What To Do For a 13-year Old Birthday

[bytheblood]

Scavenger Hunt is the best idea... Bingo seems too babyish for 13 year olds (I used to teach middle school).... Tye-dying could be fun also.... What about Karoke with one of those at home machines?

Karoke would be fun if I had the machine. Although, I have a cousin who is a musician and she may be able to loan something to me.

Bingo would not be babyish for these kids.

 

[bytheblood]

How about a "Minnie Project Runway?" You could set up the activity as Minnie Mouse needs some new outfits and she's hired a group of aspiring designers - your DD and her friends - to craft them for her. Have a bunch of fabric scraps, lace, ribbons, etc in Minnie's favorite colors (red, yellow, white, black, pink) and some cheap tees that can be cut up and embellished. Fabric markers, glitter glue, safety pins, feathers, glue-on plastic "jewels" - whatever you can find at the fabric, craft or dollar store - will add to the fun. The girls will love to spend time creating the perfect ensemble for Minnie. Then they can each model their creation, or if you have a big Minnie Mouse plush, they can take turns putting them on her, and have a picture made of the "star" with each "designer."

Other ideas - Minnie Manicures. Since you will have several adults in attendance, enlist their help to paint the guests' nails. Of course, one of the main offerings could be bright red with white polka-dots.

- Blindfolded Minnie Mouse portraits. Pair up the girls and have one wear a blindfold. This one is the artist and is given a large sheet of paper and a marker. The other is the guide and must give instructions for the drawing of a picture of Minnie Mouse. "Put your marker down and make a circle. Now pick it up and move over a few inches and make another one..." After awhile, switch artists and guides. This was an activity at DD's youth group a few times and caused lots of giggling and fun. The pictures come out really crazy and for some reason this age loves that.

These are all great ideas. Especially the one that gears towards "fashion designing" for the older kids.

They always paint their nails when spending the night, so they would like that too. I was considering letting a few of them spend the night, that would be lots of fun for the girls the night before too.

 

[ilovesugar]

These are all great ideas. Especially the one that gears towards "fashion designing" for the older kids.

They always paint their nails when spending the night, so they would like that too. I was considering letting a few of them spend the night, that would be lots of fun for the girls the night before too.

I would be careful with only allowing a few of the 8 to spend the night. That might cause hurt feelings.

 

[KAMLEM]

How about a "Minnie Project Runway?" You could set up the activity as Minnie Mouse needs some new outfits and she's hired a group of aspiring designers - your DD and her friends - to craft them for her. Have a bunch of fabric scraps, lace, ribbons, etc in Minnie's favorite colors (red, yellow, white, black, pink) and some cheap tees that can be cut up and embellished. Fabric markers, glitter glue, safety pins, feathers, glue-on plastic "jewels" - whatever you can find at the fabric, craft or dollar store - will add to the fun. The girls will love to spend time creating the perfect ensemble for Minnie. Then they can each model their creation, or if you have a big Minnie Mouse plush, they can take turns putting them on her, and have a picture made of the "star" with each "designer."

I have a 13 year old and if she was at a party where they did this she would be miserable. She loves Disney but this seems like it would be more appropriate for an 8 year old.

I agree that bingo is too babyish. At 13 most kids will entertain themselves. I may have one or two activities but I would not try to fill the whole party.

 

[ilovesugar]

When I was 13, the last thing I wanted at my party was a bunch of games and parents. I just wanted my friends around me, a phone, nail polish, music, pizza and snacks and a movie for later that night.

 

[bytheblood]

My daughter is ten and she would rather not have a party than to have Disney Bingo and a Minnie Mouse cake at it....that really is WAY to juvenile for a teenagers party- Why not let her grow up and not try to keep her 6 years old? Sweet and Innocent is a good thing, but trying to keep them 6 years old at 13 is really not. Not saying have some drinking and dirty dancing party- but why not something age appropriate??

My daughter chose her party ideas. You have the right to raise your child how you want as do I.

She is very proud that she is seen as a "straight and narrow" kind of kid instead of "worldly" like other kids her age. Honestly, her dad and I are proud of her for it, too. While some kids are having sex and getting pregnant at 15, mine will be focused on her studies and making good choices for her life.

 

[bytheblood]

I agree that bingo is too babyish. At 13 most kids will entertain themselves. I may have one or two activities but I would not try to fill the whole party.

I think you are right, they will entertain themselves. With a pool table, trampoline, bathroom full of girlie foo-foo stuff, 3 game consoles and a kitchen full of food, I don't think there will be much for mom to organize.

 

[mjkacmom]

My daughter chose her party ideas. You have the right to raise your child how you want as do I.

She is very proud that she is seen as a "straight and narrow" kind of kid instead of "worldly" like other kids her age. Honestly, her dad and I are proud of her for it, too. While some kids are having sex and getting pregnant at 15, mine will be focused on her studies and making good choices for her life.

While dd13 wouldn't let me plan her parties (or want me there - it's around this age that biologically kids start to move away from the parents, and towards peers), she and her friends are in the "quiet" crowd - honor students, choir kids. I don't think any of them have ever even kissed a boy (dd's bff tells her mom everything, and she tells me ). There can be a happy medium.

 

[autumnpalm]

I just wanted to say to the OP for not making your kids grow up too quickly. If your DD would rather have a Minnie party with family and friends- that's great! It sounds like you've put a lot of care into planning and you've got some really cute ideas from other posters.

FWIW when I was 13 I was still playing with my American Girl dolls and baking with my mom and was not at all into boys or makeup or anything like that. I'm only turning 21 now, so this wasn't too long ago. I am so grateful that my mom let me grow up at my own pace and didn't try to hurry me along into becoming a mini adult. I had a wonderful childhood and am really appreciative of it.

One other game we used to play at parties when I was young was "pass the present." You can wrap up some candies, maybe some plastic jewelry, small coins... anything you think the kids might like and put them into a satchel or box. Then wrap it in layers and layers and layers of wrapping paper- you could go with Minnie Mouse polka dots- and have the kids pass it around in a circle. When the music stops, whoever has it unwraps a layer of paper. When you get to the last kids, they get to open the present and then you can divide the goodies into smaller bags that they can take home or play with there.

 

[KAMLEM]

I think you are right, they will entertain themselves. With a pool table, trampoline, bathroom full of girlie foo-foo stuff, 3 game consoles and a kitchen full of food, I don't think there will be much for mom to organize.

I think that sounds good, my DD would be happy with that.

 

[mousebymarriage]

OP I wouldn't worry too much about having a ton of stuff to keep them entertained. The things that intrest the little ones will be boring for the older ones so maybe do pin the tail on the donkey (or pin the nose on the clown) for the little ones and the bingo would work well for them too. as for the older ones you seenm to have a good variety of stuff for them with the video games, trampoline, pool table etc. I agree with the PP's that suggested music for dancing and karaoke would be great too. My DD is 13 (will be 14 in Sept) and her 13th bday party was a slumber party for her and 13 of her friends. They decorated tote bags(we bought them at the craft store and then they used fabric paints, foam stick on, jewels etc to decorate and they were dry the next day to take home as their favor). they had pizza, chips, cake and make your own ice cream sundaes. The girls had a blast dancing, singing and playing the Wii. They also played Twister (yes, it's an old game but they loved it), the girls were hysterical when they were playing it. Oh, I also bought a bunch of beads and stuff from the craft store and they made braclets, key chains etc.

 

[kristilew]

I have a 13 year old and if she was at a party where they did this she would be miserable. She loves Disney but this seems like it would be more appropriate for an 8 year old.

I think it depends on the kid. I got the idea from a bday party my almost-13-yo attended and she loved it. Anything crafty or design-y makes her happy.


OP, I'm sure your DD has chosen her friends carefully and the ones she would want to share her bday with would be ones who could have fun doing what she likes to do. And bravo for you for helping her to hang on to childhood for as long as possible. They have their whole lives to be grown up, but they can never be kids again.

Have you ever read Bringing Up G.E.E.K.s? Wonderful read for moms like us. The initials stand for Genuine, Entusiastic, Empowered Kids. It's by Marybeth Hicks.

 

[disneyjunkie]

My daughter chose her party ideas. You have the right to raise your child how you want as do I.

She is very proud that she is seen as a "straight and narrow" kind of kid instead of "worldly" like other kids her age. Honestly, her dad and I are proud of her for it, too. While some kids are having sex and getting pregnant at 15, mine will be focused on her studies and making good choices for her life.

Believe it or not, straight and narrow kids also have sex. Some even get pregnant.


How do you know what your daughter will be doing in two years?