Planning a Party for Daughter Who Turns 13.. HELP!!

Have her girlfriends over for a spa party. Have a few of the moms help out with painting nails, doing hair, etc.

Since they're teenagers, I would expect a few pizzas, soda, cake and maybe the latest released (on DVD) movie would be appreciated. You could also bring in a few teen people and seventeen magazines for them to look at while they spa.

My daughter turned 13 last year - she had such a fun party! My kid's favorite parties are the ones that they have had at their home. Usually she loves a sleep-over but last year, I allowed her a 4-hour party - on a small budget. Very fun!

The big event was a neighborhood scavenger hunt. I have a great list and set of directions. We actually used this the year before and the girls really wanted to do it again. Personal message me with your e-mail address if you would like a copy.

We also played several cute games, including a trivia game that my daughter made up, called "All about me" . I wasn't sure how it would go over but the girls loved it - it was 15 - 20 questions all about my daughter - she made it up and just asked ordinary to obscure questions "what's my favorite color?" to "what am I most afraid of? (tornados!). Some girls knew her better than others so she was careful in asking a variety of questions.

In the past, we've had "make your own small pizzas", which is fun. We've also set up taco / fajita-buffets and the kids love that. Serving decorated cupcakes on a cupcake tree (wilton's) is easy and elegant!

I wanted to come up with a couple fun games and, with a little help, created this game which was a take-off of musical chairs with a teen edge! That game was awesome - it was a good (but messy) game and the kids loved it! We got some great candid pictures. We also played "Guess-who-I-am" , (this is a great ice-breaker game!) birthday pictionary, memory game and the present game. If she's would have fun playing games - please personal message me and I will expound on any of the above.

Someone mentioned spa-day and that is very fun too. Having someone who is going to cosmetology school come to your home, can save a lot of money. Even a couple older, local teens can help out with hair, nails, hot-wax/hand bath (if you can find someone who owns one), small henna tattoos and finger foods. Or, what one of my friends did with her daughter - she arranged an evening with a local salon (who was not open late on a Friday night), to have the girls come in the evening on a Friday, and be pampered (on a budget!)... they did updo's and nails, had finger foods/cookies and punch, then went to a pizza place afterwards Treat bags were nail kids, nail polish, rhinestone hair picks and small barrettes. Also, a nice "treat bag" or gift remembrance for all the attendees is a CD that your daughter can burn with a medley of her favorite and memorable songs.

Have fun - whatever you choose to do!

I wouldn't go too overboard for this birthday. You should save the bigger things for the years to come. Spending the night at a hotel, or in Chicago are things she'll want to do when she's 17, save those things for later.

Unless she has tons of close friends, I like the idea of 4 girls. Drop them off at the movies (a very independent thing to do) then pick them up for a dinner at a restaurant. Sit at a different table and let them order on their own. Return for a sleepover.

If you like the spa idea, do it at home (again, the actual spa can wait until she's older) like suggested below.

My whole advice hinges on doing events and receiving privileges gradually. I liken it to the girls who, for prom, get expensive dresses, hair and nails done professionally, limo, etc.....how are you going to top that for your wedding? If you get the party of your dreams when you are 10 or 13 or 16, everything after that will be a let down. Just give her a little extra this year, to acknowledge the special birthday, but don't give her everything you can think of or afford.

Sad, but the girls will want to experiment with make-up or soon anyway. Why not call like a Mary-Kay person. I think they come out for free and sample and try on make-up. As a treat you could get everyone a chapstick or something.

For my sons 13 th birthday we rented two hotel rooms invited friends had pizza played games . Had a pool party , some places have game rooms or bring a video recorder to watch movies or play video games If you bring a recorder you need an adapter for the tv. It was fun the boys. They got up had continental breafast and swam again . We were out by 11 and no mess at home.

What about a pajama party/midnight feast? You can do something like: give them a mask, facial, pedicure ext. As a party favour make pampering kits. At the same time they learn it's important to take care of their bodies. For food you can do healthy snacks!

Another idea is to make an american idol/pop star theme. Let them dress up like their favourite pop idol! Build a stage and let them perform! Have judges and let them win prices! Give them sparkling grape juice in champagne glases to celebrate!

Good luck, it's a fun age to organize theme parties!

Hi L.!

I really recommend the website www.birthdaypartyideas.com. Click on "kid parties" and select a theme that interests her. There are a TON of ideas, for all age ranges (so you can view only the older kid ones) and the ideas are in all price ranges, as simple or elaborate as you want, and a lot of do-it-yourself, instead of "birthday party in a box". I have used this for going on 7 parties now (princess, cowboy, LEGO, tea party, CARS party and more, for ages 1 through 10) and have found it invaluable...hope it helps...have fun!

Is it a family party or just some of her friends?

If it's just her friends maybe they would like to make their own dinner/dessert. Have them make homemade pizzas and a yummy dessert. Maybe a movie after?

Good Luck!
T.

Well I personally would tell you to bring them bowling! Everyone loves to bowl. They can even dress up. We have birthday parties for every age, its so much fun. Saturday afternoon we do cosmic parties (glow in the dark). Check out www.bowlbrunswick.com for more details and to find a Brunswick Zone in your area. I work at the Glendale Heights Brunswick. Our Carol Stream location has the huge arcade area as well as the laser tag. Good luck to you! I know how hard it is to pleas them all the time. Maybe ask her what she wants, she may have her own ideas as well.

I agree with Ellen P's ideas. My daughter is almost 15 and the most fun her friends had at a party was at home. Filled a punch bowl full of her favorite candies, flowers,chips vegies and dip, pizza and cake/mini cupcakes. Girls only, Karaoke machine, Blast their favorite music. Ran around being silly, dancing,and pigging out...they loved it. The boys and dad went to grandma''s for a sleepover and the girls watch movies paint their nails, do their hair. We had a Mary Kay consultant this past weekend who taught the my daughter and her friends skin care and how to propperly apply makeup. They loved it. (parental permission required)after they were dolled up we had munchies etc.
There is a Plano Molding outlet on rt 34, I buy the Caboodle Makeup boxes for $1-3 (the same ones that sell for $15-20 in the store) they make great gifts for the guests. they can be left plain with a bow, or filled with hair bands, Gum!!!, nail polish etc....
Best wishes...Haave fun!

Hi L..
Congratulations on your daughter turning 13. My daughter turned 13 last September and I gave her a surprise spa/slumber party. I invited 8 of her closest friends and had some of my friends help out. We used our own foot spas and etc. The ladies recieved pedicures, manicures and facials. I even sliced up cucumbers for their eyes. And they left with goodie bags filled with spa products from the dollar store. I purchased plastic wine glasses from the dollar store and filled them with sparkiling juice. They also had a chocolate fondue fountain with sliced fresh fruit. She loved it! And the girls (and their Moms)still talk about it.

How about a mini spa party for her and her girlfriends?? Nothing "dangerous" but cleansing, toning, and moisturizing, and the why/what/when of it all.
I could come do a skincare demo, and after I leave you could all paint nails, soak feet, do girlygirl stuff. I love to educate people about skincare and I wouldn't ask for anything in return except maybe recommendations to others! Think about it!
They could each bring their fave nail polish, you can get some soap and a tub to put warm water in, they could do manicure, pedicure on each other and practice putting makeup on.

HI L.,
This is a little off the wall, but I always thought it would make a great birthday party activity to hire a couple of actors to teach the kids stage combat. Now, I had boys! ;-) who loved pirates and Indians and so on, and the best party I ever did for them was hiring a Native American storyteller who kept 25 kids spellbound for an hour. But I think something physical is fun for girls, too, especially something so esoteric as stage combat and especially if they are inclined to drama. They can do costumes and makeup and create a little play if you're really ambitious. Call the Actors Gym in Evanston and they can refer you to incredible teachers!
Good luck, have fun!
S.

L., My thoughts are on the spa line also. If you don't want to do it at your house the beauty school in oswego is great. they do manicures, mini updo's facials etc and it is minimal cost. you could do the mani's and then go home and do make up and watch movies etc. or you could maybe get some old teen movies and just do a fun popcorn and pop thing. kids that age also love art. so maybe some kind of art thing. like decorating the cover of a scrap book that they can use thruout high school etc. or journals. girls that age love journals. good luck.

Hi L.,

When mine turned 13, I wanted to do something kind of grown-up for her, so I had a spa party. I recruited two of my friends to help. First, I hit the $1 bins at Target and bought little spa items (each girl got a goodie bag) and I went to Sally's Beauty Supply and bought the toe seperators and cheap spa paraphenelia.
The invitation asked each girl to bring a robe and flip-flops. We held the party in our basement and I had the girls change into jammies, robes and flip-flops. When they came downstairs, I had champagne glasses with sparkling grape juice for each of them. I played soothing spa music.
They got a mask for a facial, then we did mani-pedis for each girl. With three of us it was easy. For the mani, one soaked, while one was getting their nails done and for the pedi, one soaked while two were getting a pedi.

I was the spa owner and talked to them like they were my best customers. It was total fun and because of Target's great $1 bins, each girl got a great little party favor. Also, when the invitations arrived, each girl was so excited and the party was talked about for a long time.

you could do a craft project like making t-shirt bags all you need is duck tape, a stapler, and a old t-shirt or graphic t. you could provide duck tape and staples they bring the t-shirts. play some of your daughter favorite playlist in the background. then they can do something togeather and the guest have something to take home!

I took both my girls downtown Chicago, by train, and let them shop in designer sections of some posh stores. They tried on dresses and we took pictures...and had a great time "dressing up" at no cost. It was pure girl fun that made a memory with us and their friends. (3 each). I did not buy a thing, which was explained ahead of time.
we had lunch downtown at a small cafe. Anything downtown is fun and exciting if you make the whole day about the birthday girl. I like to wear a tiara on birthdays to celebrate.

Also, we did a private ceremony celebrating the teen time, handed over more responsibilities, etc. And gave them purity rings. (I would suggest doing that earlier these days.)

Whatever you decide, get her input and make it all-about-special for the birthday girl!! No money needed for LOVE! xo

Love the spa day idea.

http://creativenanny.blogspot.com/2009/03/birthday-party-...

This blog had some really cute ideas and inexpensive way to create goodie bags with spa treats.

Per my fifth grade students:
* 80's themed party
* 50's themed party
* pottery painting
* make your own jewelry place
* Pump it up

My daughter's birthday (just turned 15) is on valentines day when it is always cold. So for her 13th b-day i had it at an indoor waterpark. There are a couple of villages that have great packages for parties (schaumburg or hanover park). There are even some hotels (holiday inn in elmhurst or countryside) with great indoor waterparks. Have fun!!

Well, when I turned 13, my mom actually rented two adjoining hotel rooms, and she and her sister stayed in one, and my 3 girlfriends and I stayed in the other and watched movies and ate junk food and acted silly. I'm not sure if that would still be an acceptable thing to do, but at least the girls could go swimming at the hotel, and if you go somewhere like Pheasant Run, the pool has a water fall and a heated outdoor pool that you swim under the wall to get to. It can't be that expensive if my mom was willing to pay for it, lol. Then they can do their 'spa' party in the hotel room amid junk food too. Or you can have a mini-debutante sort of party, having the girls wear their nicest clothes and serving juice with selzer in champagne flutes, hors d'ovres (I'm sure I spelled that wrong.) Or maybe a camping trip at Indiana Beach, where you and Dad are there, but in your own tent 10 feet away. I'm curious to see what other ideas you get, since my stepdaughter will be turning 13 this year as well.

Hi L.,

When my daughters turned 13 I had a Mary Kay party for them. They invited 3-4 of their best friends and had a MK/slumber party. It was great fun. My girls always wanted to experiment with make-up and I felt this would be the perfect time for them to get tips on how to properly apply it. I also feel skin care is very important and wanted to get them into the habit early. Enjoy the party!!!

Blessing,
L.

All the suggestions are good ones. Is your daughter a girly girl or more of a tomboy? That would also be a deciding factor. One of my girls would totally love the spa idea but the other one would hate it. She got Hannah Montana and HSM for Christmas and boy she was mad. Not ungrateful, just not happy. Another idea is if you happen to be near a YMCA. Some rent rooms and time in the pool even if you are not a member.