Pre-teen birthday parties are something of a tightrope for parents to walk across during the party planning stages. They aren’t quite old enough for teenage party ideas, but will also insist that they’re old enough to shun things they once loved. 

When it comes to planning the best gift for a 12-year-old girl, you may find that she wants to invite a few select friends with her to enjoy a celebration of her special day. 

To make sure that you’re prepared for a memorable 12th birthday, here are some perfect party ideas that will ensure her big day is fun, unique, and unforgettable!

Throw a Pool Party 

Planning a pool party for a 12-year-old girl sounds like so much fun! A pool party is the perfect choice because it offers a refreshing way to beat the summer heat while having a blast with friends. What’s great about pool parties is that they’re so versatile and can be customized to match any theme or idea the birthday girl loves. Whether she’s into mermaids, tropical vibes, or anything else, the pool sets the stage for creativity and excitement. This will give a chance to plan awesome pool activities to keep the kids entertained.  But wait, there’s more! Let’s talk about those adorable pool floaties. They are a must-have! Made-to-order pool floats add that extra touch of magic to the party and make for the perfect photo opportunities. And here’s the best part – you can choose floaties that match the theme perfectly! It’s like stepping into a whole new world of fun and excitement. With all these amazing pool activities and floaties, the party will be a huge hit, and the birthday girl and her friends will have the time of their lives!

Host a karaoke and dress-up party 

It doesn’t matter whether you’re having this sing-a-long at home, or in a private karaoke booth for the kids. All that matters is that the songs are right and there are a lot of outfits to dress up in!

Create some hilarious and fun moments for the girls as they dress up as pop stars and sing their hearts out. They will absolutely love you for it (although your neighbours may not!). 

If you think hosting a generic dress-up party isn’t fun enough, choose a theme like Alice in Wonderland or Disney Princesses and have every guest come dressed as one of these characters. You can even match your decorations and games to the theme and really get creative.

Have a skate-themed birthday party  

This can be anything from a day at the skate park or visiting an ice rink to renting out a hall for a birthday roller skating party. Either way, a small group of her best friends skating around is a surefire winner for a twelfth birthday party. 

While parents are always at a loss as to whether or not something is still deemed cool, TikTok and other social media channels have made skating fun and popular again. Be sure to ask around and check whether any of the girls coming to the party have any recent injuries that could prevent them from enjoying the fun.

If any of the girls haven’t been skating before, it might be worth booking an instructor who can show everyone the ropes and keep them safe. However, for girls that love skating and are pretty confident, consider a skating dance class to help them learn new moves.

Take them to go bowling and then to the arcade 

Most bowling alleys have arcade games in their buildings, so you’ll be getting double-perfect parent points here. Bowling is one of the few timeless fun and active things that children enjoy that doesn’t feel like exercise. Make the most of this and get a little bowling tournament going to celebrate her turning 12 in style!

To make the party even more fun, give out prizes for the person with the highest score, the most strikes or even the girl who gets her ball in the gutter most often. Try to find a little prize for everyone so nobody feels left out.

Take a trail ride on horseback 

Pony and horse trails offer small groups of all ages the chance to gently ride a horse and take in some absolutely breathtaking scenery. Depending on how memorable you’d like to make her birthday, there are even options to enjoy food and a few songs by the campfire! 

Friends. Horses. Songs. What more could you ask for with such a coming-of-age milestone? 

Movie marathon

Is your twelve-year-old a lover of movies and cinema? Instead of going to a real cinema, set up a projector in your home and invite her friends over for a movie marathon. To make the space extra comfy, put down lots of blankets and cushions to create a fort. You could even string up some fairy lights and balloons too.

If you don’t already have one, invest in a popcorn maker and buy some candy floss and other snacks so the girls won’t go hungry. It may also be a fun idea to make the invitations to the party into the shape of movie tickets, which you can take off everyone at the door.

Make sure you decide on all the movies before the big day to avoid disagreements. If your daughter wants to pick all the movies, have her send out a list to her friends so they all know what to expect.

Picnic party

If the birthday in question is during the summer, a picnic party could be the perfect way to celebrate, especially if you have a large garden. Whether you decide to spread a large blanket on the floor or pull out some tables, the kids will have the time of their lives out in the sunshine.

Buy some paper plates and colourful table decorations that will look great paired with homemade lemonade and sandwiches cut into triangles. If the weather takes a turn for the worst, try to have some umbrellas or a canopy to keep everyone nice and dry.

Picnic parties are the perfect opportunity to hire a bouncy castle, paddling pool or other fun toys and games that can be enjoyed outdoors.

Host a ‘make your own party’ theme 

Not every parent has the means to take a group of girls horseback riding, and there are always some creative ways to make a smaller birthday party budget go far!

Hosting a party with a ‘make your own’ theme lets you make a memorable birthday with just a fraction of many other parental budgets. 

Simple activities are often the most enjoyable. Decorate your own cupcakes. Make your own sundaes. Make your own jewellery. All of these ideas are cost-effective but extremely popular ways for girls to sit and have fun without having to spend a fortune.

In Conclusion…

Planning a birthday’s perfect party can sometimes feel overwhelming, but the best way to make sure everything goes well is by asking your 12-year-old what she would like. Chances are, she already has some ideas about how she wants to celebrate. If not, put forward these ideas and see what she thinks.

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