Planning birthday parties for small kids is easy: balloons, clown, cake and musical chairs. But once they reach a certain age, they seem impossible to please and to let everything be planned by them often means everything melting into a make-out and prank-call fest. Here, some ideas that won't make them even want to reach for the phone.
Movie Marathon
Kids love movies, but one movie is never enough to keep them busy for too long. That's why a movie marathon is a great party for teenagers. They're old enough to sit through two or three movies, and if you keep the snacks and popcorn coming, they'll stay totally entertained all night.
Pick a genre of movies or a trilogy to watch. If they're older and like horror movies, why not the Silence of the Lambs movies? For something a little less blood-curdling, how about the Scream movies? If they're not into horror, try the Back to the Future trilogy and watch them giggle at the silly predictions for 2015 that Steven Spielberg made in 1985.
You could also watch "three greatest teen flicks" or "three greatest animal movies." The sky's the limit on what to watch – if it's all girls, try three great chick flicks or if it's all boys, three great action flicks.
To complete the party, have everyone bring DVDs of your child's favorite movies as gifts and make lots of fresh popcorn. Keep classic movie snacks like Milk Duds and Sour Patch Kids at the ready, not to mention the soda.
Photo Shoot
If there's one thing lots of teenage girls have their eye on, it's fashion magazines and models. Make their dreams come true, and create memories, by creating their own fashion shoot where they can be silly and have the pictures to remember it by.
Hire a professional photographer who can come and set up a "studio" – just a white or black background against a wall. Then bring in a portable clothing rack and hang it full of fun vintage finds, leftover prom dresses and anything else you can scrounge (including hats, gloves and lots of jewelry). Then set up a make-up area. Let them do their own makeup, pick their own outfits and then have the photographer snap away.
For food, set up a table with snack foods that won't stain, and for goody bags, send each girl a copy of one of her pictures (or a disc with all of them!) after they're developed.
Rock Concert
It definitely sounds like an expensive proposition, but the reality is there's probably a great up-and-coming band in your town that would play a private show at your place for around $100. Set up a stage in your backyard (clear it with the neighbors first) or inside your garage and then let the party guests enjoy the show from couches or comfy chairs all around. Let them get dolled up in their rock-and-roll best (lots of makeup for girls, and favorite band T-shirts for guys) and serve party food, like chicken wings and lots of dips. If you can work out a deal with the band, purchase T-shirts or a CD for each guest to send home so they'll remember this party forever.
