Choosing a birthday party theme for a teenager can seem hard. But it does not need to be.
Many of the teens still like a fun costume party or a fairy tale theme. And those who don’t might enjoy an awesome birthday activity or simply having friends over for donuts or other sweets.
I collected fantastic teen party ideas for you to go through. With these themes you can host an awesome birthday party for your teen!
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Obviously, everyone’s interests are different, but this list of fun party themes for teenagers should get you started.
Many of these ideas work for either guys or girls. Since I only have girls, it is a little bit harder for me to think what boys might like, but I hope you’ll find bday ideas here that also work for your teen boy.
1. Mystery Party for Teens
I hosted a mystery party as a 16th birthday party for my daughter. It was a lot of fun. It was great that everyone got into their roles and dressed up for the part.
I prefer mystery parties that are not pre-scripted. Every guest receives information on their role before and at the party. It leaves room for creativity and spontaneity.
There are a ton of mysteries to choose from.
Talent Show Tragedy is for 8 – 20 people. It has several gender-neutral roles, so you can throw a party for girls and guys.
The game is easy to run and fun for everyone. Each guest has an active role and gets to complete objectives to solve the mystery.
Your teen and the guests will talk about this party for a long time.
2. Gold and Blue – Starry Sky
The magical starry sky.
Gold and blue colors make a fun, festive party. Display big gold numbers, and use ornaments to add sparkle to the food tables.
Create a blue and gold balloon garland. And add some gold stars to the ceiling or the walls for extra twinkle.
3. Snow-Themed Party
Is winter your teen’s favorite season?
She’d love a snow-themed birthday party. Fun ideas!
A gorgeous snowy lane backdrop creates an instant winter wonderland. Add some sparkle with snow table scatter and a bit of humor with melted snow labels.
4. Downhill Skiing
Host an awesome action-packed teen birthday party at a ski area.
I assume many downhill ski places have a lodge. So, take a break in the lodge and enjoy hot chocolate and cupcakes. Some lodges might have a room you could rent for your birthday party. And maybe they will even let you bring your own food.
Or you could have a ski-themed party indoors with snow and ski decorations, ski pass invitations, and some yummy theme-related desserts like ski-shaped cookies, a ski hill cake, etc.
4.1. Food Ideas
- Powdered Donuts (snowballs)
- Coconut cupcakes
- Andes Mints
- Toblerone
5. Dr. Seuss – Not Only For Little Kids
Seriously?
Yes!
For my daughter’s 19th birthday, I planned a Dr. Seuss party. And why we chose this theme… well, it was my idea…
She has always loved books, and by the time she was two-something, she had Hop On Pop book memorized.
She is also super playful and hopefully always will be.
I’ve got fun Dr. Seuss party ideas for you so you can plan a seussibration for your playful, fun-loving teen.
6. Museum
It is true. Even teens can enjoy museums. So this made it to the list of ideas for teen birthday parties.
- Art Museum
- Sports Museum
- Science Museum
- General Museum
- History Museum
Some museums have a cafeteria or maybe a room you can rent for the birthday party. You can enjoy some cookies, cakes, and other pastries.
Play a few games. Maybe a trivia or a theme-related board game, such as
And I wonder if the museum would allow you to have a scavenger hunt…
7. Amusement Park
A day at an amusement or water park. Fun, Fun, Fun!
Since amusement parks don’t usually allow you to bring your own food, you could have a picnic outside the gate.
Or, if that does not appeal to you, eat at one of the dining places in the park.
This teen party will be memorable and provide a good amount of thrills to the birthday star and friends!
Go on rides, take some awesome photos, eat, and do a scavenger hunt… if those are allowed in the park.
When searching for teen birthday ideas, I came across these cool shirts!
Birthday Squad and Queen Shirts from Viberack, Etsy
Birthday Dude T-shirt from oTZIshirts, Etsy
8. Harry Potter – The Boy Who Lived
After all these years, the tale of Harry Potter still intrigues the crowd. And maybe your teenager is one of them.
With the Harry Potter theme, your teen can enter the world of magic and wonder on his birthday.
This party can be done on a small budget. I’m hoping that the Magical Harry Potter Party On Small Budget ideas will help you host the most amazing and memorable party for your teen.
Your Harry Potter fan, might enjoy camping in the Forest of Dean or all the other fun ideas from Quidditch World Cup to Yule Ball intriguing.
9. Luau For Teens
Aloha! Put on your grass skirts, grab a refreshing beverage from the Tiki bar and let’s hula!
Luau parties bring a smile to everyone’s face, whether winter or summer. Hawaiian music, fabulous decorations, and delicious treats put you in the aloha mood, and you’ll feel like you are in paradise.
This collection of Luau Printables makes hosting Luau for teens a breeze.
A DIY banner is also included. You’ll get all the letters of the alphabet, numbers, and several images to make any kind of banner you want. Make a bunch of banners!
You’ll find ideas for luau food and fun games in the Luau Party Ideas article.
10. Alice In Wonderland
A fun evening or afternoon with the curious characters from Alice In Wonderland.
Fairy tales are fantastic and pretty popular among teens, too, with all the movies that have come out.
The Alice In Wonderland Party Ideas will help you to throw the most enchanting birthday party for your teen.
11. Beauty and The Beast
Another excellent fairy tale is the story of Beauty and The Beast. Decorate the party area with blue and yellow colors, and add roses and “enchanted” items.
Make the party area or a part of it look like the West Wing with torn-up tablecloths and wall art. An enchanted rose is a must.
This life-size replica of the enchanted rose is gorgeous. An artificial rose under a removable glass dome brings magic to the party.
12. I Love New York!
New York… Statue of Liberty, taxis, Manhattan, Time Square, Broadway, Central Park… do it all or focus on a thing or two.
Host a birthday brunch with bagels and cream cheese.
Take pictures in front of the Time Square photo backdrop.
13. Ancient Greece
A fun costume party for teens!
Create the look of ancient Greece with white columns, cool photo props, backdrops, and greenery.
Host Olympics with various fun activities:
- bowling
- Pindaloo
- lawn darts
- races, etc.
14. Laser Tag
Whether you want to take the whole gang to a laser tag place or play this cool game at home, it will surely get the teens moving and have a blast.
When I was a kid, we played flashlight tag but having a laser tag set makes the game much more fun!
This laser tag set is cool enough for teens too.
15. Theater
Take the birthday star and friends to a theater. Take them to a restaurant, coffee shop, or something after so they can hang out and chat.
Or bring the theater to you and watch a musical together!
16. Hiking
If your teen is outdoorsy, then a hiking trip would be something he might like. Bring along nutritious snacks or lunch. Cupcakes probably don’t travel well, but pies and other pastries do :).
Combine the hike with fun activities such as swimming or a scavenger hunt. Take a look at the Nature Scavenger Hunt from Studio 20 Designs, Etsy.
Parties Are More Fun With Games!
Check out this collection of party games for teenagers.
Snag awesome indoor and outdoor game ideas so, the fun can go on no matter the weather.
17. Camping
Camping… It’s fun, I’ve been told…
I know many families who love it, and the teens are usually more excited about it when they get to bring friends along. Then it’s actually pretty cool.
Set up a tent in your backyard if camping sites are not your thing. Sit around the bonfire roasting marshmallows, sing a few songs, and play the capture the flag or glow-in-the-dark games.
The cool camping signs will help to create the perfect atmosphere at your backyard camping site!
RELATED POST: 33 FUN PLACES TO HOST A TEENAGE BIRTHDAY PARTY
18. Chocolate Factory Tour
Who would not like that! Especially if they offer samples. I went to one as a teenager, and they had an all-you-can-eat chocolate station!! That was long ago, though, and it was in Finland. So, before you book a tour, find out whether there will be free treats.
As an alternative, host a chocoholic birthday party at home.
Everything chocolate!
- Chocolate cupcakes
- chocolate cookies
- chocolate covered popcorn
- strawberries and oranges dipped in chocolate
Play “name that chocolate.” Blindfold the contestants and ask them to identify various chocolate samples.
19. Cookie Decorating
Talking about sweets. How about a cookie decorating class! Teach it yourself, ask a friend to do it or take the birthday crew to a local cookie decorating class. Afterward, it is cookies and milk time!
20. Beach Party
If the wintery birthday party ideas don’t work out for your teen, how about a beach party.
Maybe you own a cottage that would work perfectly. You could also rent a cabin for a night (adult supervision, of course) or take the teens to a public beach.
20.1. Beach Games For Teens
- Volleyball
- Bucket Ball
- Water Bucket Relay
- Beach Bowling
- Tug of War
- Jazzminton
- Capture the Flag
- Spike Ball
20.2. Beach Party Food
Bring yummy beverages and treats to be enjoyed at the beach.
- Fruit Salad
- Chex Mix
- Granola Bars
- Taquitos
- Fried Chicken
- Guacamole and Chips
Since we are talking about teens, what would be a better cupcake topper than an edible one!
- Fondant Sunglasses from Kandy Koncepts, Etsy
- Edible Shark Cupcake Topper from Sugarsweet Printshop, Etsy
- Edible Surfboard Cupcake Topper from Christy Maries 83, Etsy
And don’t forget the music! Beach, sunshine, volleyball, and music.
21. Stranger Things
This popular, creepy TV series provides teens with lots of fun, from incredible decorations to cool games.
My middle daughter picked a Stranger Things party theme for her sweet 16. It was fun to plan, even though I have never seen any episodes; too creepy for me.
I’ve got a whole Stranger Things party plan for you. You’ll love it!
22. Outdoor Movie Night
A movie night outdoors or indoors is a perfect way to celebrate a teen birthday.
If you don’t already have an outdoor screen this one has pretty good reviews.
22.1. Popcorn Bar
Movies and pop corn. Yes! A popcorn bar with lots of fun toppings.
This humorous pop corn bar sign from the Doodle Coop is awesome addition to the bar. You can also get the download with a black background and white letters.
You’ll just needs lots of seasonings and toppings and you are ready to go. Make your own labels or purchase pop corn topping printables, (16 pop corn bar labels.)
Topping Ideas
- caramel sauce
- strawberry sauce
- chocolate chips
- pretzels
- marshmallows
- cranberries
- coconut flakes
- sprinkles
- cinnamon
- sugar
- garlic powder
- chili powder
- salt
- pepper
I love the idea of using paper bags for serving pop corn! Easy cleanup.
22.2. All the Fun Extras
Inflatable Lounger from Amazon
When you are young, you can sit on the grass or blanket with no problems, but it might be fun to have some Inflatable Loungers for the teens to launch on during the outdoor movie night.
This one has a cool side pocket for a water bottle. And you don’t even need a pump to fill up this lounger!
If it gets chilly where you are, maybe a few extra blankets for the guests to keep warm.
You could also plan games like movie trivia or glow-in-the-dark bowling.
And don’t forget the bug spray. Bug bites can really ruin the fun. Mosquito plants are supposed to work well in keeping mosquitoes away.
23. All About Sports
Get tickets to a game. The birthday teen and his friends will have a great time cheering for their favorite team.
And all the food is right there… hotdogs, chips, ice cream.
You could, of course, host a sports-themed party at home or watch a game at home. Serve fries and wings and have a snack bar with all kinds of goodies.
Decorate with the teen’s favorite team colors, and perhaps you can even get everyone to wear the colors too.
During the half time play cool games:
24. Coffee Shop
This cheerful Join us for a latte of fun! invitation sets the stage for this fun coffee party!
Set up a coffee shop in your living room. Serve delicious treats, chat, and play coffee bingo.
25. Dinner in Paris
Use your imagination and create a Parisian restaurant or cafe. Enjoy a fantastic dinner or French pastries such as macarons.
Place an Eiffel Tower in the party area: a backdrop or centerpiece.
Activities:
Take a look at these intriguing Paris party ideas!
26. Song Lyrics
Be inspired by song lyrics. Some of them will give you fun ideas for the party.
27. Quotes
Create a party themed based on an inspirational quote or a quote from a book.
Bonus Idea for a Teen Birthday Party
Younger teens like 13 or 14 could still like a theme like this: Cruise theme. This party takes them on an imaginary cruise with lots of good food, games, and other entertainment.
And hey, maybe there are still some older ones who are super playful and would enjoy it too.
Party Themes for Teenagers Summary
Teen parties should not make you feel like you need therapy unless it is My Tuesday Therapy where you find fantastic party ideas for teens.
Choose the perfect party theme for your teen and have a wonderful time hosting it.
- Mystery Party
- Gold and Blue
- Snow Themed Party
- Downhill Skiing
- Dr. Seuss
- Museum
- Amusement Park
- Harry Potter
- Luau
- Alice In Wonderland
- Beauty and the Beast
- I Love New York
- Ancient Greece
- Laser Tag
- Theater
- Hiking
- Camping
- Chocolate Factory
- Cookie Decorating
- Beach
- Stranger Things
- Outdoor Movie Night
- All About Sports
- Coffee Shop
- Dinner in Paris
Save For Later! My Tuesday Therapy is here for your party needs.
