Teen Birthday Party Ideas and Fun Themes

Trying to think of Cool, Fun, Crazy or Cheap Birthday Party Games and Activities for Friends / Guests? Here are a whole bunch of unique party ideas!
1. Pool party (home, a friends house, the YMCA?)

2. A sports game (football, baseball, soccer)

3. Twister and other active games

4. A dance contest

5. String treasure hunt - (Set up before the party and you need a LOT of string!): Tie an item or a tag with the name of each guest on then end of white medium weight string. One at a time, leaving the beginning on the string near the front door, take the ball of sting and take it all over the place (under tables, over chairs - just avoid having anything breakable- like a lamp- in the way). Do this for each person and create a giant "web" through your play area. This would even work outside. When all or most guest have arrived, give each of the beginning of there own string and let them climb through and around things to get to the end of their string. Have a prize or something cool at the end of the trail.

6. Make your own mini pizzas: Have dough made in advance. Put out lots of toppings (or ask each guest to bring one) and supply sauce and cheese. Bake and munch!

7. Hide things in the back yard or inside the house (like little wrapped gifts or fake coins). Have an Easter-egg hunt of sorts. The person who finds the most wins.

8. Play improv drama games - these are fun theater games like on the TV show "Who's Line is it Anyway?" Search the Internet for drama games for kids. These are very, very funny once the crowd is warmed up.

9. Watch a great old funny movie (check out the Marx Brothers, Abbott and Costello, or Jerry Lewis films). Dress in vintage clothes. Serve popcorn and movie sized boxes of candy.

10. Got a Wii? Everyone loves Wii. Borrow what you don't have and ask guests to bring favorite games. Smarty Pants Trivia Game sold on this page. Or what video games do YOU love most?

11. Check out the GREAT ideas by teens in the comments section below. THANKS for the great party ideas, folks!

12. A girl party? Makeovers are fun! Fairly cheap hairstyles can be done at beauty colleges (by students who are in training). Or find a mom or teen who is great with hair and make-up. Get gorgeous - Then go out to eat!

No money for a fancy dinner? Deck out the dining room with the best china and serve something fabulous - even if it is only the birthday cake!

13. Get ingredients ahead of time and cook a fantastic fancy or crazy dinner as a group. Then EAT!

14. Pirates Dice is a fun game, based on the Pirates of the Caribbean (Arrrrr). Several people can play. See if anyone owns the game or buy it on this page. We added fake gold coins to our game so we could make bets! How about chocolate gold coins? Yum!

15. Just hang out, gossip, and tell jokes. Have LOTS of great snacks!!!!!

16. Check out some or the themed activities in the linked articles.

17. Say cheese! Have everyone bring a digital camera (or pass one around). Take pics of silly faces, costumes, glamour shots, and anything else to make a great slide show of scrapbook of the party. Email everyone the photos after the event (no computer? Try the library!)

18. At bridal showers, a common game is to make wedding dresses out of toilet paper (with a few people being the "models"). How about a toilet paper dress up contest based on the party theme, a movie, fancy outfits, or funny costume ideas?

19. Have the birthday person wear certain accessories for about half the party. Then that person removes those items and has everyone write down how many of the missing items they can describe. Or the birthday person can completely change clothes and let everyone guess what he or she was wearing before (include shoes, socks, rings, etc).

20. There are lots and lots of printable games online. Look for places you can make custom word searches (add all the party guests names) and such.

21. Feeling brave? Let the guests decorate the birthday cake. Provide a LOT of extra icing!!! As an alternative, each person can frost and decorate his or her own cupcake.

22. Make an outdoor treasure hunt in advance. Write rhyming clues on paper and hide them in order. Split guests into teams and see who can find and solve written clues fastest.

23. What does your area provide? Can a church room be borrowed for a dance? Does a sports place have party packs (bowling, ice-skating, etc), is there a skateboard park? A zoo? Ask for group discounts or find a place to use for free.

24. What does your home or a friend's home have to offer? A pool? A sledding hill? A place to create art or record music? Brainstorm and ask around.

25. Want a party that will make a difference? How about arranging a volunteer activity? Ask local charities or help gather food for your local food bank. Help a senior citizen by having a house-painting party or a yard clean-up. Have a garage sale to raise money for those in need. Celebrate with pizza afterward!

26. Buy a Murder Mystery Party Game (try Amazon online) or have someone write and arrange a Murder Mystery event. Guests dress as characters to match the theme.

27. Remember to have some "chill" time to just talk. Leave time for opening presents and cake, too!

28. Truth or Dare is an old favorite. Try not to make anyone uncomfortable & have good fun.

29. Older teens may like to rent a limo, go out on a double date with friends, or such. See the list of ideas for older teens on this page.

30. If the weather is nice, consider field games like relay races. Think up nutty ideas for a silly group.

31. Have an ice cream sundae or banana split making contest. The most amazing, grossest, or cutest can win a cherry on top.

32. Like crafts? Make a cool craft at your party.

33. Play a paper clip race game (the larger colored ones are fun, but any will work). Players form teams and stand in circles. Paper clips are passed around the circle and each teen adds one clip to build a growing paper clip chain as fast as they can. The group with the longest chain (after maybe 4 minutes) wins. For another game, try playing this game in reverse!

34. Traditional party games are still fun. Try charades, telephone, sit-on-a-balloon popping, hot potato, and musical chairs. When played by teens, these kinds of games can get really hilarious.

35. Hot day? Water balloon fights, tossing games, and passing games are a good way to stay cool.

36. How about going to a local sports event, school play, or other cheap or free event?

37. How about playing Poker?

38, Make up questions for a trivia game that fits your group of friends. Sports? Movies? TV Shows? Music? Misc. Trivia?

39. Playing Guitar Hero is usually a big hit.

40. Set up a homemade carnival. Play carnival type games like popping balloons with darts, tossing beanbags, toss dimes into cups, etc.

Cool Ideas and Themes for Older Teens

* Midnight Movie (check local theaters or set it up at home). Then find an all-night diner for banana splits and movie chat.

* Throw a Dance - favorite theme of choice. Could be based on a favorite band, color, goth, 80's punk, 1920's, 1950's classic rock 'n roll.

* How about a Vampire Twilight Book Discussion or Movie Party? Think costumes, black decor, maybe a movie...Brainstorm your favorite parts of the Twilight Saga Series.



* Know a bunch of musicians? Have a jam session. Those who don't play can sing or be the audience. Have everyone bring guitars, amps, etc. Be sure to have a lot of electricity available.

* Got a favorite sport? Base a party around that. Take the whole gang out to a game or go play your own game!

* Movie Theme Night - Find a suitable movie and have everyone dress the theme or characters of the film. THAT will get their attention at the theater! Can you imaging a group of 20 doing a Pirates of the Caribbean or Indiana Jones flick? Could be silly or scary around Halloween.

* Scavenger hunt at the mall or in town. Everyone works in groups and "captures" their finds on video/DVD recorders. Ideas for items to hunt -

1. Someone kissing a fish
2. Getting a stranger to do the Macarena dance
3. A purple sweater
4. Buy 3 cents of gasoline
5. Someone in the group trying on the stupidest outfit that can be found
6. Etc! Have fun with it.

* Throw a massive surprise party!

* Have a Murder Mystery Party. You can buy kits with pre-written scripts, or write your own. Everyone comes in costume.

* How many things can you cram into one day? Meet for ice cream for breakfast, go mini-golfing, go swimming, have a picnic in the park, go roller skating, go to a movie, have a pizza and poker party - you get the idea! Switch it up to fit your friends, area, and budget.

* Have a glam photo shoot. Get parents, friends, or a pro to do awesome pics along the waterfront, in front of a fancy hotel, whatever your style... Make everyone think you are famous and make people follow your group around like celeb-watchers.

* Base the party plan on ANYTHING that the birthday person loves, be it something silly, a horror movie, an artist, crafting, just hangin' out and gossiping, a fav TV show, or whatever!

Got more ideas? Email them to me!!

These are just a few ideas to get you started. Be creative! HAPPY BIRTHDAY!