Planning a unique birthday party for a tween (soon to be teen) or teenager is difficult. When they're younger, there are so many options- plus they don't even remember most of them! By the time they become teenagers, you're running on empty. Here's a list of Teenage Birthday Party Ideas in Indianapolis, your tween will love them too. Enjoy!
Looking for the perfect gift to give a loved one for their next birthday? Research shows that experiences are much better remembered and received than tangible gifts. Throwing a big bash is the perfect way to celebrate a birthday milestone. With the right birthday party planning tips, you can even make the event more entertaining and memorable.
Hosting the party at a home gives you much more flexibility over the event date and other details, but read on for more ideas on where to host a birthday party in case your home isn't the best option. These tips on how to throw a memorable birthday party will help to impress everyone on your party guest list.
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Throw the perfect Birthday Party with these tips!
Pick the Perfect Theme
One of the key tips to plan a birthday party is to pick a theme that ties in all of the party elements. This includes party decor, games, menus, invites, favors, and other birthday party details.
Many adult party hosts even plan a signature cocktail around the theme of the party. You can do the same for a child's birthday party, think: goblin green punch, butterbeer, or a colorful layered smoothie.
For adult birthday parties, popular party theme choices include: The Roaring 20's, Casino Night, Fiesta, Mystery Dinners, and Luaus. You can also plan the party around a special holiday, like St. Paddy's Day. A themed party encourages guests to dress up, so be sure to add dress attire requirements the party invitations.
Decorations are an important factor when learning how to throw a memorable birthday party with style. Be sure to order party supplies that fit the theme of the event. Top decor ideas include balloon arches, banners, table settings, and floral arrangements.
Decorate with Classy Balloons for an Adult's Birthday Party.
Set a Fun and Simple Location and Time
Picking the right venue and location is key for how to plan a birthday party for adults. Of course, it's best to finalize your guest list before choosing a location. This way you have a better idea of how large of a space you'll need. You don't want to end up with too small a space and there's no need to pay for a large space if not needed.
Another venue option is to head to the beach or lake. Guests can enjoy swimming, sunbathing, beach volleyball games, and camping. Make sure you research the open container policy for these types of locations. You also want to ensure there's are restrooms and a nearby pavilion in case of bad weather.
Pick a venue that offers fun activities. Try a bowling alley, trampoline park, or escape the room venue. Renting a private room in a restaurant is another simple way to provide a more intimate setting.
A special tip is to keep the location easy enough for guests to attend. Meaning they won't need to take time off from work or make expensive travel arrangements to accommodate attending your birthday party. If you really want people to show up, choose a location that's familiar with locals and easy for out of towners to find.
Keep it casual with a simple backyard soiree. Host a barbecue with fun outdoor games and a firepit. Be sure to have a weather backup plan, like renting a tent in case of rain or making space in your garage.
Of course, it's best to have the event on a Saturday or Sunday to ensure the best availability of guests. Early afternoon is also ideal for event timing. Many families have sporting events on the weekend and others enjoying sleeping in, so an afternoon party gives them time to plan around personal and family obligations.
Create a Delicious Menu
An impressive and delicious party food menu makes birthday events even more memorable. Choose heavy appetizers or a buffet-style meal. Serving cocktails and light canapes is a popular choice for an afternoon birthday party for adults.
An always favorable idea is to grill hot dogs and hamburgers. Then, serve a few different salads and appetizers. Include favorites like a meat and cheese board, veggie tray, and chips and dips.
It's creative to try and tie your menu in with the party theme. For a fiesta-style event, have a make your own taco bar. Include chips, salsa, guacamole, and margaritas.
Decide ahead of time if you 're going to make all of the food, host a potluck party, or hire a caterer. Catering gives you more time and energy to enjoy the party. Yet, it's the more expensive option.
Make sure you have enough supplies, including: cups, cutlery, napkins, and dinnerware. You should also serve a variety of drink options, including: wine, beer, cocktails, non-alcoholic beverages, and water.
Don't forget some type of dessert for guests to enjoy. Maybe you create a themed custom-made cake, cupcakes, or a variety of bite-sized sweets.
Get a final guest count with RSVP's, so you know how much food to serve. It's smart to have extra drinks and snacks on hand in case the party runs late into the night. No one wants to leave the best birthday party ever!
Make Sure There's Good Entertainment
The best adult birthday party ideas should include unique entertainment. This keeps energy levels up and avoids guests from getting bored and leaving early.
When hosting a fun birthday party, music is a essential party element. The right style of music will improve the mood of your guests and influence your guest's level of happiness.
Hire a local band or DJ to play music. A less-expensive option is to set up Spotify to play through a speaker system or Amazon Music through an Alexa device. Another fun idea, is to rent a karaoke machine so guests can provide their own entertainment.
Depending on the party theme, you can also hire out entertainment including: Fortune tellers, magicians, makeup or henna tattoo artists.
Fun card games or activities can go a long way to keep your guests entertained. Ladder ball, cornhole, and beer pong are popular choices. Guests will also enjoy playing darts, foosball, or pool.
Set up the Party for Style, Convenience, and Comfort
A key tip is to give yourself enough time to set up the decor. Ask close friends and family members for help if you need it. Try to do as much as you can the day before to save on time.
It helps to create an organized timeline and checklist for any deliveries. This includes: furniture rentals, catering, and music equipment.
Set up tables for gifts, favors, food, and the dessert ahead of time. Be sure to provide plenty of seating for guests layered with the finest chair covers and linens, both inside and outside of the venue. Some guests may want to step outside for fresh air, to talk on the phone, or take a smoke break.
Keep all of the bathrooms well-stocked with toiletry essentials. You may even want to consider renting a portable toilet for larger outdoor events.
Lighting is an important aspect of any adult birthday party. Lighting accents help to create the right ambiance for the party. Add bistro lights around any outdoor living spaces.
Always make sure there are plenty of trashcans and recycle bins placed around the event. This makes for a much easier clean-up when the party is over.
How to Throw a Birthday Party to Impress Your Guests
You'll want to be sure that all of your guest's needs are met and you have set the right party ambiance for the right crowd. And, if your party is outdoors, don't forget to come up with a backup plan in case of inclement weather. No one wants to go to all of the trouble planning a great party only to have it washed out. Hopefully, these party tips will help you know how to throw a birthday party that wows your party guests. Remember, planning an unforgettable party involves picking the right theme, venue, menu, and entertainment.
Here are 20 Fantastic Things to do with Balloons for your next Kids Birthday Party
Do your kids love balloons? Do they have to get a balloon in every restaurant or beg for balloons at the Dollar or Party Store? Shower your child with these ideas for balloons for a birthday party they'll never forget. We've got some great ideas from our own blog, and we've found several ways to decorate for a balloon birthday party from Pinterest. Enjoy!
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Are you all out of fresh ideas for a Girls' Teen Birthday Party? We searched Pinterest and found some fun ideas that your teen daughter will love. It isn't a party without games, favors, and a fun theme!
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These kids played soccer with our giant volleyball. Grab a net, a truck load of sand, and turn your backyard into a beach volleyball court!
We found this very stylish Volleyball theme party idea at Kara's Party Ideas. I particularly like the chocolate fuel candy bars!
Throw a volleyball theme party for your daughter
like this one from Kara's Party Ideas.
Volleyball! With this party theme, make sure you schedule time to play a game of their favorite sport, but change it up a notch with giant, inflatable volleyballs. If you're really cool, and really want to impress, truck in a load of sand! Change the sport for an athletic teen boy's birthday party theme.
Afterward, chill out with volleyball cupcakes and healthy (or not so healthy snacks). It is a birthday party, you can take a little break!
Beach or Pool Party! I know, it has been done before. Really a pool party? But, you can make it your own! You've got leftover sand from last year's volleyball party, so use it! Bring on the sandals and fruity mocktails. Give the girls colorful beach towels in your daughter's favorite beach party colors. To make it extra spectacular, make sand castle cupcakes like these from Confections of a Sugarholic blog.
Sandcastle cupcake from Confections of a Sugarholic.
Glamping! Oh the fun that the girls can have while camping! S'mores, bonfire, and ghost stories in luxury. Set up a nail painting tent, a food tent, and a movie tent! The girl's can travel from glamorous tent to glamorous tent. Add a fuzzy rug in each tent and gather your beautician to do their hairs and nails, then visit the food tent and place an order. Let Dad in on the act, he can be a fancy concierge/delivery boy (make him wear a tux).
We Heart Parties has this beautiful party food setup with an owl theme. Don't let those hoots scare you when you are sleeping in the tent!
A Night on the Red Carpet! Have the guests wear prom-style party dresses for this Oscar party theme birthday. Roll out a "red carpet" leading to your front door, for party favors the girls can create Oscar sculptures, then practice their thank you speech at a mic stand as their friends present them with a handmade Oscar. Celebrate with a golden slice of birthday cake. For more Oscar Party Ideas visit DesignDazzle.com
Spa! Bring on the sliced cucumbers, body scrubs, nail polish, sleeping masks, and special fruit water. Did you know you can add glow sticks to clear nail polish to make them glow-in-the-dark?
First, I'll share my process in making the balloon birthday cupcake decoration. You know, the giant balloon that's all over YouTube and Facebook? You'll need to pack a party load of patience to make that balloon cupcake decoration. If you're a mom who drinks wine, maybe step one should be a few sips of a nice Riesling. If you want to make a giant balloon birthday cupcake for baby's first birthday party, even with my simplified method, you're going to need a few hours and at least one faithful friend. Ready? Read on for my Balloon Birthday Cupcake Tutorial!
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How to Make Balloon Cupcake for Birthday Party YouTube
This was my process, it's real. If you want to cut to the chase, scroll down for detailed instructions on how to make a giant balloon cupcake.
Step One
Refuse to take money from your friend. She offered $75 and dinner. Plan in your head how they must've created the giant balloon cupcake. Draw it out on paper. Watch the videos below. Realize you got it all wrong. Decide you can't do it. Give up.
Balloon Birthday Cupcake Seen on Pinterest YouTube Tutorial
Step Two
Think about it some more. Try it your way. Realize it is going to be tedious. Give up, but remember your blog's motto is, "You can do it!" He's a professional, he must know the easiest way to do it, right?
Maybe this one is easier? (It's not,)
Step Three
Watch videos again. Decide to really pay attention. Have a glass of wine Use the easiest steps from each video. Realize this is completely ridiculous and only a professional balloon designer can make these. This is why the florist said they'd make one for you for $300.
Think about it some more. You're no quitter! You can do it! After all, that's what this blog is all about. Try it your way again. This time with more confidence. Start with a tiny prototype. Watch one more YouTube tutorial on how to make a giant balloon cupcake like the ones on Pinterest. Decide you deserve a nap.
Wow, she seems fun and nice. This isn't a cupcake, bur realize the concept is the same. The skill level is still difficult. It doesn't look easy when they do it. Think about that. They are trying to make it look easy! It's not...
Step Five
Share your tiny prototype with friend who hopes to have the best one year old's first birthday party ever! She's so patient. She trusts you. She has complete faith in you. You find this rattling. But, you're determined. Go back to STEP ONE. Create the balloon cupcake, the way you imagined it was constructed. Listen to friend cheering you on, "See, I knew you could do it." Think friend is nuts. This looks nothing like those giant balloon cupcakes. She's tired, she's over it, she just wants something after all of this effort. You know she's thinking, $300 would've been a lot easier.
Realize it's not perfect, but it will do. Just show it's good side. Reconsider making these for a living. Realize $75 is a great price, understand why the florist wanted to charge $300. THEY ARE SMARTER THAN YOU ARE, THEY DON'T WANT TO DO IT!
Refuse to ever make another one, even though you know full well, that the next one will be better. You learned from your mistakes. You know how to make it straight. You know the ins and the outs. Baby, there isn't enough wine in the world...
What you say? Where are the tiny balloon sprinkles? Well, I ought a.... We bought tiny balloons, we taped them on with duct tape. They looked dumb. I'm sure you need the tiny, long balloons used for balloon animals. I didn't feel like another trip to the store! Sharpies, worked just fine. Pink and purple Sharpies would've been nice though.
Step Six
Take it to the giant balloon cupcake to the party. (That seems like a simple step doesn't it? Well, it's not!) Disassemble the giant balloon cupcake in as few pieces as possible. Place it in the trunk of your hatchback, crossover SUV. Ha, ha. ha. Jokes on you. Panic. You're going to be late to the party. Read text from very patient friend, "Where are you?" Panic some more, don't answer text. Notice your Dad's Trailblazer in the driveway (he left it there so you could get some giant rolls of carpet for the house.) Open the hatch, say a little prayer. It fits! Thank goodness the party is less than five minutes away.
It's three pieces!
Step Seven
Pull up at the church. Rush to get the balloon inside the door. The door, yet another obstacle. See everyone ooh and ahh as you enter. If you've ever been on stage, you know how applause feels. This feels like that. Think, maybe you could make these for a living. After all, this was the first attempt. Surely, it would get easier each time? And, you certainly know what NOT to do.
Don't worry, I had to blur baby's face, she's a beautiful baby in the process of adoption.
So, now you've seen the videos, you've read my process leading up to it, here's the UNCONVENTIONAL giant balloon birthday cupcake tutorial. May the force be with you!
Sit down with the laundry basket in your lap. Starting with the second column of holes, tie a PINK balloon to the vertical weave in the basket (between the holes.) Skip every other hole. Do this all the way around the basket. Our basket had vertical line holes, some have circular holes.
Balloons will move, don't worry about this now. Depending on the spacing of your basket's holes, you may need to skip the next row. If you see the basket between the balloons, use every row. If not, use every other row. Got it? You will after a few rows.
Note there are only two rows of holes, I tied two balloons to each vertical strip to get a line of four balloons tall.
The balloons want to escape, the don't stay orderly. Don't worry about this until you've got them all tied down.
Once all pink balloons are tied down, you can then gently push them to arrange them in a straight (ish) line. For the balloon's white cupcake frosting top, I used the process in the ice cream cone video from above. I connected six white balloons together to create somewhat of a circle. I made a separate grouping of four white balloons for the topper and then tied the red balloon in the center with fishing line.
Balloons are willy-nilly, but can be arranged at the final stage.
Here you can see, that the cupcake is 3 separate pieces.
So, how do you attach the balloon sections together? I was going to tie them with fishing line as demonstrated in the first Balloon Cupcake YouTube Tutorial, but that proved too complicated for me. Also, I kept popping the balloons. I tried duct tape, but you could see it. In the end, I didn't connect the pieces at all and was thankful for this when it was time to load the balloon for delivery.
Get the Cupcake lanterns and Pinata from Oriental Trading. Baby's face is blurred to protect identity.
The cupcake's purpose was for a photo shoot for a very special baby's first birthday party. The cupcake wasn't perfect, it had a bad side, but we just turned it to the good side! Photo shoot was amazing! Baby is beautiful, but we aren't permitted to share her face here. Just know, she was tickled to death with her giant cupcake!
Celebrate Froggy's Birthday with these 6 Fun Ideas
In honor of Jonathan London's newest Froggy book, which was released March 10, 2015, we're sharing 6 froggy birthday party ideas for book lovers. Feel free to share your own frog theme birthday ideas too. Enjoy!
Froggy's Birthday Wish by Jonathan London.
Froggy's Birthday Wish Froggy is celebrating a birthday. He gets lots of wonderful, exciting presents, but he isn't happy. He wants something else. Finally, Froggy's mother shows him her present. Now Froggy is happy!
This book is fun to read in a classroom setting for a birthday celebration. You might like this fun birthday cake craft to go along with the story.
Birthday Cake Craft.
Another fun birthday activity is to make your own Pinata from construction paper and a cardboard tube. Froggy had a moon pinata, but we're making a traditional donkey pinata. This mini pinata is perfect as a party favor or place setting decoration. Just fill with your favorite candy or treats.
How to make a donkey pinata party favor.
You will need: construction paper, scissors, paste, 2 cardboard toilet roll tubes or 1 cardboard paper towel tube, and tape.
To make a donkey pinata birthday party favor:
Cut 1/2" strips of your favorite colors of construction paper. Use tape to attach to the base of the tube (torso) as seen in figure 1. Wrap until the cardboard tube is covered and tape to attach the end. Next, cut 1/4 of the other cardboard tube. This will be the head (see figure 2). Cut four 1/2" slits, 1/4" apart on one end of the head. This will allow you to connect the head to the end of the other tube. Leave the two center slits to attach the ears. With the leftover piece of the cardboard tube, cut two ears as shown in figure 3. Slide the ears into the center slits and then slide the outer slits onto the end of the other tube as shown in figure 4.
Next, wrap the head and ears just like the torso portion. Now, cut small strips and glue to cover the donkey until it looks like a real pinata as seen in figure 5. Cut two 2" wide strips of paper. Wrap one into a link, tape the ends, and stick into the head. This will be the nose. When complete, use construction paper to make a mouth. Use the other one on the other end- this will keep the candy in place. Finally, cut eyes out of construction paper and attach.
Congrats! You've made a mini pinata party favor. Breathe a sigh of relief... yep, it was harder than we thought it would be too, but if you are relaxing watching television you can knock several out in an hour. Practice makes perfect!
Froggy's Worst Play Date by Jonathan London.
Froggy's Worst Play Date Froggy wants to go out to play, but all of his friends are busy. Good news! Mom has set up a playdate with Frogelina. He has to watch the Frog Prince. At the movie, they eat popcorn and have a food fight! In the end, Frogelina steals a kiss from her froggy prince!
Have you ever tried this movie popcorn trick?
Do you know the trick to eating popcorn?
This little girl doesn't know the trick! At your next birthday party, amaze your friends with magic. Did you know movie popcorn will jump on your tongue? Yep, all you have to do is stick your tongue out over a bowl of popcorn and Voila! The popcorn attaches to your tongue! Try this with our homemade microwave popcorn.
Fun Popcorn Recipe for a Birthday Snack
This is an fun alternative to Brown Sugar Pop Tarts.
Cinnamon Brown Sugar Popcorn
6 Cups Plain, Unsalted Microwave Popcorn (see recipe above)
¼ Cup Amish Country Buttery Popcorn Topping
¾ Tsp. Ground Cinnamon
¼ Cup Brown Sugar
Pour butter into paper popcorn bag and shake to mix. Add brown sugar and cinnamon, and shake bag again. Enjoy.
To celebrate the book, make a Frog Prince Puppet. Here's a similar frog puppet pattern and how to from DLTK. We used a mini paper plate and styled our puppet to look like Froggy! If you want, add a yellow crown to make a frog prince.
Frog puppet for Froggy's Worse Playdate theme birthday party.
You will need: mini paper plates, paint or markers, scissors, tape, and construction paper.
Froggy's Best Babysitter Froggy's parents are celebrating their 10th anniversary. Froggy has to stay home with his baby sister and a baby sitter. Froggy makes lots of messes, and he plays in the bathtub with his baby sister.
Froggy's Best Babysitter by Jonathan London.
As a companion craft for this book, and a fun activity for your frog theme birthday party, you might like to make a froggy pond sensory play bin like this one from Growing a Jeweled Rose.
A froggy sensory play bin, like this one from Growing a Jeweled Rose,
is a fun birthday party activity for toddlers.
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. Here's a similar frog puppet pattern and how to from DLTK. We used a mini paper plate and styled our puppet to look like Froggy! If you want, add a yellow crown to make a frog prince.
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