How to Choose a Party Theme for Teens or Tweens

Best Teen Party Planning Ideas - Host Good Themed Parties

Feb 24, 2010
Janienne Jennrich

Party Decorations - Sílvio Gabriel Spannenberg

A party theme is essential to a truly epic teen or tween celebration. Even if teens prefer to mainly hang out, laugh, dance, eat & party, a theme pulls it all together.

Parties for teens may be held for many occasions, including birthdays, holidays, sports victories, and life milestones. Some occasions create their own theme (such as a theater cast party), but for others, a theme can add to the event. A theme helps with making decisions on party invitations, party supplies and decorations, activities, party games, and party favors.

The party theme ideas here are meant to be starting points for brainstorming a theme for an event that fits a particular group of teens. A nice theme for one group might feel sappy to another. The trick is to consider the group to be invited, the host or hostesses likes and dislikes, the ages of the teens or tweens, and whatever limits might exist. Limits might be budget, number of guests, place the party is held, and any special needs.

How to Begin Party Planning

Perhaps the best place to start is with the things that are already set. These will probably affect the theme. Will the party be held at a home, outdoors, at a special place with activities built in, a restaurant or school?

Limits need to be discussed with whoever is funding the party. Is there a budget? How many people will be invited? Will the party be co-ed, all girls, or all guys? Will parents be needed to help or chaperone? Are families invited?

Making lists is helpful, especially for a more complicated event.

Some Good Theme Ideas for Teen Parties

Keeping in mind the above, it is time to start looking for that perfect theme. The following ideas can be made to be suit different ages, sexes, guest numbers, and venues.

If the party is centered on a certain person (a birthday or graduation for instance), brainstorming that person's likes is a great place to start. This could lead to a theme based on a favorite:

Song, singer, band, or musical instrument
Color, pattern (checks, polka dots?)
Food, food style, or restaurant (pizza, Asian, chocolate)
TV show or movie
Social media source (Facebook, twitter)
Animal (horses, dogs, cats)
Game (poker, Twister, a video game)
Sport (soccer, swimming, the Olympics)

Themes for Larger Teenage Events

A group event (like a teen dance, grad party, or a spring picnic) can have a wider theme, like:

A vintage or popular song (Rock Around the Clock, We are the World, Today Was a Fairytale, Fireflies)
A book or book series (Twilight, The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, Harry Potter)
A period in time (medieval times, the roaring twenties, 1960s)

Great sites for teen party ideas and party goods are Teen Birthday Party Ideas and Themes and Birthday Party Themes and Ideas, which are packed full of suggestions.

Party Planning and Party Themes

It's easy to get obsessed with making every little detail fit the theme of a party. In Party Like a Rock Star (2010, Globe Pequot Press), author Jes Gordon prefers the word 'concept' to the word 'theme,' writing, "I like the freedom of the word because it's not set in stone, whereas the term theme feels like a party prison to me."

A party theme is only a guideline, so party planners can feel free to add other elements that compliment that idea. For example, a Twilight party need not have Twilight party goods all over the room. Those can show up in a few key spots, and complementary colors, blood red drinks, and sparkles can expand upon the theme.