After years of birthday party hats, birthday cake and children's party games, most preteens want something different--something distinctive and that everyone will remember for a long time to come. Peer acceptance is more important at this age than ever. A few birthday games that will make their friends laugh can make the preteen guest of honor the talk of the school.
Favorite TV Show Game
Most preteens have favorite television shows that they talk about at school. If your child likes "American Idol," have a singing competition, complete with a judging panel to mirror the group on the real show. You'll need a cool, hip Randy Jackson type, a nice judge like Paula and a grouchy Simon. No negative comments are allowed that might send a child home in tears. Other ideas for TV show-themed games include "Survivor," "Are You Smarter than a Fifth Grader" and "Fear Factor."
Mystery Game
Most preteens enjoy a good mystery, so set up a whodunit as one of the main games. You will need to write a script with a background story of what has happened before the party began. Organize teams of children so they can work together on solving the mystery. Plant enough clues--but not too many--so that the children will be on task. If you have too many, it might seem overwhelming. You can include a scavenger hunt that leads them to the final clue or discovery.
Find the Party Game
This will require the assistance of other parents, so coordinate with them well in advance of the party. Have all the children meet in one location and give them each a list of clues to find the party. Give each group a different route so you don't have one group following another. The parent who is driving will have to take instructions from the children. The group that finds the party location first wins the prize.
Pop the Balloon Game
Attach an inflated balloon to the backs of each guest's shoes. This can be done with string, tape or a combination to make sure they stay intact. Tell the children to pop the other guests' balloons without popping their own. The last guest left with the balloons still inflated wins the game.
Scavenger Hunt
One of the most popular games for all ages is the scavenger hunt because it is fun and can be adapted to the ages and genders of the guests. This may be played with teams or individually. Ask neighbors if they are willing to help out. If so, provide them with the items for the children to search for. Each guest or team will get a list of items to find. To make the game even more fun, have the children perform something silly for the neighbor before receiving the item. Some suggestions include dancing for 30 seconds without music, singing a silly nursery rhyme or eating a cracker then whistling. The team or guest who arrives with all the items on the list wins the game.
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