Creative Ideas For Teen Birthday Parties

Teen birthday parties have evolved over the years with the advent of new technology and an ever increasing desire to become "the" birthday party to attend. Let's face it, who, as a parent doesn't want to see their child's day jamb packed with exciting activities, impeccable decorations and lots and lots of friends to enjoy the festivities? As a "baby-boomer," parent, I have given my share of extra-ordinary parties ranging from the "101 Dalmatians" Themed party complete with festival tents, a clown and ponies to an extreme rock-climbing gala at Atlanta Rocks.

The key to a successful teen birthday party is pre-planning and organization, and I can not stress that enough. You know when your child was born and you have a full year to think about on what weekend you will plan the big event. If your child was born in late March or April, you will want to consider the spring-break factor, because if you make the mistake as I did once to plan it when no one is in town, your guest count may be nil. Once you have the date and general time set, engage the birthday boy or girl in deciding on the theme. Theme parties are the best, because everything you do and need for the party should tie into the theme....there are, of course some obvious and easy themes. For example, if you were lucky enough to have a child born in October, the obvious theme is Halloween and who doesn't like a Halloween party? The reason it is so important to nail down the date is because, different seasons will determine different themes. It's hard to have a snow-boarding party in the summer without snow. And keeping your child engaged in the planning is key to making sure they love their party and really talk it up to the friends that they invite. So, let's get specific on how to plan the perfect teen birthday party.