Therefore you need to have cool birthday party ideas that are hip enough for even the pickiest tween. While planning a birthday party for your tween can be overwhelming and stressful, having a plan might get you a safe landing.

A great tip that will always put things into perspective is remembering that it’s all about your tween and their desires now that they are getting all grown up; come with your ideas and planning tips but let them take charge!

We’re here to help you today with this huge list of tween birthday party ideas, plus planning tips to make everything run smoothly for your older kids’ celebrations.

Disclosures: We are participants in the Amazon Associates Program and other affiliate programs that earn us a commission if a qualifying purchase is made.

How To Plan A Birthday Party For Your Tween

Planning a birthday party can be exhausting and time-consuming, BUT  it’s not if you break it down into small parts. Here are some tips that will ensure you and your tween host a smooth and memorable event.

1. Choose a Theme / Party Type

Considering that it is your tween’s birthday party and you want it to be dope, you should sit down with them and choose a party theme.

Listen to their ideas of how they want the theme to be incorporated into the whole event, i.e., the cake, decorations, attire, party favors, and other birthday details. Or perhaps there’s no need for a theme but a core activity you can work around.

Picking a good party theme is probably the most challenging step in party planning as it has to be fun, unique, extraordinary, exciting, and breathtaking. And also allow everyone to look fab and take instagrammable selfies.

We talk more about party themes below! Read on…

2. Timings

Knowing when the party will begin and end and the day will make the whole event more manageable. Your tween will let you know the most suitable date and time to hold their party.

This will ensure it does not collide with their friends’ planned parties, and also, it should be ideally at the beginning of a weekend or the holidays so your guest won’t have to worry about school the following day.

Do be firm on an end time; nobody enjoys that lingering guest who never goes home! And if it’s a sleepover, set your expectations upfront on lights out and when the end of the party will be.

3. Food and Entertainment

Deciding on the budget for the party will help you know how many guests you can invite over.

The best part is that most tweens aren’t too fussed about fancy snacks – you can still get away with the likes of chips, pizza, hotdogs, and sodas, which are not that expensive to cater for.

What form of entertainment does your tween fancy? And is it going to leave your pocketbook busted? Cheap birthday party ideas for tweens also rock; you don’t always need to be hiring out equipment or entertainment companies for your pre-teen kids to still have an incredible time.

4. Guest List

How many guests does your tween want? How many can you handle? You should walk over the guest list with your tween to ensure you agree on the number of friends you can host BEFORE invites are sent out!

While reviewing the guest list, you should be sincere with your kid about who you are uncomfortable having over. This will ensure you stay as far away as possible when the event is ongoing, as you will be comfortable with the group dynamics.

Will your party be mixed boys and girls or single gender? It is around this age that kids’ interests divest; you will find your tween children move quickly through the phases of being best friends to the girl germs/boy germs phase and then suddenly crushes and teasing – it can be like walking a tightrope to keep on top of!

A parking plan is another thing to remember when planning a guest list and total numbers. If you live in a busy street or apartment building, space and parking for parents need to be factored in.

Do consider inviting the parents to stay briefly at drop off and pick-ups, especially if you don’t know them well, so they can be comfortable with the party setup before leaving their tweens to party independently.

5. Set The Rules For Behavior

You should communicate with your tween beforehand what is expected of them on the material day. Be sure to define the rules and boundaries clearly. This will ensure you do not keep showing up when your tween is having fun with their peers. Trust me, in the event you are uninvited!

6. Traditions You May Want to Uphold

You might have some unique traditions you want to uphold during your tween’s birthday party. A simple birthday celebration becomes unique and memorable when you add little touches that set the day apart.

Over the years, you have learned what ticks your favorite person in the world. Ensure that whichever tradition you choose to work with does not come out as an embarrassment in front of the peers. Examples of traditions are:

• Let your kid pick the cake they want
• Birthday person compliment time
• Making a memory keepsake of the year
• Posing for a family photo or next to a favorite part of the house or garden each year

7. Locate a Place to Set Up The Party

If your tween intends the birthday party to be lowkey, then your house will be suitable. Your backyard will also come in handy when setting up locations. Ideally, you should have dancing, food and drinks, and activity zones.

If your tween decides on a large party, you should consider renting out space outside the home. Alternatively, setting up picnic tables and barbecues in the local park to accommodate all guests comfortably.

Check if you will require any permits for this in advance – popular city parks or entertainment venues can sometimes be booked up months in advance – we talk more about outside the home party themes below.

If you’re outside, don’t forget to have a gazebo mounted nearby just in case the weather decides to change.

8. Let Your Tween Send Out The Invites

Let your tween feel like the “grown-up” they crave to be. Allow them to send out the invites via any digital means they prefer. Be sure to require an RSVP so you can have a certain number to plan for, and be sure the party invitation doesn’t spread wider than its intended recipients!

Make sure your tween party invite includes:

• What the occasion is for – clearly!
• Date and timings
• Location or pick up point
• What you will be doing – if there are any special themes, dress-ups, equipment needs
• RSVP – phone number and cut-off (especially if you’re booking external activities)

It’s always wise to follow up on digital communications with the parents, too! Unsuspecting parents need time to plan; even if their tweens know what’s happening, they may not!

It may be wise to mention that the party will be supervised and ensure the other parents have your contact details.

9. Remember to Put Away Your Valuables

Whilst it’s doubtful your tween hangs out with thieves; kids can be a bit careless and forgetful. If you’re having a party in your home, consider putting away expensive and fragile things in a separate room.

Also, it’s a good idea to have a room set aside where kids can leave coats, bags, phones, and all their other essential tech that follows them everywhere, so nothing gets lost or misplaced.

10. Consider Having A Chaperone

Do you want to monitor your tween’s party without spoiling the fun?

By the tween years, we’re long past parents staying for the duration of the party. But do consider getting a second set of eyes that will allow you to cover the whole ground.

Have you got an older, trusted teen they won’t be embarrassed to have hanging around? A cool aunt or uncle, a God Parent?

When everything is all set and running, try as much as possible to steer clear of the party and let the person you assigned take over in handling the crowd.

Always, always be on hand still though for supervision and in case there are any problems. You, the parent, should be on hand to report back to parents and deal with any first aid issues or mini tween-crisis that can inevitably erupt.

Birthday Party Themes For Tweens

On to the fun stuff now; here are some fantastic tween birthday party themes to make sure their party is one worth remembering.

We have classified them into two categories of home ideas, i.e., indoor and backyard party ideas for tweens and out-and-about ideas in honor of the soon-to-be teenager in your life.

At Home Ideas For a Tween Birthday

Tween parties at home can be less costly than out and about with older kids, and it’s easier to keep an eye on your child, but there’s always the inevitable cleanup after you can not avoid.

At-home birthday parties are also a great idea, especially if your tween’s birthday falls during winter. Some at-home cool tween party ideas are:

1. Slumber Parties

How better to let your tween loose and relive their childhood like a pajama party? Tweens love sleepovers, and this is the perfect age for your children to start enjoying a night away from home in a safe and comfortable environment.

Why not step up your sleepover game and do something out of the box? Sleepovers are best if your tween invites a few of their closest friends rather than a large group.

Having a theme will also ensure you make your tween’s slumber party memorable. You could consider;

• A movie star party – dress the part and pick your favorite tween movies for a binge batch
• Spa night – with face masks, nail polish, and other beauty treatments
• Camping – you don’t need to be under the stars for a fun indoor tent set up
• Making pizzas and cupcakes – keep them busy in the kitchen and that’s your catering taken care of too!
• Neon party
• Gaming challenge – what tweens wouldn’t love video games galore

A pajama party tops the list as one of the best fun and low-budget party ideas for tweens. There are still plenty of slumber party games you can play while engaging your birthday tween in some of their favorite activities.

Remember to state in your invite if sleeping bags will be needed and any extras your quests may need to bring.

2. Backyard Party Themes

Are you on the lookout for a great summer birthday party idea for tweens?

A backyard party theme means a chilled outdoor vibe and easier cleanups with a broader range of activity options. This will allow you to set up all the games, food, and craft stations around your yard beforehand. Backyard parties are a good idea when your tween wants to invite a bigger crowd.

Remember to decorate the backyard with lots of flowers, pretty balloons, glow-in-the-dark lights, and plenty of soft pillows to give your at-home tween party that extra special touch.

Some fun backyard themes include:

• Backyard beach party
• Music festival night
• Backyard movie theatre night with popcorn at the popcorn bar
• Backyard camping
• Vintage tea parties
• Carnival themed parties
• Tie dying and crafting
• Obstacle courses or climbing walls

You can also include some fun games like badminton, volleyball, spike ball and more. The great thing about backyard parties, you set the budget! You can make it as low key as your tween desires, to hiring tents and activities, which brings us nicely to…

3. Organized Activities That You Can Bring To Your Home

Yes, you read right! You can still make your tweens’ birthdays extra unique and memorable even with social distancing. Some of the pre-teen birthday ideas that work are;

• Plan a birthday treasure hunt: Is anyone in the mood for a scavenger hunt? These can be far more challenging than you’d set for your younger kids, possibly even taking them out into the neighborhood to pick up clues and cool prizes as they go
• A fun idea is to set up a balloon trap outside your tween’s door! Wait in the crowd and watch them get ambushed with a wind tunnel of balloons
• Have a movie marathon with a hired projector screen and popcorn machine
• Make a fabulous spa party for your king or queen; hire nail technicians or beauty specialists to your home
• Candle making, bath bomb making to cupcake decorating, all can be organized with an expert who comes to your home to teach the kids – a big step up from your magician and mad scientist parties from when they were little!
• Neon glow-in-the-dark dance party with glow sticks
• Hosting a dinner party is fun to make your tween feel all grown up, have them help prepare the menus to the table settings with their own unique theme

4. Pool Party

If you are lucky enough to have a pool at your home, or one you can easily borrow? Pool parties are perfect for any tween, especially if you’re celebrating a summer birthday.

Blast some music, use balls to play fun games, water guns, and plenty of giant inflatables.

Ensure enough drinks and cups are on hand and keep the sunscreen on tap; have some shade to retreat to and towels for breaks out of the pool. Make sure you have somewhere for your growing tweens to change discretely.

There are so many fun themes and games you can add to a pool party to ensure your guests have a grat time:

• Have a Hawaiian-themed party with mocktails and lays
• Set up a mini Olympics; swim races, floatie races, and lots of fun racing games

To our point above, even if your tweens are all great swimmers, this party definitely needs a chaperone to ensure everyone’s safety.

Out and About Ideas for a Tween Birthday

1. Camp out

Remember, tweens love sleepovers, and camping out makes it even more fun. Your tween and his or her peers can each bring their tent, or they can decide to mount up one that can hold all of them.

Have you got any local State Parks or recreation reserves that will allow you to bring a group? Check if reservations will be needed in advance. You may even find somewhere that lets you borrow equipment.

Once you’ve worked out sleeping arrangements, there’s no end to fun camping activities for your tweens to enjoy. Camps with no campfire are boring! So make sure you set up a campfire to make their s’mores as they chat the night away.

Don’t forget to decorate the tent while spicing it up per your tween’s preference. It is all set for them to enjoy! While this is an excellent tween boy party idea, it can also appeal to your tween girl who loves outdoor adventures

2.  Laser Tag Party

Is your tween into laser tag fun? It is a fun birthday party for tween ideas. Then you should consider booking a laser tag center or taking the party to the park. A great fun tween party idea for your birthday boy and his friends to burn some energy and have a fun time in the process!

3. Amusement Parks

Rollercoaster? Tick. Junk food? Tick. Amusement parks can be a fun place with loads of fun activities for your tween and their friends for an exceptionally thrilling birthday treat leading into those teen years.

If you are lucky enough to live near a theme park, this is a great one to save up for an extra special birthday for your tween and a few select friends.

4. Beach Party

Do you live near the water? We’re sure your tween would love a beach party.

Remember to decorate with inflatables, beach balls, and loads of easy-to-eat snacks and cool drinks. Do not forget sunscreen and a bit of shade.

Similar to a pool party, a beach party opens up endless fun themes you could play around with and a great lineup of timeless party games they’re definitely not too cool for, yet!

5. Hiking

If your tween is outdoorsy, then an epic hike will be right up their alley. You should ensure they are familiar with the route and have a chaperone. Set the distance you’ll be going so you can make sure it’s in all the party guests comfort range.

Also, do not forget to pack great snacks and drinks. They can combine hiking with a sleepover, camping trip or a dip in the pool or a beach to cool their heels!

This is a great tween party idea for tweens who are more connected to nature and prefer not to be cooped up indoors or traditional party formats indoors.

6. Fun-Filled Road Trip

If your tween’s invitees are few, a short road trip would be a fun and cheap birthday party idea. You can always make the road trip more lit by combining it with surfing, camping, sleepovers, and more.

It would be wise to use two vehicles for any emergencies that may arise.

7. Hotel Staycation Night

You don’t have to travel far from home to treat your tween to a dreamy vacation!

Your tween will appreciate the plush surrounding and, of course, the independence granted at a sleepover in a hotel room. They will have an all-in-one package as most hotels will likely have a games room, swimming room, spa, and an opportunity to order a movie and some room service while we’re in their fluffy robes and slippers.

You can always book an adjacent room to ensure you are close enough to help should the need arise and far enough to allow them the giggles (or hushed bases) and noise. It is a fantastic tween girl party idea, though we’d bet there are a few tween boys who’d love it too!

8. Beauty Spa

Why not spoil your queen or king with all the necessities of beauty therapy? Let them feel special on this day and pamper themselves. They can even do some DIYs to make bath bombs, friendship bracelets, sugar scrubs, candles, and more.

9. Cooking Class

Fancy pizza making or learning to make your own pasta? How about a baking or cake-decorating session?

Ask around your local businesses who would be prepared to set aside some private space and use of their kitchen for your tween and their gang to test out their cooking skills – and that’s meals and clean up sorted for you too!

10.  Sports and Hobby Based Themes

Is your tween a sports lover? There are so many fun activities you could book your birthday kid and all their friends in for.

Here are just a few you could consider, though it will be dependent on what you have available near your home;

• Setting up a soccer clinic for the birthday girl or boy and their mates
• Hire out some tennis courts and set up your own mini tournament
• Hire out a go-kart track
• Book a session at an ice rink, roller rink, or skate park
• Hire out a few lanes at the ten-pin bowling alley
• Set up a girl’s self-defense class appropriate to their age group

We hope this has helped to prepare you for your upcoming tween celebrations. Remember as they grow older, birthdays aren’t just a celebration of self, but something inclusive that pre-teens get huge pleasure being able to share with friends.

You may still want a small family celebration separately where gifts are exchanged, but a birthday party can be one of the best gifts your tween will ask for.

Tween Birthday Gifts

And a quick note on presents! We can definitely help you with this too.

We have hand selected gift guides to cover you throughout the tween years plus plenty of specialty gift guides depending on your tweens interests over on the tween gifts section of our website.

In our day and age, its a common practice for party guests to bring a gift for the birthday child. If you’d prefer they don’t, make sure this is stated clearly in the invite. Perhaps give an alternative that a donation can be made to a chosen charity on your child’s behalf.

Happy party planning tween parents! Let us know if you’ve got any other great suggestions in the comments.

The post 20+ Incredible Tween Birthday Party Ideas: Themes For 9 to 12-Year-Olds appeared first on Tween Parent | Family Lifestyle Blog.

The joy of a sleepover at the end of a party is matchless. It helps your tween and their friends to unwind and have fun with their gang. Let us not forget that having a few sleepovers is pretty much a rite of passage for tweens.

Your tween is old enough to start having slumber parties and sleepovers, which is a special time with besties, munchkin on snacks, watching movies, and talking about everything until the wee hours of the morning, creating memories.

So, which are the cutest and most epic sleepover ideas for your tween? Of course, not forgetting that proper planning will mean you steer clear with minimal, if not any, parental involvement. Trust me; your tween wants you to disappear when chilling with their buddies.

We share some fun and exciting ideas for sleepovers and slumber party ideas for tweens in this post. From lip-smacking snacks to silly games to the best movies to watch and fun DIY crafts any tween would love. 

Disclosures: We are participants in the Amazon Associates Program and other affiliate programs that earn us a commission if a qualifying purchase is made.

How To Plan a Sleepover For Tweens

Sleepovers are a blast but did you know they are also fundamental for your tween’s growth? It is a fun time for your tween, and they do not get very much sleep. Instead, party, play games and talk all night. And why not?

Planning a successful sleepover takes some time and creativity. Tween slumber parties are great for a birthday, after-prom party, or school vacation, and with a few tips, you can ensure all the tweens have a great time while staying safe.

Here are some tips to ensure your planning is easy and stress-free. Read on to learn the best sleepover ideas for your hosting queen.

1. Set The Rules Beforehand

Before planning, sit down with your tween and discuss the sleepover rules to be on the same page on ‘the day.’ Let your tween know which rooms they can access, if there is a specific bedtime, and the types of TV or movies they are allowed to watch.

Try and cover everything and anything that will entail that day. By establishing the rules before party planning, your tween will know how to handle her besties and plan to fit their party within your set ground rules.

Make your tween understand that they are the party’s host, and it is their responsibility to ensure their hosts have a fun and memorable time.

2. Create Cute Sleepover Party Invitations

All parties start with invitations. What more is your tween’s birthday sleepover? And making your tweens invitation will be an excellent way for the two of you to bond and narrow down the guest list. 

These cute party invitations are free and customized to your tween’s taste. From mermaids to unicorns and more, there are a lot of adorable cards your tween can decorate. And what’s more, your tween can also add their selfie to make it more personalized. How cute!

Your tween will need to include what her guest will need to bring, such as a flashlight, pillow, sleeping bag, etc. They can even ask their friends to come rocking PJs. Your tween can also use the invitations to ask her friends to contribute to the sleepover by bringing sodas, candy, and whatever they would want to share.

The invitation card should also include a query to your gang parents on their tween’s allergies, dietary restrictions, medications, mobility, or sensory challenges for ease of preparation.

Remember to include any special events and all necessary details on the invitations, and let your tween have the liberty to mail, email, or post their invitations online.

3. Cozy Sleepover Space

The slumber party games need a larger area than your tween’s bedroom for the gang to have enough room to stretch out. The living room is ideal since it is likely larger, making it comfier to set up. This will also prevent any jealousy over who sleeps on the bed.

You can feel the room with extra blankets and pillows to create a warm bohemian environment. Your tween and her buddies can also use these supplies to build a blanket fort or have a pillow fight.

This also helps isolate the party from the rest of the family, so no one feels like they are intruding. Also, ensure to put supplies in the room to clean up any spills.

Your tween can also decide to fire up the slumber party by setting up a giant sleeping fort that can fit all of her friend’s sleeping bags. These will make the party feel more private and create the perfect place to whisper secrets.

4. Party Snacks

Sleepovers are a special occasion. Let the tweens indulge a little more than usual. You might need to get enough food for the day. Ask your tweens what easy snack recipes they would love to do themselves.

But it is wise to keep the snacks as simple as possible, making store-bought snacks a great option. And it is also the best way to ensure every picky eater has something they can enjoy.

Chips, candy, pizza, popcorn, cake, ice cream, drinks, and fruit salad are classic party foods. You can also bring your tween for some grocery shopping to make her feel like the boss lady.

5. Girls’ Sleepover Ideas and Activities

When you gather a bunch of tween friends in one room, there is bound to be lots of giggling and antics. Low key and casual are the best activities for your tween sleepover. Let your tween tell you the activities they will love to do with their peers.

Remember not to over-schedule events and have a few ideas with your tween to ensure boredom does not get a room throughout the night. 

Games and planning crafts

Some games might include playing hide and seek and pillow fights with the ground rule of no hitting in the face. Making a friendship bracelet is also a favorite or baking a treat together.

Movies

They are the best opportunity to enjoy party snacks. A movie marathon is an activity your tween and her peers will enjoy as they pair it with a hot chocolate or a pie. Your tween can also keep a running movie bingo game going. This is a perfect DIY slumber party idea where players can check off certain movie tropes as they happen.

These are all our favorite movies for tweens – from modern hots to classics every tween should see at least once!

Make Popcorn To Go With It

Depending on how adventurous you tween eaters are, you can pair the movie with different popcorn flavors to beat the old microwave bag!

Music

What’s a party without music? Get the sleepover gang a stereo into the room they will be sleeping and let them let loose with a dance party as they giggle and whisper. You can also consider firing up the old karaoke machine.

Coordinate matching tween frame pajamas

Best friends love matching. This will be dope and a fun sleepover idea. While the PJs are a great idea, your tween might also decide to have matching robes, sleeping masks, slippers, or other cute choices.

Fun tween sleepover games

Gather your tween’s collection of games and leave them in the corner of the room if they want a laid-back activity. You can also decide to challenge the tweens with something they have not played before. Stating the rules to a new game and figuring out the strategy is fun.

Makeovers

With your tween, the makeover is a huge deal. Allow her to learn how to wear it by getting a makeover kit. You can even spice it up by letting them do blindfolded makeup on each other as a challenge.

Coloring

Of course, not the old coloring your tween grew out of! Get them cool crayons, makers, and different colors of paper! They will use them to write little notes to each other, which is fun.

DIY Pizza

Why not combine dinner and a craft project? Everyone gets some homemade dough, and they get to add toppings as they see fit.

Indoor Camping

Indoor tents will bring that summer camp vibe inside, where you do not have to worry about inclement weather or mosquitos.

DIY Paper Bracelets

Watch for friendship bracelets! With this creation, your tween first color the paper with watercolor paint, then cuts them and folds them into a bracelet shape. 

Photos, selfies, and more photos

Keep a camera nearby for your tween to capture all the goofy moments as they create memories they will cherish.

6. Stock up on Extra Essentials

Every parent intends to send over their tween for a sleepover with all the necessities. But a parent might forget to pack something as essential as a toothbrush. 

It is making it a smart move to stock up on a few essentials that may be forgotten.

7. Party Time

As parents drop over their tweens for the slumber party, ensuring you have their contact information is always good. Discussing the party with the other parents is also great as it will help them know what their tweens are up to.

Once all the tween friends are together, make sure to go through all the rules with them and let them know that going against a set rule will mean being sent home. Let your tween tour her guest to the rooms they have access to.

Also, let your tween guests know that you are available if any concerns or questions arise.

8. Check-in Occasionally But Not Too Often

As the host parent of the slumber party, it’s your responsibility to keep an eye on the tweens without being too overbearing. Tweens do not want a helicopter parent; therefore, as much as you are checking up on them, do not hover!

It may be helpful to come up with a safe word that only you and your tween know. This way, your tween can use it casually in convos if the party is too rowdy or she is not having a good time. You can correct such a scenario by asking her to help you in the kitchen, so you do not raise any suspicions.

Remember staying out of the way is a great way to host a fun tween sleepover.

Want more tween party inspiration?

• We have a huge guide here on how to set up the perfect party for a tween, including over 20 themes for your tween to choose from
• Looking for creative party games tweens will love? Here are 15 party games for tweens to try
• Stuck in isolation or unable to see your friends and family on a birthday? Here’s how to host a memorable virtual party for a tween
• Summer celebration? Here’s how to host the coolest tween pool party – plus pool toys you’ll need!
• How to host a Halloween Sleepover, complete with scary movies for tweens
• Don’t miss out on all our tween gift ideas, you can narrow it down by gender and age here:

The post Tween Sleepover Ideas – Formula For Slumber Party Success appeared first on Tween Parent | Family Lifestyle Blog.

We know it can be hard to find party game ideas for tweens that are perfect. You need to find the ideal balance when planning a party for your tween between letting them go buck wild when you are not around and letting them sit quietly staring at each other (weird, right?)

That is why we have made a list of fun party games that are age-appropriate and cool for tweens to play. This list includes fun tween games that won’t break your budget, guessing games that will work their brains, and games that can be played indoors and out.

So, if you throw a birthday party for the teenager-to-be in your life, these fun birthday party ideas will hold it down. These games are all suitable for the 9 to 12 year old age group, and most won’t cost you a thing!

15 Tween Party Games for Your Tween’s Party

Disclosures: We are participants in the Amazon Associates Program and other affiliate programs that earn us a commission if a qualifying purchase is made.

1. Medusa

Medusa is an entertaining game that works well with a big group (10 or more) and enough space.

• Have everyone sit or stand in a circle with their arms around their neighbor’s shoulders as they look down at the ground.
• At the count of three, or “go” or any other indicator, the players have to look up.
• Suppose two people make eye contact; they have to scream and make a dramatic dead play.
• This continues until there are only two players left. The two are considered winners, but the actual “winners” are all who get to see their friends dropping dead.

2. Spin A Dare

It is a fun fusion of spin the bottle and truth and dare cool game for pre-teens.

• Fill a bowl with loads of dares and funny things to do that are written on little pieces of paper and inserted in the bottle.
• Spin the bottle in your circle of friends and whoever the bottle lands on must collect and read out a wacky or funny dare and entertain the group.

It is a hilarious tween party idea with your tweens setting the ground rules for how far each dare can go.

3. Wink Assassin

Wink assassin, also known as “wink murder” or “killer,” is a fantastic tween party game that will fulfill your teens. It is a stealth game that needs less than five minutes to set up. This game needs four players or more where everyone sits in a wide circle.

• To decide who gets to be the killer, you need to draw a hat with folded pieces of paper, and no one should reveal who they are. The assassin or murderer gets to kill the others by winking at them secretly.
• Everyone must make eye contact with the other players when the game starts to identify the killer. The killer will randomly wink at a person or two, and the person has to wait five seconds before feigning their sudden death.
• A discussion is held, and if a player guesses who the murderer is, they have to shout, “I accuse.”
• Here, the accuser can ask other players if they suspect anyone.
• A second person has to call “I accuse,” and at the count of three, the two accusers have to point at the suspect simultaneously. If they point at the same person who happens to be the murderer, the game ends.
• If the accusers point to a person who is not the murderer, the game continues until the assassin is identified or all players are eliminated.

4. Would You Rather?

Are you looking for a fun way to ask tweens some exciting and thought-provoking questions?

• This birthday party game for tweens needs at least three players as the more, the merrier. All you need for this game to get rolling is a set of exciting and appropriate questions for tweens.
• Let the tweens arrange themselves in a circle and choose one player who will start the game. The player asks a question starting with “would you rather”… and gives two options or scenarios to the players opposite them.
• The options can be downright gross, silly, stupid, but not serious. The players can continue with the game until the set of questions is complete.

You can make up your own questions, or there are some great pre-written Would You Rather question games that take out the thinking work!

5. Pass The Peanut

Do you need a game of concentration and balance as a party idea for tweens? Pass the peanut will do just that. You do not need to use peanuts but anything light that can be held at the base of the spoon.

• Have the gang stand or sit in a circle or two lines with each player holding a plastic spoon in their mouth with the spoon part sticking out.
• The peanut/M&M/cotton ball or something light is placed on one player’s spoon-ideally the one at the start of the line- and the game starts.
• Players have to balance the peanut on their spoon and pass it on to the next person’s spoon.
• Players who make the pass without dropping the peanut get to stay, and if you drop the peanut, you are out.
• The one rule is that you can not use your hands, and the last two players who are left standing are the winners.

NB – check their are no nut allergies in your group – use an alternative object if this is the case!

6. Sock Wrestling

Are you on the hunt for a fun girl/boy game for tween parties? This ridiculous and exciting game will ensure your tween’s party is fun. Sock wrestling needs six or more players for maximum fun and two pairs of socks.

• It’s a fun wrestling match of two people with a silly goal of getting off their socks without using their hands all the while as they lie down on the floor.
• Sock wrestling can also be flipped to putting on the socks without using their hands or removing the opponent’s socks. Fun right?

There needs to be a referee for this game; undoubtedly there will be disputes!

7. Wacky Duck

Wacky duck is a fun party game for 12-year-olds who have begun emotional growth. It’s a game that brings out the silliness in teens while allowing them to get close to each other( well, even their crushes! ). Wacky duck requires proximity between players and plays eight or more.

• The Players sit in a circle with enough room for one person to be in the center. The person in the center is blindfolded and spun around a few times as everyone swaps seats.
• Once everyone has their new spot, the blindfolded player feels the other players in the circle with a rolled-up newspaper or a wooden spoon. If they stop at a person, they have to sit on their laps, and the person seated on has to quack like a duck in a silly or wacky voice.
• The blindfolded player has to guess who the quaker is, and if they get it right, they get to take a seat, and the one who made a quack voice is blindfolded. If the blindfolded guesses wrongly, the game continues until they guess right.

8. Sleeping Beauty

Sleeping beauty is a no-touching game similar to “Honey if you love me.” It is a tween game that guarantees some silly fun at a slumber party.

• Sleeping beauty is all about being resilient and not giving up where each player takes turns playing sleeping beauty. One has to lie down as if in deep slumber and must not move, talk or even flinch.
• The other players must try to wake them by making them laugh or smile. Players can say all sorts of silly things to make the sleeping beauty smile or laugh, making it fun.

9. Yard Twister

Do you have great weather and limited space? But you want your tween to scrum for a bit, then this spin on the classic family game twister will deliver.

• Take the fun to the backyard or the park as you get some yard paint and paint a giant twister board out on the grass.
• Tweens always love the chance to be close to one another, and this game allows them this opportunity but in a pretty harmless way.

10. Never Have I Ever

Never Have I ever is a favorite tween slumber party game as it plays well in a small group of friends where everyone knows each other quite well – or thinks they do!

• Players sit in a circle and are handed 20 pieces of candy each.
• Taking turns, everyone names something they have never done.
• Every time a player makes a “never have I ever” statement, a player in the group who has done that thing mentioned takes a candy.
• The first one to finish eating their candy is the winner.

11. Speed Stacker

Speed stacker is a simple staking game that allows your tween to use their grey cells while having fun. It is a game that needs six or more players and can use anything (including the zillion soda cups used at the party ); cans can also work and a table.

• Each player has exactly one minute to stack as many cups as possible.
• The player with the highest number of cups or cans wins.

12. Balloon Stomp

Think this one is just for little kids? Think again! Balloon stomp is an outdoor party game that your tween can play in the backyard.

• It is a group game (10 or more players) that needs lots of balloons and strings and can get a little noisy with the balloons bursting and players shouting with joy.
• It has a simple aim-you must burst your opponent’s balloon without losing yours. You need to split the groups into teams and tie the balloons to their legs with a long string. The strings can be in two different colors to quickly identify the teams.
• Players have to move around quickly and step the other team’s balloon only with their feet as soon as the referee says “go.”
• The team to successfully burst all other teams’ balloon wins.

13. Taste the Rainbow

Taste the rainbow game involves dumping skittles in a bowl in the middle of the table and arming each player with a straw and a cap.

• The competition aims to pick up as many skittles as you can using only a straw.
• The one rule is that players can not touch the skittles with their hands as they transfer them using the straws in their hands from the bowl to their cups without dropping them.
• The first to collect each color of skittles to  form a rainbow in their cup is the winner.

14. Selfie Scavenger Hunt

The selfie scavenger hunt is a scavenger option coupled with the activity tweens love most taking selfies.

• Split them into even groups depending on the number of teens in the party. Having created a list of things, places, or objects they need to find in the neighborhood and have them take a selfie of themselves with these items.
• Finding the things should be completed within 30 minutes to one hour, and the person with the most completed selfies wins.

15. Knees And Elbows

This party game can double up as an indoor/outdoor tween party game. You can either use water balloons, air-filled balloons, or balls to play. A group of six or more players will make this game merry.

• Split the players into two teams and let one player hold the ball with their knees
• The first team to pass the ball around their group with only knees and elbows, no hands allowed is the winner.

We hope your tweens will love some of these game suggestions and see that the party fun doesn’t have to end just because their growing up.

You may also be interested in

If your looking at party planning for tweens, you may also want to check out

• Our bumper guide to the best birthday party ideas for tweens
• Brilliant board games that tweens will love
• The best tween movies for a sleepover party
• Don’t forget to check out our gift guides for every tween-age over here!

The post 15 Terrific Tween Party Games Suitable for 9 To 12-Year-Olds appeared first on Tween Parent | Family Lifestyle Blog.