Hey girl, today let’s chat about the best summer birthday ideas for tween boys and girls.
If you are on the hunt for the best summer birthday ideas for tweens, girl, boy do I have you covered.
As a mom of 4 kids who are 7, 9, 11, and 13 (3 boys and a girl), I am here to give you dynamite summer birthday ideas that your kiddo is going to go bananas over.
We have tried out so many of these summer birthday ideas already as a birthday party while the rest we have done just for fun gatherings and you can’t go wrong with any of them.
All of these summer birthday ideas for tweens work for both boys and girls, and with friends or just with your family, but you know your kiddo best so pick something your kiddo will have a blast with.
Let’s jump into the best summer birthday ideas for tweens will be memorable for sure.
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Best Summer Birthday Ideas
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1. Ice Cream Party
Put together an ice cream social birthday party.
First, let’s talk about the ice cream. I know it is so easy to just buy ice cream and move on to the toppings but girl, give your kiddo a huge treat and make your own soft serve ice cream. It is so delicious and easy.
You can use this ice cream maker and either make it in front of the kids or make a bunch ahead of time and store it in your freezer.
Next, let’s talk about the toppings. Put together a toppings bar. You can include so many things including (but not limited to) chocolate syrup, hot fudge, fruit, candy, sprinkles, nuts, whipped cream, and more.
What are your favorite ice cream toppings? I love eggless cookie dough chunks😊.
2. Pool Party/Water Fun
Let the kids beat the heat with a pool party (if you have access to one) or water fun.
Water fun can be anything from a water balloon fight, running through a sprinkler, water squirters, a slip and slide, and more.
3. Picnic
Treat your kiddo to a birthday picnic.
One idea is to pack your own with your kiddo’s favorite foods.
We have been using this soft-sided cooler for the past few summers and I love it. It is big enough to hold food and drinks for our family of 6 with room to spare.
Or, you can pick up takeout from a favorite restaurant and have that as your picnic food.
Either way will have your kiddo talking about this picnic for years.
4. Outdoor Movie
Have an evening summer birthday party and host an outdoor movie for your tween and friends.
This is a fantastic movie projector that connects to your phone. Our neighbors have it and we had a great time watching movies on it all last summer.
Set up a snack bar for all the kids including popcorn, chips, and sweet treats.
You will also want bug spray and maybe blankets depending on what the weather is doing.
I find that tweens also like to sit in chairs for this instead of on a blanket.
5. Camping
Take your tween camping for his birthday. This could be in your backyard or at a campsite.
If you are in the market for a tent, one like this is amazing. As a family of 6, there is enough room for everyone to sleep (and girl, I have to sleep on an air mattress) along with room for all our bags too.
6. Cookout
Invite all your family and friends over to celebrate with a cookout. Grilled food is so delicious!
Your kiddo will have so much fun hanging out and playing with everyone in such a relaxed setting.
By the way, what is your favorite grilled food? I can never turn down a burger or brat.
7. Yard Games
If you are going to have a cookout for your tween then you have to set out yard games.
You can set up tournaments or just let them play mama.
8. Painting Party
This is a bit more for your tween girl, have a painting party. There are studios now that host these kinds of parties, and that is great.
However, if you want to save some money you can have it at home. Set up a table or 2, get enough canvases for all the girls invited to the party, paint brushes, and acrylic paints. These paint pens are also fantastic.
I am not going to lie, when all is said and done, it is just easier for me to take the girls to a studio.
9. Scavenger Hunt
Create a scavenger hunt for your birthday tween! This could be at your house or around your neighborhood.
Pick items that you know everyone will see. To make it so no one cheats, have a rule that there has to be photo proof. Someone must be in the picture with the item.
10. Luau
Coconuts, drink umbrellas, leis, and more. Umm, yes, please!
Your tween will have the best time with the leis and party sunglasses. My kids and their friends love these party sunglasses.
11. Fireworks
Take your kiddo and friends to a fireworks show. I know that it will be a late night but it will be so much fun.
If you don’t want to stay up that late, grab some sparklers and other small fireworks and shoot them off at home.
12. Bounce House
Kids go bananas over bounce houses. Instead of spending money on a trampoline park, rent a bounce house.
My son went to a birthday party last summer that had a water bounce house and the kids had to be dragged out just to grab a drink of water and something to eat. When they were done, all the kids raced back to the bounce house.
13. Neon/Glow Party
If you are hosting a birthday party for your tween in the evening, make it a glow party.
Stock up on glow necklaces and bracelets, fun glasses, foam glow sticks, and rings.
Turn up some tunes and have a dance party.
14. Nerf Battle
This is a bit more for your tween boy, even though I know girls are just as nuts over Nerf guns too.
Have a Nerf gun battle.
15. Laser Tag
Your kiddo and friends or family can run around with these laser tag guns either during the day or in the dark. Girl, it is so much cooler to play laser tag in the dark though.
My kids and their friends are out in our yard all the time playing laser tag and they have the best time.
16. Rock Climbing
There are indoor rock climbing walls and I am sure there is one near you.
This gives kids a great workout while having fun and building confidence.
17. Bowling
Kids love bowling so head on over to the bowling alley.
We did this last year for my daughter’s 12th birthday and it was such a hit. It was a great way to spend a few hours with friends.
18. Color War
Girl, get your camera ready because you want to capture this fight. Get color powder, put it in bags such as rosin bags, and stand back.
We have done this the past few years for our annual 4th of July party. Everyone gets involved and has the best time running around, and at the end, we jump in the lake and it just washes away.
You could have the kids run through the sprinkler to wash off and cool off.
19. Tie Dye
Buy some white T-shirts and turn them into a tie-dye shirt. You can do more than shirts though, you can try socks, hats, and even pillowcases.
However, tie-dye is a process so make sure you allow ample time if you go with this. I read that the dye should set up for at least 6-8 hours, but 24 hours would be best.
I have looked on Pinterest for different ways to roll the shirts to get different patterns. My daughter created a heart tie-dye shirt and it is her favorite.
20. Board Games
If you have to switch gears due to the weather and the like, have a few board games on hand. They are a great activity for tweens.
Game pleasers for tweens that we have tried include: What Do You Meme? Family Edition, Trivial Pursuit Family Edition, and Ticket to Ride.
This post was all about the best summer birthday ideas for tweens.
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Which summer birthday idea did you pick? Let me know in the comments below.
I look forward to hearing from you and thanks for stopping by.
