Virgin Cocktails for teen party

[scrapquitler]

I need some help/advice. This isn't my gig, so give your opinions or not about the party format, no skin off my back, just know that my kid isn't having this kind of party (for one thing, I'm way too cheap).

My daughter's friend is having a big 13th birthday party in July. I'm friends with the Mom, and she asked me for advice, but I'm going to ask all the smart Disboards people

The party is going to be a boy/girl party, there will be about 60 kids and it will be held at a local 'nightclub' that is run/owned by a DJ company and they rent the space for parties like this. I've never been there before, nor has my friend. There is going to be a DJ, games, finger foods, candy buffet and my friend wants to do some kind of virgin cocktails at the 'bar'. The girls Dad and probably some of his friends will be the 'bartenders'. She is looking for info about what kind of drinks to make and how to plan for it, how much to expect the kids to drink, etc. In all, 50-60 kids probably 80% girls age 11 1/2-14, the rest will be boys the same age and probably a dozen parents.

Thanks for any suggestions, ideas, links, etc.

 

[golfgal]

We usually serve "kids champagne", sparkling grape juice, for holidays. We had it for the kids when they ate her for Homecoming too. I would think that virgin margaritas, pina coladas and similar would go over well. YOu can buy the big buckets of mix at the store and just not add alcohol.

 

[mykidsand_i]

For my H.S. graduation, we did a bunch of different fun drinks...one was mixing frozen strawberries, ice and a bit of orange juice in a blender. It's healthy and OHHHHHHH so good in the summer. Almost anything can be mixed with some ice cream- making 'strawberry old fashioned soda's' with whipping cream, blend strawberries, a little strawberry pop and some ice and ice cream. Can also be done with grape soda and blue berries.
other goodies are orange juice, mixed with 7-up and some grenadene (sp???...it's cherry juice)...
There's lots of good juices that go well with 7-up...
there's a sherbert punch that is really good in the summer- 7-up, sherbert ice cream, pineapple juice, hawaiian punch...
there's a place online that sells 'glow cubes' they look like ice cubes, put them in the cup along with the beverages and they 'blink' with different colors. My cousin had them at her wedding dance that was Non-alcoholic (her new hubby was a recovering alcoholic, so they didn't allow any alcohol at all...)

There are a lot of different kinds of frozen type drinks that can be made from the frozen juice section- they are like daquries or margaritas, just with out the liqour.

 

[AKL_Megs]

Orange juice, cranberry juice, club soda and a squeeze of lime.

 

[golfgal]

I have a good punch recipe:

1 can frozen lemonade
1 can frozen limeade
1 large can pineapple juice
1 bottle ginger ale or 7-up
sherbet--I usually use lime

mix all the liquids, then add the sherbet, serve. It makes about 2 punch bowls full so how ever much that is.

 

[The Mystery Machine]

Expect them to drink a lot of soda and water as well. I am sure some of the kids will have fun with it. Some of them will have 1 cocktail and then probably drink soda after that. (Keeping my 13yodd in mind).

So I would try and have cocktails with Sprite/7UP, club soda & fruit juices with the maraschino cherry in it or a slice of lemon, lime, orange, or pineapple to make it easy on the bartender.

The water could be fancy with just a slice of fruit, call it a sparkling lemon drink or something along those lines.

A nice sherbet punch is always a hit.

Grenadine in OJ for a "sunrise" or a Shirley Temple.

I would make up cool names for them and have a menu of drinks available so they can "order" their drinks. I am sure they would get a kick out of that.

Oh and I would use the SMALL disposable cups (8oz) for the fancy drinks and maybe 12oz cups for the soda and water. Have large trash cans for the kids to throw the drinks away. That is a lot of kids and will be a lot of cup trash.

 

[krcit]

My kids beg me to make virgin daquiries in the summer. Mostly strawberry, sometimes banana or both mixed

 

[Katieinwonderland]

Virgin strawberry daquiris and pina coladas are easy, you just buy the mix and blend them with ice.

Fruit punch is easy too: orange, pineapple and cranberry juice with sprite and a splash of grenadine.

I like the idea of putting sparkling grape juice in champagne glasses too! That sounds fun!

I'm sure there will be picky kids too, so I would keep basics like soda and water on hand.

 

[HSMndLKfan92]

Virgin strawberry daqueris work.

 

[Cindy B]

My daughter has gone to a bunch of functions like this this current year (13). The big hits are virgin strawberry daquiris, pina coladas, shirley temples, sodas with flavoring shots, and sometimes iced coffee/frappachinno type things.

I will say one thing, she came home from one of these functions and said "Mom Strawberry daiquris are really good" She told me that in some of these functions they have a "kid" bartender so they know that these drinks are the non alcoholic kind!

 

[ChristaDeVil]

Okay, I think this is a super cute idea. I don't know if you have a Dollar Tree or Everything's a $1 in your area, but our local one has plastic champagne and margarita glasses (disposable).

 

[MAKmom]

At 13 they do drink a lot but I would make small Frozen drinks instead of large ones they will abandon them.

I make a punch for all my kids parties that is a huge hit. Punch flavored juice, Pineapple juice & 7 up. When they were small I used Juicy Juice.

You need to make a frozen Ice ring with fruit.

 

[DawnCt1]

Am I the only one who thinks that this type of party is more appropriate for older teens? A nightclub type setting with a bar isn't the kind of party I would plan for a 13 year old and her friends.

 

[Tracy Savage]

Am I the only one who thinks that this type of party is more appropriate for older teens? A nightclub type setting with a bar isn't the kind of party I would plan for a 13 year old and her friends.

Thank you Dawn, I was thinking it to. Why encourage the bar scene?

 

[DawnCt1]

Okay, I think this is a super cute idea. I don't know if you have a Dollar Tree or Everything's a $1 in your area, but our local one has plastic champagne and margarita glasses (disposable).

Maybe she can find some "candy cigarettes" and "bubble gum cigars".
Some of these kids are as young as 11? What happened to roller skating at a rink or a pool party?

 

[ChristaDeVil]

Okay, I totally missed the "13 and under" part. I still think it's a cute idea, maybe for 16 year olds.

 

[Scurvy]

Am I the only one who thinks that this type of party is more appropriate for older teens? A nightclub type setting with a bar isn't the kind of party I would plan for a 13 year old and her friends.

No, I was thinking it, too. As cute an idea as it seems, I wouldn't want my 13 year old going to a party that glamorizes the bar/nightclub scene.
I do understand that the drinks aren't alcoholic, but the idea still rubs me the wrong way.

 

[Cindy B]

This birthday party party sounds pretty similar to the "party" part of a bar/bat mitzvah celebration. My son and daughter have gone to a few where there is a large amount of teenagers, dancing, games, and a non alcholic bar.

It is pretty common around here. Sure, it is still shown for quinceneras and sweet 16 but the 13 th party is getting pretty big as well.

 

[akelly]

Am I the only one who thinks that this type of party is more appropriate for older teens? A nightclub type setting with a bar isn't the kind of party I would plan for a 13 year old and her friends.

It's not that I wouldn't make my daughters a fun virgin drink if they wanted one - afterall it's just "punch" - it's that the whole atmosphere of this party seems weird. Why encourage a bar scene? To me it tells the kids that a bar is necessary to have real fun.

 

[*BTMRR*]

It's not that I wouldn't make my daughters a fun virgin drink if they wanted one - afterall it's just "punch" - it's that the whole atmosphere of this party seems weird. Why encourage a bar scene? To me it tells the kids that a bar is necessary to have real fun.

Yes, I agree. This makes me a little bit sad...I guess I'm getting old. When I was that age I remember going to a couple of "soda fountain" parties--that seems more appropriate for tweens and early teens.
But then again, my mom didn't even like when we picked "Daiquiri Ice" flavor at Baskin Robbins when we were little, so maybe I've been brought up to be a prude when it comes to kids and glorifying alcohol.