Bowling alleys usually have pool tables, dart boards, and an arcade, too! Not to mention the awesome, greasy bowling alley food. So when you’re tired of repeatedly throwing a ball while knocking at 10 little pins, there will be more to do a hop, skip, and a jump away.
Being active is always good – especially if it’s a little out of the ordinary. Try going to a skateboarding park, playing frisbee golf, volleyball, going for a hike, or boating. Do something you don’t normally do!
Even if you can’t afford a trip to the spa, don’t let that stop you! You and your friends can give each other mani-pedis, do facials (grab the cucumber slices!) and start a massage line!
The main thing that ruins a good bonfire is running out of wood and kindle. Make sure you have enough matches/lighter fluid and newspaper/wood/things to burn to keep the night going. And enough hot dogs, s’mores supplies, and soda, and if you have a smartphone or tablet, use cellular data instead of Wi-fi!
If the nearest theme park is a bit far away, ask your parents if you and a few friends can stay the night at a nearby hotel and make the weekend of it. You can pack sandwiches, an overnight bag, and get all the free coffee and shampoo you want! Now that’s a birthday.
Anything normal can be made not normal with just a tweak or two. Go to your favorite restaurant, but dress up like you’re going to hit the clubs. Hit the theme park with a list of 100 different things to do and go crazy getting it done. Turn making dinner into a cooking show. It’s all in your imagination!
Talk to your parents about what’s doable and what’s not. Having a money party might be difficult, you know? So throw them a list of ideas and find out what you both think would be doable and fun.
Make it extra fun by bringing soda, snacks, blankets, and chairs. It’s like a picnic that comes with its own entertainment! Bring some travel games, too, in case the game has long breaks and you and your friends need to kill time.
Sometimes concerts go late and can be expensive. Be sure to clear everything by your friends first before you make plans. They may be thinking pizza and video games when you have a lot of crazy ideas planned. But maybe you can change their minds, too!
If you’re not sure how many to invite, plan your night and then pick a number. Sometimes it will determine itself – how many people you can fit in the car, an even number for teams, or the amount of chairs you have in your basement, try to stay 6 feet apart because of COVID-19.
It’s a great idea to keep your friends busy – everyone can build their own personal pizza with crazy toppings, decorate a cake, or build their own sandwiches or sundaes. Or just make mom and dad take care of it! Once everyone is fed, you can plan the rest of your party.
If you’re staying up late, make sure you have plenty of sugar to stay awake, lights to keep you awake, and things to keep you from getting bored and sleepy. You’ll have a soda-can pyramid large enough for Facebook in no time. Mountain Dew fort, anyone?
You could also make this super ridiculous, too. Bright blue eyeshadow, red lips – the kind of stuff you see in those terrible glamour shots. Then take pictures and have a sort of fashion show, pretending to be haute couture models. Do each other’s make up with crazy colors, glitters, and hues.
If not the mall, what kind of shop could you just go crazy at? It’s your day! Do you go nuts in bookstores? Would you love to spend hours trying on jewelry? Painting pottery? Outlet stores? Thrift shopping?
Make sure your friends are cool with this! Some people either don’t like it, can’t swim, or are uncomfortable being in swimming suits. Run it by your friends first if this is how you’d like to celebrate your birthday.
Make sure your parents are cool giving you control of part of the house! Let them know your plans so they don’t worry and, more importantly, don’t walk in every 5 minutes to check what’s going on.
Go for a scavenger hunt. Have your parents (or any outside source) hide things around the house/neighborhood. Two teams could look for different clues and it could be a race to see who gets the last clue first. Go for a photo scavenger hunt. Two teams each have a camera and take five or six photos in a given amount of time. They then exchange cameras and the other team has to recreate the photos in the exact same position in the exact same place. If you can travel around town, find a place they might not recognize! Play balloon dare. Write dares on little pieces of paper, insert them into balloons, and blow them up. Then people have to go around choosing balloons and popping them, one at a time, completing the dare inside. But don’t be too mean – make the dares doable and only a little nerve-wracking! Play Bingo with a big group of friends. [2] X Expert Source Natasha MillerProfessional Event Planner Expert Interview. 29 January 2020.
If there’s an outdoor pool near you, you could do the same idea there too, chill out on the grass near the pool and take a dip if you get hot. After you could all go home if you’re cold and have dinner, eat cake and then have a few of your friends stay for a sleepover.
If you’re having a party, you might want to provide a few other things for your guests, too. Drinks (water, soda), cake (possibly different flavors or an alternative for those who don’t like it or are allergic), and snacks will keep your guests from leaving for the nearest MacDonald’s.
