Plan your daughter’s 13th birthday party with a special element to signify this milestone birthday. Choose a theme and location that will make her feel slightly more grown and mature, while still allowing for necessary supervision. Avoid embarrassing her at all costs, as becoming a teenager likely puts a larger strain on her to impress her friends and be popular.
Themes
Let your daughter choose a theme that excites her, or pick something that reflects her personality and interests. Common themes for 13-year-old girls include a spa party, mall parties, diva or princess themes, candy themes or themes based on current popular reality TV shows. Host a luau or camp-out if you have the yard for it. Her favorite color can also serve as the theme.
Locations
Your home is typically the least expensive option to host the birthday party. Other locations may offer different activities or give your teen more freedom to feel slightly more grown-up or mature. For example, invite a few of her closest friends to dress-up and pick them all up in a limousine. Go to a fancy restaurant and let them cruise around in the limo. Your teen and a few friends could also spend the day at an amusement or water park. This works for all-girl or coed parties, and you can drop them off or stay at the park without getting in their way. Hotels, bowling alleys and skating rinks are other options.
Activities
Many 13-year-old girls are interested in boys and makeup. Spa slumber parties can take place at home or at a hotel and include doing each other’s hair, makeup, facials, manicures and pedicures, as well as giving the girls a chance to talk about boys. Turn your daughter’s birthday party into a weekend-long event to reflect how special this birthday is. For example, rent a cabin and take the girls hiking or rafting if she’s an active, outdoors girl. Let the girls put together scrapbooks, make jewelry or decorate T-shirts or pillow cases. They can put on fashion shows, make a music video, have a talent show or dancing or singing contests.
Types
Dances are common for coed parties and can take on specific themes, such as a costume party, disco, fancy ball or using a single color, such as lime green or white. Murder mystery parties can include boys and girls and encourage the teens to mingle and play a role, while trying to solve the mystery. Scavenger hunts can be held in your neighborhood, around town, at the mall or anywhere else you choose. Plan a party based on an activity, such as crafting or rock climbing.
Considerations
Becoming a teen is a special event for most girls and should be treated as such. Allow your daughter and her friends some privacy, but maintain supervision by occasionally checking in to prevent issues with your daughter, her friends or their parents; especially for coed parties. Tailor the menu to the party. For example, a fancy dance or luxury spa party can include a chocolate fondue fountain with fresh fruit, marshmallows and other goodies. The entire party can be built around the fountain as well. Give your guests goody bags that reflect the theme and tone of the party. For example, spa party gift bags could include makeup, lip gloss, costume jewelry or nail polish. Candy or gift certificates for popular online music download stores work for boys and girls.
Photo Credit
- birthday cake image by tomcat2170 from Fotolia.com
