Disclosure: I get commissions for purchases made through links in this page. This helps keep this site running
Tweens will feel too old for most of the standard indoor playground party venues, yet they're too young for something adult. But don't worry - you can definitely have a wonderful birthday party for your tweener or young teen that all participants will love! Best of all, these ideas work for both boys and girls. Let's take a look:
1. Capture the flag party - at dusk
To really put a more grown-up twist on a fun activity, do a capture-the-flag at sundown! We actually did this for my oldest son's 13th birthday, and it was a huge hit with the guests. We bought this glow-in-the-dark capture the flag kit from Amazon.com which comes with glowing wristbands for each team, and glowing orbs to be used as flags, which everyone loved.
If you don't have a good layout to do this easily in your yard and/or neighborhood, consider doing it at a park. In that situation, I would not do it once the sun has actually set - at dusk is fine. Even in our yard and neighborhood, we found that the kids had a blast playing this while dusk was falling, but not once it was actually dark; they came inside at that point.
Tip: since you'll typically be planning this at least a couple of weeks away from the event, carefully check the projected times for sunset for the date of the party so that you can decide what time to have the party. Sunset now and sunset on the party date may be at different times.
This is one of the best tween birthday party activities you can do - it's a great hit with the kids and it gets their energy out.
2. Escape room party - at home, or at a venue
Rest assured that even if you host an escape room birthday at your home, you don't have to do a ton of work! There are lots of printable kits available for download with instructions. Most of these are very affordable compared to any venue option. I loved the look (and pricing!) of the Mystery Manor Escape kit at Etsy.com. It's also well worth browsing other escape kit printables at Etsy - there's plenty of choice.
If on the other hand you're looking for tween birthday party places instead of doing it at home, a local escape room venue might be the way to go since you can let professionals handle everything. But then again, unless they offer party packages and/or allow food and drink, you'll still need to go to your place for birthday cake and any other food or drinks you want to offer.
So with everything added up, it'll likely be cheaper and give you more flexibility to have it at home, but the choice is up to you. Either way, the tween boys and girls are certain to enjoy the novelty and excitement of an escape room party!
3. Bowling party
Don't forget bowling! It's an activity which appeals far beyond elementary school age. Also, since it's indoors you don't need to hope for good weather. It's idea if you're looking for tween birthday party ideas in winter. Most bowling alleys offer pre-made party deals that include food, drink, and shoe rental.
If you've got just a small group of tweens, you don't necessarily need to go with their party package - it may be cheaper and more fun to just buy what each person wants to eat there and their preferred choice of drink. Plus it'll feel more grown-up to them.
4. Amazing race party
I loved this Amazing Race party idea at momof6.com, and best of all there are no costs so long as you have some basic items at hand. If you're looking for backyard party ideas for tweens, this is a great fit. You're not just restricted to the outdoors - after reading it, you can easily see how the activities could be modified for indoor play. This is one of the best affordable yet original tween birthday party ideas.
5. Murder mystery party
Tweens and young teens are finally at the age where they can enjoy a murder mystery party! This is perfect when you're looking for unique 11 and 12 year old birthday party ideas at home. Please note, this type of party involves some acting. While the kids need not be great actors to have fun and to make it work, this will appeal to kids who at least have some interest in theater and drama. You can expect to need a minimum number of each gender.
Most murder mystery kits try to keep it as flexible as possible by using characters that work equally well for boys or girls, but you can still expect to need at least 1 or 2 of each gender. Therefore if you have an all-boy or all-girl party, this might not be your best option.
I like the Dead Before Dessert printable murder mystery kit from Etsy.com and also Murder at Stackallen Castle (also at Etsy). Both contain clean content, an awesome mystery, and are suitable for tweens in terms of difficulty level.
Tip: This is best played by guests who already know most of the others present. Speaking from personal experience, it can be confusing and disorienting to meet someone for the first time when they're acting a role at a murder mystery event. This is because it can be surprisingly difficult to separate the character from the person if you don't already know the person. So this option is best if your tweens are all in the same friend group.
The bottom line
Above are awesome 11 and 12 year old birthday party ideas that you might not have thought of before. And the birthday child and guests will enjoy the novelty of parties that they were too young to do previously!
If you're looking for good online tween birthday party invitations, I recommend the beautiful and sophisticated email invitations for kids of all ages, including tweens at Greenvelope.com. They keep track of the RSVP's for you - it's so easy. You can send via email, text message, WhatsApp, Facebook messenger, or a sharable link.
Finally, your tween boy or girl has probably started liking trendy, more grown-up styles of clothing than what they wore in elementary school. Find out here the best places for on-trend tween clothing at a budget friendly price point.
The bottom line is that for the most up to date information, the user should consult the original page at https://goodkidsclothes.com/tween-birthday-party-ideas/