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Birthday Party Theme Ideas (for older kids 8-14 y/o)
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items Here are some more mature birthday party theme ideas for kids who are getting too old for dinosaurs and princesses! I imagine these would be great themes for kiddos ages 8-14 or so. They are pre-teens and teens, getting more refined, and wanting to give their friends more of a unique and trendy experience. These ideas are all great for both girls and boys, and I've taken inspiration for them right from some cool invitations I've seen over time. Most of the invitations can be customized easily by you, and are also available to download so you can print them off in a hurry. Because, let's be honest, sometimes we parents leave things to the last minute! Let the photos of these fun invitations get your creative juices flowing, and let them inspire color palettes and activities you can have at the party you plan. Happy Birthday (party)!
This one's a little more work for the parents, and it's more suitable for a smaller group of kids, but this would be an amazing experience for them that they would remember forever! Between all the parents, I bet you have all the stuff you need for this! Some camping gear, including a tent big enough for all the kids, some roasting sticks, a fire pit (or a portable fire pit), some flashlights and some supervision! The parents may want to sleep in the back yard too, in a tent near the kids, just in case of nervous campers. Roast hot dogs, tell stories around the fire, make birthday smores and put a movie on a tablet (in the tent) for the kiddos at bedtime, and you've got a wonderful memory!
Backyard Camping Sleepover
Kids love paintball! And now there are guns and sessions targeted to a younger crowd. The paintballs are smaller and ‘slower’ and don't hurt as much. I should know… the first time I took my son and his friends to paintball, they were 9 years old. This is their favorite activity to do at a birthday party! And the party is easy… just bring a cake, order some pizza and let the kids have a blast. I find this to be easy and stress free for the parents, as there are instructors with them all the time. I just sit there doom scrolling while they have fun. :)
Paintball Party
As a mother to an 11 year-old boy, I can tell you that this particular invite is good for both boys and girls! My son calls all his closest friends ‘bro.’ But there are other more gender non-specific invites for a pool party. Anyways, as long as you have appropriate supervision (and lots of floaties), this is a pretty easy party to host. The kids will spend most of the time in the pool playing around, just popping out to eat. I love it!
Pool Party (or Beach Party)
This invite is meant for a Halloween party, but I like this invitation for a birthday party too. Just customize the words for your kid's party and hold the party in the evening. Have some scary activities and Halloween style decorations, and it will be a spooky experience they won't forget. A night walk with flashlights is fun, and this works really well if their birthday is actually close to Halloween season!
Horror Party
This idea is dear to me, as I love getting together with my kid's friends and their families. A nice birthday party at a park, including everyone's family and playing a sport together! It takes a community to raise our children, and this is a great model of how community is so important. All the kids and parents battling it out on the baseball diamond, or playing dodgeball together… that sounds like fun! My son loves to play competitive sports against me :) Depending on your budget, you could make this a potluck and ask them to bring equipment such as a cornhole board and bags, bocce ball set or horseshoe set. You can supply the main meal and cake and have a fun and relaxed experience with everyone with no schedule in mind!
Family Sports at the Park (Party)
If you have a big enough space in your home, you can just rent a Karaoke machine and go nuts! (or maybe there's an app for that?) The kids can dress up like rock stars and let them entertain each other. And if they don't jump right in… threaten to start the show yourself. Your kid may die of embarrassment and snatch the mic away from you. And start the show themselves! Dim the lights and bring out the glow sticks. Pizza and pop with a guitar shaped cake.
Karaoke (or K-POP) Party
yesssss! A good old-fashioned bowling party! There are quite a few venues that offer bowling and arcade games, and as long as you can keep the kids inside the building, there is very little you have to do for this party! Just bring the cake, and usually order the food at the venue, and sit and visit with the other parents. After a lively game of bowling of course!
Bowling & Arcade Party
They are ALL playing video games… or at least they all want to! You can book a gaming truck to come to your house, the kiddos all fit in there, and play games together. This is a no-brainer!! You book your time, then have them come in for food and cake and gifts. One of the easiest parties to arrange, as you really aren't doing much hahaha I love it!
Video Game Party
Not gonna lie… as a lady with lots of lady friends, paint night at the bar is really fun. I think our kids would love the same kind of activity, without the alcohol, of course! You can host this at your home (if the kids are more responsible), or go to a studio for space and instruction. Have them (with instruction) paint a picture, sculpt a clay masterpiece or have your friend come over and show them how to do needle felting! This is a creative and fun opportunity :)
Arts & Crafts Party
This works well when you live in a larger city and have a larger budget for the party. Keep the guest list small, and take the kids to have a cool experience maybe doing science experiments, watching a show at the planetarium and learning about space and science! This is a great idea for the kiddos who need to be totally engaged and challenged in order to have fun. Don't forget the DNA shaped cake!!
Space and Science Party
There are many gymnastics gyms that rent out space for kid's birthday parties. They have trampolines and fun activities to try out. Like balancing on the beams and sometimes even foam pits. You might be able to hire an instructor to show the kids some moves and techniques! Or just take them to a trampoline park, and they have dedicated spaces for parties. Just bring your cake! And the best part? You walk away from most of the mess. :)
Trampoline or Gymnastics Party
A lot of kids love reading Harry Potter, and love the fantasy of being magical and special. The stories are fun, and the party could include wands, magical potion punch, owl shaped birthday cakes, special scavenger hunts (for magical items) and a wan... Also, everyone has to dress up!!
Harry Potter Party
i took my son and 4 of his friends to a rock climbing venue for his 9th birthday. Non of the kids had done it before, and they were all pretty scared. It was so cool to see them try and eventually succeed at getting to the top. My gosh, the smiles!! It was all properly supervised, and the kids were always safe. It was a really great party, with pizza and cake afterwards.
Rock Climbing Party
Kids (of all ages) are obsessed with Marvel superheroes, and you can have a more refined party for your older kid and their friends. You can set up a costume contest, have a bow & arrow shootout in the backyard, have a Captain America shield cake... There are so many activity ideas if you poke around on Pinterest!
Marvel Party
Depending on if you live in a larger city or not, there are still escape rooms around! Give them a call and see if they have any games designed for pre-teens. There are also people who have written blogs about how to host one for yourself! Do some digging on the web to find some information about hosting one at your house. This idea only works for the tightest groups; kids who don't get panicky or weird about being locked in a room together :)
Escape Room (Solve the Mystery) Party