Planning the Perfect Surprise Party for Your Teen:

A Step-By-Step Guide

It’s no secret that raising a teenager can be difficult. They’re in the process of figuring out who they are, and they often push their parents away as they try to establish their independence. But there’s one thing that can bring you closer together as a parent and child – and that’s a surprise party!

Planning a surprise party for your teen can be a lot of work, but it’s worth it to see the look on their face when they walk in and realize all their friends are there waiting for them. If you want to throw the perfect party, follow these steps!

Pick a date and time

The first step is to pick a date and time for the party. You’ll need to take your teen’s schedule into account – weekends are usually best since they’re not in school and they have more free time. If you can, try to pick a day when you know they don’t have any other plans.

You’ll also need to decide how long the party should be, and to have enough time for cake, presents, and socializing. This also depends on your teen’s age –  for example, a party for a 16-year-old may start later and go longer into the night than a party for a 13-year-old.

Decide on a theme

Your next step is to decide on a theme for the party. This can be anything from their favorite TV show or movie, to a more general “back to school” or “end of summer” party. Once you have a theme, you can start planning the decorations, food, and activities.  

Additionally, if your teen is into music, you could have a karaoke machine set up, or if they’re into sports, you could have a mini-tournament.

Invite their friends

Once you have a date and time set, it’s time to invite your teen’s friends! You can either do this yourself or have your teen do it – depending on how much of a surprise you want the party to be. If you invite their friends, make sure you tell them to keep it a secret!

You can either hand-deliver invitations or send them electronically. If you want to get creative, you could even create a treasure hunt with clues that lead to the party invitation. Just make sure that whatever method you use, all the guests have the correct date, time, and location of the party.

Prepare the food and drinks

No party is complete without food and drinks! You’ll need to decide on what to serve, and how much of it – depending on how many people are coming and how long the party will be. If you’re not sure what to make, ask your teen or their friends for suggestions on what they usually eat at peer parties. You can also look online for ideas – just do a quick search for “teen party food ideas” and you’ll find plenty of recipes and menus.

As for drinks, non-alcoholic options are always best for parties with minors. You can either make your punch or buy premade mixes – just make sure to have plenty of ice on hand. If you want to serve alcohol, you’ll need to check your state’s laws on serving alcohol to minors and get parental permission for any guests who are of legal drinking age.

Party time!

Now it’s time for the party! Make sure to arrive early to set up the food, drinks, and decorations. Once everything is ready, it’s time to let the guests in and surprise your teen! Make sure to take plenty of pictures and videos to capture the moment.

And once the party is over, it’s time to clean up! This is usually a team effort, so enlist the help of your teen and their friends. You can also hire a professional cleaning service to come in and take care of everything – so you can just sit back and relax.

Once everything is back to normal, you can sit down with your teen and talk about how the party went. Ask them what they liked and didn’t like, and what you could do differently next time.

Planning a surprise party for your teen can be a lot of work, but it’s worth it when you see their reaction. Just make sure to follow these seven steps to ensure that everything goes smoothly. And don’t forget to take plenty of pictures and videos – so you can remember this moment forever!

Images provided by Pixabay.