Party Ideas for 13 Y/o Boy

One of my son's favorite birthday parties is going to a movie with his buddies without parents. We live right around the corner from the movies...sometimes we feed them BBQ hamburgers and fries/chips first and then they walk over to the theater for the last matinee of the day. We pay for the movie tickets ($40 for 6-7 boys), but the boys pay for any snacks they want to buy. When they come back we feed them cake/brownies and ice cream and my son opened his gifts. They play video games while they wait for the parents to come back by our house to pick them up.

The other big favorite among boys this age is a BBQ (hamburgers and fries) and a sleepover...they don't really sleep, just watch DVDs and play video games all night.

Have fun and be ready for the noise and rowdy behavior!

1 mom found this helpful

S.,This one is way too long, go make some coffee or something.

My 12 year old daughter loved her party game, kind of modeled after "The Amazing Race". I think it would be great for boys too, and you can just have it be a daytime thing (I don't think guys like the whole sleepover thing). She had seven guests. Blue or red checkers were chosen out of a lunch sized paper bag. The teams were given a list of 20 unusual "items" to find and photograph, with each team having only one camera. The team had to inclued a model, someone showing the item by pointing at it, etc. There was a six block radius which I assume was followed. They were given two hours.

Some of the items they had to find: An address that added up to 35, a pair of shoes on a front porch, two street signs with at least three of the same vowel, a tiny bicycle, a beautiful garden, a horribly neglected one, a car with more than five bumper stickers, a rock landscape design, a painted mailbox, a sleeping cat, a soccer ball, a tiny dog, a car that hasn't moved in a long time, a lemon tree, etc. I compiled the list over a couple of days while walking our dog. The catch was that with only one camera, they had to negotiate how to get it all in.

The catch was that any specific item that was photographed by both teams (there was only one pair of shoes and both teams photographed one of the same street signs) had to be eliminated.

Both teams found 16 items. They judged themselves, 'selling' their photograph. They used criteria like better composition, harder to photograph. Examples: Because the soccer balls had to be pointed at by the model and one had two girls crouched down around the ball pointing down was funnier than the one taken from far away with someone pointing from above. One team found a yard with two little bicycles, one team found a rock garden that had black and white rocks forming stars, an abondened '65 Impala was decidedly cooler than a Toyota Camry, etc. I liked the nicest garden the best, one girl's dad is a landscape artist, and no one could deny that her knowlege was incredible - The other thing that was great is how they all got a chance to model and they started getting really into it, posing like high fashion models or the Price is Right models.

There was a lot of laughter and the judging was the best part in a way with a lot of laughing and joking - "Oh, yeah. Those rocks have weeds in them!" or "Our dog wasn't in a fenced yard!" etc. etc.

The winning team got priveliges such as choosing the movie, the pizza and soda, they didn't have to brush their teeth, getting to be in charge of the other teams cell phones (at this point I was just coming up with stuff). It honestly wasn't who won, it was more about being more organized, and what they deemed to be better photographers. I was consulted on two pictures, I improvised my reasons in a fake British accent: "Well the compisition on this one is certainly more integrated, with the surroundings". and they were cracking up. It was a blast, most of her friends put their best pictures on line and told other students about how cool it was.

I reccomend it highly. They actually named the game Photofindfantastic and want to do one on their own with a video camera.

It was fun, and I didn't have to drive anyone anywhere, and it didn't cost a thing. It was a girl's party, but I think it can be modified for anyone in that age range.
G.

1 mom found this helpful

My daughter likes LaserQuest (Mountain View). They have brithday packages.

How about a mystery type clue hunt thing that they have to divide into groups and solve a mystery that you provide various clues to???

Hi S.,
Ask your son to pick a few friends to come over. when my son turned 13 it was easy bake a cake and have popcorn and junk food and they all hung out it doesn't need to be a big deal I think I spent 20.00 the only thing that cost money was getting his psp screen fixed
best of luck D.
mom of 4

What we did when our son was this age was to ask him what he'd like to do. He could have a party and invite friends or we could go someplace special and he could invite a friend or two along. We let him choose the place and the friends. Our boy usually chose to go to a science museum or something of that type and usually only chose one special friend to go along. The only restriction we made was it had to be within our budget and if he suggested something outside that range we discussed it and found an acceptable alternative together.

Try www.familyfun.com

Hi S.,

(Mama)Cindy M has given you the IDEAL suggestion....the only thing I would add is to ask your son what he might like.

I have some great ideas for 16,18 and 21....for the younger ages, I've done it all and can only recommend not having the party at your own house!

Blessings.......

I'm not sure exactly where you're at but have you seen this - it's called SkyZone Sports and it's a HUGE sports themed, wall to wall, trampoline place. My 12 year old loves it (as well as my younger kids and their grown up uncles etc.) ...http://sacramento.skyzonesports.com/default.aspx

Take him bowling. The Santa Cruz Boardwalk Bowl is super cool! Check out their web-site.....It is near the Boardwalk Arcades too.

When our oldest was 12, we did a private party at a bounce house place ($140 for 1 hour of bouncing, and 1 hour in the party room - gifts, cake, ice cream). He and his friends loved it.

When he turned 13, we paid $200 for 3.5 hour rental of the local teen center. The room had foosball, Xbox, pool table, board games, music system- we burned some CDs ahead of time to play. We brought snacks, etc. and the kids all hung out and bounced between all the cool stuff there was to do. We also brought along a new (washed) white pillow case and some sharpie markers. We had all his friends write notes to him on the pillow case.

More ideas - miniature golf, go-cart racing, batting cages, and slot car racing.

Special trips to Infineon Raceway - Wednesday's are inexpensive.

Special meals with family and/or special friends/guests.

Great America with his best friend.

More than anything, it depends on the his interests.

A party at a bowling alley or ice skating rink is always fun. You can get little plastic trophies to give out. If there is an ice rink in your area you could try to set up a broom hockey game for them. Bring in pizza and cake yourself. Boys always like laser tag too if you have one of those near you.

Scavenger hunts are fun for all ages! Also, you could do some three leged races.

If he is into sports all you need is a football.We played flag football for my sons b-day and they had a blast. Ilike the idea of doing something with one or 2 special friends too. Keep it simple. Even dinner and cake with his family is special.

Hi S..
One of my sons turned 13 in October. He LOVED laser tag! It's safe, fun, fast paced AND you can get a separate room for having pizza, cake, drinks, presents...Just a quick hint - be sure to give out an email address for RSVPs (try e-vite). 'Don't know where you live. But, we had ours in Mt. View on Shoreline Blvd. If that's not near you - you could also try bowling...
Have fun!
K.

You could take them all to a skate park to ride skateboards or scooters, or a cool bowling alley with about 5 friends like 300 or lucky strike, you could also drop them off at a Chili's or something, to eat or sit at another table and then let them go to the movies also! They also have a bounce house called sky high in Santa clara and they have dodgeball bouncers. Older kids love that!

My 13-yr-old son celebrated his birthday with a "day in the woods." We went to a friend's house (but you could do it at a park, Garland Rance in Big Sur comes to mind.) We packed up field kits of food, first aid supplies and so on, gave them to the boys, drew some boundaries (to the river on this side, to the fence on that side, no going off the trail that way) . . . they took off and spent the day buidling dams, forts and so on.

I sat on my friend's deck reading a book. I called my son's cell phone every 60-90 minutes and would say, "Color?" He'd answer Red (for problems), Yellow (for possible situation) or Green (for all good). I'd hang up and read; he'd go back to treking.

I.

Laser tag is fun!
Or a campout. Set up a tent in your house with sleeping bags. Have them play video games and rent movies.

I think Janine P.'s idea about a dance party is terrific. You could order Mt. Mike's Pizzas, which always offer great coupons and deliver. Another option, if you want it out of your home, contact your local bowling alley and have a party there. Allow your son to invite a few close friends and you can keep the cost down. Plus, you can be at a lane down the other end, giving them some privacy, but still keeping an eye on everyone.

Miniature Golf is cheap and fun. Movies is way more expensive with the cost of a ticket and then the food. Bowling is another cheap option.

It really depends upon what he likes. For my son's 13th birthday he wanted to invite 3 close friends and get to play Wii / Gamecube / Nintendo DS all day long without any parents complaining that they were on it for too long.

We provided snacks throughout the day. Bagels and cream cheese when the first arrived at 10 am, followed by finger sandwiches with veggies and dip, which changed to chips and dip, which changed to fruit fondue, and culiminated with pizza dinner and birthday dessert. Throughout of the day, we'd call a 10 minute fresh air break where they had to quit / freeze their games and go outside (we have a trampoline). For the end of the evening, we offered the boys a movie on our big screen (we have a home theater).

A friend of his did a similar party with different rooms set up with different gaming systems, one with a Wii, one with a PS/3, one with XBox 360, one for handhelds.

Have you asked him what he would like to do? I think that would be your best bet. He may not even want to have a party.... A friend of mine had a little dance party for her son when he turned 13, they just set up the garage, order pizza, and some sodas, and let them play out there and just hang out - even though it was a dance party, she said that no one really danced, they were too embarrassed! LOL ~ they mostly just hung out talking and having fun, and later on when the girls left the boys played some basketball. I think that I would be more inclined to see if my son wanted to invite a friend (or 2 depending on your budget) and go to Great America, or Marine World or something like that. Hope that helps!

At that age I remember doing one of two things. I got to pick one friend and we went to an amusement park or I had a sleepover with movies, pizza, and a bunch of junk food. We also stayed up and played video games all night long. ( We did make-overs too, but I don't think your son would be into that! LOL)

Hey there S.,

I would start with asking him what he wants to do for his birthday. Pick his brain to find out what his interests are. Maybe a couple of good friends, some pizza and bowlig, or a movie and billiards. I would suggest limiting it to 3-5 friends as things can get costly!

Good luck!

A little about me: I am 35, and happily married to my best friend. I am a stay at home mama to 4 boys ages 9,7, and twins that are 4 1/2. We are a Christian family, and love the Lord very much!

Hi S.!

My son turned 12 last September, and for financial reasons, we needed a GREAT cheap BD party :o)

So, we had a "Sports Tournament" Party. We have an Air hockey & Foos Ball Table (but you could borrow them). Then added a Free Throw competition, as well.

I put #'s into a baggie to form teams (2-1's, 2-2's, 2-3's, etc...) after the kids arrived I knew how many I needed. Each kid who drew the 1's were a team, and so on.....

Then, we had Team 1 on Air Hockey, Team 2 on Foosball, etc....On your Mark, get set....GO!

It lasted about 2 hrs., and could've very easily have gone on longer. The boys had a great time, and my expenses were very minimum. I had the party from 2-4, which only included snacks and drinks and of course Cake.

Hope this is an idea that could work for you. It's always hard to "transition" BD parties :o)

~N. :o)

Hi S., that age is so hard. My nephew just celebrated his. He chose a few friends and they went and played laser tag, then had pizza. You could also go bowling, roller skating and Malibu Gran Prix is always fun. I am not sure how many friends he would want to invite, but you could always do a party at home. There is also a place in Sunnyvale or Fremont called Pump It Up. That I heard is alot of fun. One final thing, is paint ball. I believe they still have that at the Santa Clara County Fairgrounds.
Good Luck

Parties for boys of that age can be tricky, I suggest asking him what kind of thing he would like to do. Does he have an interest like baseball then a batting cage might be an idea. If he is not into sports maybe a few friends over for video games and pizza, if you can borrow a couple of TVs you could set them all up in one room and they can have a tournament. If he only has a couple of friends a trip to a sportting event (the cheap seat can be a lot of fun)movie or an arcade day. The problem is if the event gets too big it is hard for the parent to feel in control because 13 year-old boys can be big and loud try for small, structured and time limited unless you know all of the boys involved then a small sleep over might work....don't count on the sleep part if you ok with that it will be better.