or other candy, purchase socks with ducks on them or get a novelty cup from the food court.

Garden Birthday Party Ideas For Children

During nice weather, an outdoor birthday party celebration can be fun for kids of all ages. Hosting a birthday party in the garden can provide entertainment and exercise for your young guests. It can also keep the mess out of your house. Use these tips for planning a garden party that is sure to please.

Games And Activities For Larger Groups To Have A Great Time

Play "find the fairies" in your garden. Hide small fairy figurines or cardboard cut-outs around the yard. Give children baskets or buckets, and have them collect the fairies. The winning child is the one who collected the most.

Plant a garden. Give your party guests small flower pots or cups. Let them plant seeds in potting soil and water them. Tell them to make sure to give their plants water and sunlight when they take them home.

Make an obstacle course. Use hula hoops on the ground and have kids jump through them. Draw a hopscotch grid on the sidewalk. Create stations for various exercises, like butterfly stretching and inchworm crawling. Burn off the energy and the sugar from the birthday cake with this fun and active game.

Crafts

Let your little guests make daisy chains. Give them real flowers to string together, or use paper flowers and string them onto yarn.

Make butterflies by using tissue paper and clothespins. Pinch squares of tissue between the clothespins, like a bowtie. This will be the wings. Then add pipe cleaner antennae and google eyes to the clothespins for the finishing touches.

Purchase sun catchers and paints at your craft store. Let your party guests paint theirs at the beginning of the party so they can dry in the sunlight by the time the party ends. Then they can take them home and bring the bright colors of the garden indoors with their painted projects.

Goodies

Use picnic foods since they will be outdoors at the summer birthday. Fresh watermelon slices, chicken legs, or finger sandwiches can be popular favorites.

For your cake, use green icing and paint on flowers with piped icing. Or let your guests decorate on their own, using colorful candies and sprinkles. You can even use cupcakes and let them make treats that look like individual flowers that way.

"Dirt Sundaes" or "Mud Pies" can be fun garden treats, too. Use chocolate pudding in small cups, and add chocolate cookie crumbles on top to look like dirt. Garnish with gummy worms.