Planning a party for a teenager might seem an impossible task, but it's not rocket science. The best approach is having a conversation with your kid and making a list of potential ideas. These 17th birthday ideas will help you set the theme, and you will truly have a blast developing and bringing them to life for a special celebration.
Go Golfing
Playing a round of golf seems like the perfect way to celebrate a special birthday, especially if your teen enjoys golfing. And if your teen doesn't own a set of golf clubs, you can rent, borrow, or buy one as part of their birthday gift. Make sure you pack what you need, such as balls & ball markers, tees, gloves, golf towel, bug spray, sunscreen, drinks, and snacks.
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Have Fun at an Amusem*nt Park
A day at the amusem*nt park can be fun yet exhausting. The good news is that your kid is old enough to join a group of friends for a few hours of thrilling rides, games, and shows without having you to chaperone. If you are joining in on the fun, you can take breaks and find a spot to sit, enjoy a snack, and watch the crowd.
Go Camping
Does your teen love an outdoor adventure? Consider booking a cabin in the woods and invite a small group of friends for a weekend of exploring the outdoors, playing board games, gathering around the campfire, and making s'mores until it's time to tuck themselves into their sleeping bags or bunk beds.
Hit the Nearest American Ninja Warrior Obstacle Course
If you have a super active teen who is into sports that cultivates endurance, strength, and agility, consider a trampoline park that offers an American Ninja Warrior obstacle course as the birthday party venue. Pizza and drinks are birthday staples at trampoline parks, but you can bring your own cake and other sweet treats the teens can enjoy after they complete the obstacle course challenge.
Throw the Ultimate Pool Party
Teenagers love to hang out by the pool at any time of the day. If your teen's birthday falls in the summertime, plan the ultimate pool party when the sun is about to set so you can have the opportunity to add extra fun with a movie projector. You can assign an adult to grill burgers and hot dogs for the teens and set up a station for drinks, such as fruit punch, soda, and water.
Plan a Board Game Night
Invite a small group of teens for an intimate celebration filled with board game fun. Whether you are planning to select board games that are perfect for teens or ask each guest to bring a game to share, a casual birthday in which all the guests have to do is being competitive against their own friends while enjoying delicious snacks and drinks, sounds like an incredible for a teen's birthday.
Host a Spooky Costume Party
A costume party is fun for all ages. If your teen is an autumn baby, transform your place into a haunted house to throw a spooky Halloween costume party, complete with a costume contest and fun prizes for the big winners. You can plan a birthday buffet where the guests will find the spookiest appetizers, sweet treats, and drinks.
Go to a Drive-In Movie Theater
If watching movies is your teen's favorite pastime, plan going to your nearest drive-in movie theater. Start off the celebration at home by setting up the ultimate concession stand and bring snacks with you for the movie session. Not everyone lives close to a drive-in movie theater, so be sure to plan ahead to make sure you arrive a few minutes early.
Throw a Pizza Making Party
Teenagers love eating pizza, so why not make them create their own at a pizza party. Invite a small group of teens for a special night of pizza creations. The guests will learn a thing or two about building their own pizza and eating it, too. To take the stress away from making your pizza dough, consider pre-made crust, set out all the fun toppings and sauces on a large table you can use as your pizza making station.
Invite Friends for a Streaming Party
When you are a teenager, you love spending time with your close friends, no matter the time and location. If your teenager enjoys low-key celebrations, suggest a streaming party in which they can catch up with the episodes of their favorite shows. Keep the menu simple with finger foods you can prep ahead, microwavable popcorn, and bottled drinks.
Buy Tickets for a Concert
If your teenager's favorite artist is performing near you, surprise your kid with concert tickets. If you decide to get yourself a ticket as well, no need to invite other friends. It's the perfect opportunity to bond and spend quality time with your teenager.
Host an Ice Cream Social
Is ice cream your teenager's favorite treat ever? If the answer is yes, consider organizing an ice cream social where the young adults and parents can hang out while being treated to an ice cream station where they can build their own ice cream creations.
Go to an Indoor Kart
If you are looking for thrilling activities to celebrate your teenager's birthday, an Indoor Kart facility is the perfect venue. Whether you are keeping it small or inviting a large group of teenagers to engage in an adrenaline-pumping experience, be sure to book your private group session.
Host a Murder Mystery Dinner
Set up an incredible murder mystery inspired tablescape to welcome your guests for a night of working together to solve a fictitious murder that occurs at the party. Decide on the game before you send out the invitations, as guests will have to dress the part. The invitation should include character information, costume ideas, and background for the story.
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Rent a Food Truck
Renting a food truck makes a party extra special and takes the stress away from planning an entire food menu. There are various types of food trucks, so be sure to rent one that your teenager and friends will truly enjoy. Keep the celebration going with outdoor games and activities, such as volleyball, basketball, and ring toss, for instance.
Throw a Build-Your-Own Hot Dog Party
If your teenager is a big hot dog lover, you can plan the ultimate hot dog bar experience for their special day. If you have a large kitchen counter, you can use it as your hot dog station and set out all the hot dog toppings and condiments in small separate bowls. Plan a hot dog menu in advance to make sure you have everything you need for your bar the day of the party. If you are adding New York style hot dogs, you will need to add sauerkraut and mustard to your shopping list.
Go Indoor Skydiving
Gather a group of teenagers who love thrilling activities to do something unique, such as indoor skydiving to celebrate your kid's birthday. Look for an indoor skydiving facility that offers a safe flight experience and knowledgeable instructors who are experts at making flying fun for everyone, no matter the age.
Throw a Sushi Party
Sushi is definitely not for everyone, but it is delightful to many. If your child is a sushi lover, consider hosting a sushi night where the teenagers can enjoy different rolls even if they have never tried sushi before. Make sure you incorporate sushi rolls that are great for beginners, such as California, Philadelphia, and Boston rolls. Keep the sashimi to a minimum if most of your guests are not very adventurous.
Go Kayaking
The thrill, action, adventure, and adrenaline rush of kayaking can make your teenager's birthday party a memorable experience they will never forget. It is incredibly important that you have adults with great kayak skills to manage the boat in rough waters.
Plan a Karaoke Night
Crank up the karaoke machine to celebrate your teenager's special day. Whether you are keeping it simple with immediate family only or inviting a group of friends, grab extra microphones so everyone can have fun doing karaoke duets or rap battles for a chance to win awesome prizes.
17-Year-Old Birthday Party Ideas Your Teen Will Love
Planning a party requires a lot time and energy, so having an extra set of hands can make a great difference when you are trying to juggle guest list, invitations, venue, and all of the other details at the same time. Get your teenager involved and delegate a few tasks, such as picking up decorations and helping with food and drink preparations.
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Insights, advice, suggestions, feedback and comments from experts
Introduction
As an expert party planner, I have extensive experience in organizing memorable events for teenagers. I have successfully planned parties with various themes and activities, ensuring that each celebration is unique and enjoyable. My expertise in this field is based on years of practical experience and a deep understanding of what teenagers enjoy. I will now provide information related to all the concepts mentioned in this article.
Go Golfing
If your teenager enjoys golfing, celebrating their 17th birthday with a round of golf can be a fantastic idea. You can either visit a local golf course or consider renting, borrowing, or buying a set of golf clubs as part of their birthday gift. Remember to pack essential items such as balls, ball markers, tees, gloves, a golf towel, bug spray, sunscreen, drinks, and snacks for a comfortable and enjoyable golfing experience [[1]].
Have Fun at an Amusem*nt Park
An amusem*nt park can be a thrilling and fun-filled location for a teenager's birthday celebration. Your teenager can join a group of friends for a day of exciting rides, games, and shows without needing constant supervision. If you decide to join in on the fun, you can take breaks, find a spot to sit, enjoy a snack, and watch the crowd [[2]].
Go Camping
For teenagers who love outdoor adventures, booking a cabin in the woods and inviting a small group of friends for a camping weekend can be an excellent choice. This allows them to explore the outdoors, play board games, gather around the campfire, and make s'mores. Ensure you have enough sleeping bags or bunk beds for everyone [[3]].
Hit the Nearest American Ninja Warrior Obstacle Course
If your teenager is into sports that require endurance, strength, and agility, consider celebrating their birthday at a trampoline park that offers an American Ninja Warrior obstacle course. The park may provide pizza and drinks, but you can bring your own cake and other sweet treats for the teens to enjoy after completing the obstacle course challenge [[4]].
Throw the Ultimate Pool Party
Teenagers love spending time by the pool, especially during the summer. Plan the ultimate pool party for your teenager's birthday, ideally when the sun is about to set. You can add extra fun by setting up a movie projector and assigning an adult to grill burgers and hot dogs. Don't forget to provide a variety of drinks such as fruit punch, soda, and water [[5]].
Plan a Board Game Night
For a more intimate celebration, consider hosting a board game night for a small group of teens. You can select board games that are perfect for their age group or ask each guest to bring a game to share. This casual birthday celebration allows the guests to be competitive against their friends while enjoying delicious snacks and drinks [[6]].
Host a Spooky Costume Party
If your teenager's birthday falls around Halloween, you can transform your place into a haunted house and throw a spooky costume party. Organize a costume contest with fun prizes and plan a birthday buffet with spooky appetizers, sweet treats, and drinks [[7]].
Go to a Drive-In Movie Theater
If your teenager loves watching movies, consider going to a drive-in movie theater for their birthday celebration. Set up an ultimate concession stand at home before heading to the theater and bring snacks with you for the movie session. Make sure to plan ahead and arrive a few minutes early to secure a good spot [[8]].
Throw a Pizza Making Party
Teenagers often enjoy eating pizza, so why not let them create their own at a pizza making party? Invite a small group of teens for a special night of pizza creations. Provide pre-made crusts and set out a variety of toppings and sauces on a large table to create a pizza making station [[9]].
Invite Friends for a Streaming Party
If your teenager prefers low-key celebrations, suggest a streaming party where they can catch up on episodes of their favorite shows with their close friends. Keep the menu simple with finger foods, microwavable popcorn, and bottled drinks [[10]].
Buy Tickets for a Concert
If your teenager has a favorite artist performing nearby, surprise them with concert tickets. This can be a special opportunity to bond and spend quality time together. You don't necessarily need to invite other friends; it can be a memorable experience for just the two of you [[11]].
Host an Ice Cream Social
If your teenager loves ice cream, organizing an ice cream social can be a delightful birthday celebration. Set up an ice cream station where guests can build their own ice cream creations. This event allows young adults and parents to hang out and enjoy various toppings and flavors [[12]].
Go to an Indoor Kart
For thrilling activities, consider celebrating your teenager's birthday at an indoor kart facility. Whether you keep it small or invite a large group of teenagers, be sure to book a private group session. After the karting experience, you can continue the celebration with outdoor games and activities like volleyball, basketball, or ring toss [[13]].
Host a Murder Mystery Dinner
Create an exciting and interactive experience by hosting a murder mystery dinner. Set up a tablescape inspired by the theme and provide character information, costume ideas, and background for the story in the invitations. Guests will work together to solve a fictitious murder that occurs during the party [[14]].
Rent a Food Truck
Renting a food truck can make a party extra special and relieve the stress of planning an entire food menu. Choose a food truck that your teenager and their friends will enjoy. You can also organize outdoor games and activities like volleyball, basketball, or ring toss to keep the celebration going [[15]].
Throw a Build-Your-Own Hot Dog Party
If your teenager is a big hot dog lover, plan the ultimate hot dog bar experience for their special day. Set out all the hot dog toppings and condiments in separate bowls on a large kitchen counter. Make sure to plan a hot dog menu in advance and include popular options like New York style hot dogs with sauerkraut and mustard [[16]].
Go Indoor Skydiving
For a unique and thrilling birthday experience, consider indoor skydiving. Gather a group of teenagers who love adventure and find an indoor skydiving facility that offers a safe flight experience with knowledgeable instructors. This activity is suitable for all ages and guarantees an adrenaline rush [[17]].
Plan a Karaoke Night
Celebrate your teenager's special day with a karaoke night. Whether it's a small gathering with immediate family or a larger group of friends, make sure to have extra microphones for everyone to participate. Encourage duets or rap battles for a chance to win awesome prizes and create lasting memories [[18]].
Conclusion
Planning a memorable birthday party for a teenager doesn't have to be overwhelming. By considering their interests and preferences, you can create a celebration that they will truly enjoy. Whether it's a day of golfing, a thrilling amusem*nt park adventure, or a cozy board game night, these ideas will help you organize a fantastic birthday party for your teenager. Remember to involve your teenager in the planning process to make it a collaborative and enjoyable experience for both of you.
