Best Sweet Sixteen Parties

​Birthday parties have always been a great excuse to throw a party that teens enjoy, and no one seems to know exactly what teens enjoy like the teens themselves do. When it comes to choosing the most popular party themes for teens, there are some clear winners vying for the title of the most popular theme choices for a successful sweet sixteen celebration today.

Sweet sixteen parties are changing in this era of instant communication, and although some teens may balk at the idea of having a formal party to celebrate their all-important sixteenth birthday, many others are a bit more accepting of any occasion that gives them an excuse to throw a great party. When choosing the right theme or party concept, it can help to remember that the real goal is to have a party the birthday star will remember and cherish.

The best ideas for a sweet sixteen party need to be a good fit for the person having the party and it should be personal in the ways that it represents the things that are the most important to them. When it comes to choosing the most popular party themes for sixteen-year-olds, sometimes it can help to ask the kids themselves what types of parties they think would be good. Parents and adults don’t always know what the teens might prefer in a party, but when real teenagers were surveyed, several clear winners emerged as the most popular theme choices for a successful sweet sixteen celebration.

Dance Party -The number one choice for teens when it came to party themes was the ever-popular dance party. Unlike school dances, hosting your own dance party will allow you to keep the guest list limited to your closest friends so you can party out in style. Think about adding a professional music DJ to the mix. A DJ will keep the intensity going and they usually bring their own lights, games and contests so that you and your friends don't have to do anything except show up, choose the music you want to hear and part out with your friends.

Movie Party – A movie party is always a favorite for tens, and when the weather is good, you can host your party outdoors so that you and your friends can enjoy summer weather and watch a good movie together.
You can rent or create an inexpensive outdoor movie screen in your backyard easily enough, and having some games and contests related to the movie can help turn any event into an awesome party. If you do have to rent the equipment, the cost of renting a big screen and a standard movie projector is usually less than $200 per night in most locations these days.

Pool Party – If the weather is good, you can turn that birthday celebration into a great pool party where you can swim and relax with your friends. Pool parties always go well with beach-themed contests and games too. Think about combining a dance party with a pool party and hire a poolside DJ to keep things lively.

Skating Party – An ice-skating or roller-skating party can be a great inexpensive theme option as most roller or ice rinks will offer discount rates for groups, and they sometimes also provide DJ-hosted music or local bands as an added attraction. Skating parties allow everyone to have a little fun instead of all activity being focused on just the birthday kid.

Lake Party - If you live near a beach or lake or if there is a good public campground near you, you might try your hand at hosting an outdoor lake party. Houseboats make great party platforms and many larger lakes will also have smaller boats or jet skis for rent too.
Like the pool party, you can also add a DJ and some music to the mix too.

Scavenger Hunt Party – Scavenger hunts used to be more common in the 50s’ and 60s’, but they seem to be making a comeback as more teens discover the fun and excitement of searching for surprising hidden objects together. A scavenger hunts gives everyone something to do and in the end everyone can meet to celebrate together  Scavenger hunts are also very affordable and can be as simple, or as complicated as you wish.

Surprise Party – Getting all of your friends together to show up ahead of time and surprising the birthday person with a big surprise party has always been a very popular party idea. Surprise parties can be added to any theme, and they work well with all of the ideas above too. Adding some mysterious “surprise” gifts as prizes for your guest can make any sweet sixteen party a huge success too.

After you've chosen the theme and type of sweet sixteen party you want to throw, it is time to start making a list of the decorations, music, photographic duties, and the best venues to host your party. Achieving the right balance of activities and fun for your sweet sixteen party theme can make the difference between a great celebration that everyone will remember, and a disaster of a party that you can’t wait to forget.