Planning a birthday party for kids turning 9 through 12 can be a bit of a challenge. They are growing out of the ‘kid themed’ party stage, but are not quite old enough for ‘teen’ parties. This may cause you a bit of stress when planning, as you want to make sure everyone has a great time at the party, especially the birthday boy or girl. But don’t worry! There are several great options for birthday party themes that will work for any tween. Below are a few ideas to consider when planning your tween’s birthday party.

1. Glow in the Dark/ Black Light Party: This theme is always a crowd pleaser! There are so many different ways to make this party theme a fun time for everyone. Glow sticks and black lights are, of course, your best friend for this type of party. Use glow sticks as a way to light up balloons, as wraps around clear cups, or even as décor on a ceiling fan to create a super neat glowing circle effect when the fan is turned on. For table décor, use a Styrofoam ball as the center and insert glow sticks into the ball to create an interesting and unique look! Re-useable light up ice cubes are another fun way to add some glow to this party. For some extra flair, check out Pinterest for recipes to make glow-in-the-dark cupcakes using vitamin B2. Glow-in-the-dark bubbles are a super easy DIY project to give out as favors to each guest. To create a party keepsake, use UV reactive paint from JoAnn’s or your local craft store, and have guests make hand prints on a canvass or sheet. For games, try neon twister or neon bowling! Be sure to use a mini-UV light, or black light, when shopping for décor items to make sure they will actually glow in the dark. Front Range Event Rental has black lights, and clear cupcake stands for rent, and balloons available for purchase, to ensure you have everything you need for this party theme.

2. Under the Stars: This theme is perfect for any tween wanting a classy feel for their birthday party. To create an elegant dinner setting, start with white padded folding chairs around a table with the birthday boy or girl’s favorite color linen. Lanterns, with faux candles, placed on mirrors, are a great decorative accent for the table. To add some extra flair and sparkle, use white pipe and drape to create a backdrop, and decorate with twinkle lights. Decorate with stars in gold, silver, and the birthday tween’s favorite color. If space allows, an arch can make an excellent entrance way to the dinner table, or as a separation between the dinner space and the rest of the party area. Serve ‘clouds’ (powdered donuts), or star shaped cookies as a dessert. Add a touch of ‘Old Hollywood’ to this theme, by following a light dinner with a classic movie and popcorn. Consider renting a popcorn machine from FRER to give the feel of being at the theatre, without leaving the comfort of your living room or backyard!

3. Decorating Party: Does your tween have a knack for crafts? Are they doodling, or creating art with every spare moment? If so, this is the party to plan! This is one of the easiest and most fun DIY party themes. Check out your local craft store, or dollar store, for decorations, glue, picture frames, block letters, or any other items the party guests may want to decorate. If the party is during warmer months, consider having guests bring an item of clothing to tie-dye! This is definitely an outdoor activity, as tie-dying can get messy, and you will want to avoid staining carpets and indoor furniture. Rent a banquet, or two, to give the crafty kids enough room to work. Be sure to use disposable Kwik Covers for the tables, and not real linens, as this party may leave you with a bit of a mess. For something to eat, serve cupcakes, pancakes, cookies, or any other food item that can be individually decorated. Make sure parents know to send their kids in something that can get a bit dirty, as creativity can be hard to contain to just a table space! The best part of this party, is that you can skip spending extra money on party favors. This can be a big extra expense, but with this decorating party, the guests make their own keepsakes as part of the party fun, so you can pass on party favors. Contact FRER for any chairs, tables, or Kwik Covers you may need for the party!

4. Pizza Theme- Who doesn’t love pizza? This theme is sure to leave guests feeling happy and full. Create a simply relay or obstacle course for guests to run through while carrying a pizza box, or several. Have a friendly competition to see who will have their pizza cooked first! Once the race is over, have everyone create their own personal pizzas. Be sure to notify parents of this activity, to ensure any allergy, gluten free, or dairy free needs are met. Give stomach’s time to settle with a showing of the classic pizza loving Ninja Turtles movie. For another game option, play some pizza twister. Instead of spinning for colors, guests will be spinning for pizza toppings. Right foot pepperoni! Of course, dessert pizza is the obvious choice when serving a sweet treat at this party. Worried your guests may be experiencing pizza overload by dessert? Cut a large party sized cookie into ‘pizza slices’ to give the look of pizza with the taste of something totally different.

                Hopefully one of these party options has sparked some ideas for your tween’s birthday. There are many other party themes to consider, so if none of these seem like your tween’s cup of tea, check out Pinterest for other great ideas. For any rental items for the party contact Front Range Event Rental today for a quote. Thanks for reading, and happy tween birthday party planning!