# How to Entertain pre teens?? HELP!!!!



## dippedstix (Jul 2, 2009)

Britishwitch said:


> ok guys, I am in a quandry. My past 5 parties have always been aimed at the under 10s. lots of cutsie decorations and plenty of silly party games...pass the parcel, dancing games, wrap the mummy, I'm sure you get the picture!
> 
> Well daughter is 11 now and starts High School this week so thinks she is 18 .
> 
> ...


I recall having a halloween party when I was around that age. Everyone came in a costume. We had cool food/snacks and halloween music. There really weren't any activites planned. We just danced like crazy and acted silly the whole time. That was the best party ever- better than any birthday party I ever had!


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## ZombieRaider (May 18, 2008)

Music is a huge factor in that age group so get a DJ or have someone you know play current music with Halloween songs in between....Stop the music once in awhile for the games like wrap the mummy?.....Is that the one where they split into teams and wrap toilet paper on a person with a 5 minute time limit?......I DJ'd a teenish party once that did that and they really enjoyed it....At the end they picked the "Best Mummy" and won a prize....I know music was a huge part of that party....They even made a "Monster Jams" facade around the table I set up on out of mostly painted cardboard but it turned out pretty cool.....ZR


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## ZombieRaider (May 18, 2008)

PS....You could also do others like pin the eyeball on the skull or a ring toss type game and give prizes to who gets closest or rings the most...and OF COURSE a prize for the "best costume".....Music is the biggest factor though probably....ZR


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## Firefighter_Barbie (Sep 2, 2009)

Trust me, don't stress too much, just think of the complete opposite of the past parties  I remember being that age and going to a halloween party. Instead of "cutesy" decorations, use more "scary" (but not over the top) decor. like skeletons, fake spiders/rats, etc. A good decoration for this age is creating siloettes on walls or eyes in the trees or bushes. Fog Machines and black lights really help these. Also, play some halloween-ish music or those sound effect CD's. As off food, basically the regular party snacks, with a twist.

Good luck and have fun!
Kate


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## Frankie's Girl (Aug 27, 2007)

I got my first pack of Tarot cards when I was 12, and had a blast playing with them. An Oujia board would also be interesting.

There is a game called "Tempt Your Fate" (check this section) that could easily be adapted to be more silly and fun. The party guests can choose to participate by choosing to try, but it's not something that they HAVE to try. I had prizes for the good fates like $4 dvds picked up from discount places, and if they got a bad fate, they had to do things like sing "Itsy Bitsy Spider" complete with hand movements or dance for one minute to the Monster Mash.


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## Haunty (May 31, 2006)

I've got the perfect book that'll help....










Penny Whistle Halloween Book by Meredith Brokaw
Discusses the history and lore of Halloween and includes instructions for making costumes, decorations, and invitations and planning games, activities, and menus for Halloween parties for different age groups.


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## Haunty (May 31, 2006)

Also the board game "13 Dead End Drive" is fun for all ages.
But, being a Haunter... I add some theatrics to it. Dim down the lights (but not too dark that you can't see the board) & play a thunderstorm cd as background noise. (game takes place on a dark stormy night)

Haunted Mansion Clue is a spirited good time!

Halloween trivia with some small prizes would be fun.


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## NewbieHaunter (Sep 6, 2007)

I love this thread! Im in the same situation, Im having a witches wingding for my 12 yr old daughter.


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## HeatherEve1234 (Sep 5, 2008)

I'm 30, but I'm pretty sure this would appeal to younger people too - this year we rented an arcade version of Dance-Dance-Revolution. Its a video game where you try to match the dance steps the screen directs you to do in time to some blaring pop music. I think it will make for some drunken hillarity, but even without the liquid encouragement I bet tweens would be amused. Party rental companies usually have a lot of these types of things.


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## NewbieHaunter (Sep 6, 2007)

Thats an awesome idea and even better because I already have it for the wii!! I never would have thought about using it for the party. Thank you!


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## Britishwitch (Jan 5, 2008)

You Guys are terrific! I knew you would come up trumps! There are some really cool ideas here.

I new that the really "cutsie" stuff would have to go and have started gathering the spooky and scary instead. 

I did think that we were talking about music above all else and as that seems the common theme throughout I will go with the flow!

Thank you all so much. You Guys really are the best!



BW


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## Warrant2000 (Oct 18, 2008)

If you have an extra adult or two, have them dress up in a costume, make a grand entrance, and 

a) start an activity
b) chase them around trying to eat the pre-teen flesh. Combine this with a sudden change in lights, fog, and sound.
c) throw a few handfuls of candy out - sort of a live piñata.


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## SleepyHollowPumpkins (Jun 23, 2008)

*Pree-Teen Party*

We are trying to plan a party for pre teens as well...

Not really sure what we are going to do yet but we had thought about showing a PG movie. The following movies are rated PG and will provide a good scare/creep-out without the gore:

Poltergeist
Something Wicked This Way Comes
Watcher in the Woods

We are also thinking about some dance music mixed through the iPod and plyed through the TV.. That way we can download Music videos to mix in as well. There are a few good halloween videos like Thriller, Monster Mash, Etc. I think there is also one from Chris Brown that is about Vampires.

We thought about trying to teach them the Thriller Dance. Then watch the music video and try to do the dance. We were going to get a buddy to break in dressed as a zomibe and scare them during the dance video.


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## chartreusechaos (Jul 7, 2009)

I did my first pre-teen party last year, after 4 years of family parties. I found a game (torture!) called Lightning Reaction (just google for sources). Four kids hold "buzzers" and watch a flashing light in the base. When the light turns red, everyone presses their buzzer. The last one gets shocked! It was a huge hit! The shock is unpleasant, but not painful. 

I had Mario Kart Wii set up in one room and let them challenge each other. Scary movies in another room - PG-13 movies such as The Ring, The Grudge. 

Food in another room. Note: they don't eat near as much as you'd think, but keep the soda flowing. I use cans in huggers - less spillage than cups with ice. The food I used was finger food like Skittles, popcorn, that they could put in a plastic cup and carry from room to room.

Costume contest - funniest, best girl, best boy, scariest, most original.

The finale is a "haunted house" in the basement. I did a maze with black plastic sheeting. Scene of biohazard, dot room, corpse brides (two dummies and one real), and a Michael Myers. Actors were a few parents and older siblings of the guests.

As soon as school started this year, my daughter was getting hit up for an invite to this year's shindig. Parents have already asked to help this year. It is the event of the year at her school!


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## SleepyHollowPumpkins (Jun 23, 2008)

*Ideas*

We are showing a PG scary movie. This was hard to find something that is actually scary.

PG Films:
Poltergeist
Something Wicked This Way Comes
Watcher in the Woods

Also thought about teaching them the Thiller Dance and then watching and dancing along to Thriller. We have a friend that is going to dress like a zombie and "break" in and scare the kids while we are dancing.

I do like the idea of the Dance Dance Revolution though!


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## NewbieHaunter (Sep 6, 2007)

Im having a bunch of 12 yr old girls.... heres my 'Tempt your Fate' game set up
the push pins will have ribbons attached to helium balloons with their fate inside.
Its all on a tri fold board that I can easily set it up anywhere.
the pan and scoop is for the 'scoop a poop' fate (tootsie roll in grape nuts cereal)
the bowl is goody bags of various 'treats' ...bracelets, earrings etc 
Im hoping it will go over well but with tweenage girls who knows! lol


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## teeshaw (Sep 16, 2009)

I like the idea of that game! Awesome.

I am definitely in the same boat, I'm hosting my 13 year old sister's Halloween party this year and need some good ideas as well. Our house isn't too big, so there are only going to be about 6 girls there. I'm trying to avoid the electronic games and go for something old-school  Here are some things I've come up with so far:

One idea I found that would be cool is getting a large bowl of cold cooked spaghetti noodles, adding stuff that makes the noodles extra slimy and gross, like a bit of oil. Even fake bugs or fingers and toes. Add plastic eyeballs with a number written on the back. The kids have to put their hand/arm in there and search for an eyeball, and the number on the back indicates which prize they get. (Such as a little basket of goodies, a movie or a giftcard of sorts)

The Wrap The Mummy is always fun. Prize for winning team with the best mummy.

One year a friend of mine did a party game where she dangled donuts off a piece of string in her kitchen, and the idea was to get everyone on their hands and knees and eat their donut first without utilizing their hands or dropping their donut! Messy, but we had a blast! This game is totally on my list. A prize for the one who is able to complete the challenge. I guess if you want to be healthy (as hard as THAT is on Halloween) you could use apples or another fruit/veggie.

Skeleton Scavenger Hunt - A plastic skeleton would probably work best, take him apart and hide the parts in separate sections of your house or the outdoors. Divide the guests into teams and have a race as to which team can find all of the parts and put them back together again. Prize for the winning team.

Pin the Face on the Pumpkin - self-explanatory. You could use an actual pumpkin with black construction paper cut-outs for the face. And of course, a blindfold is needed  It's a good game for girls who like to giggle and laugh at themselves. Prize for the best pumpkin face I assume, haha. To make it even more interesting, you could have all the guests go at the same time, and have to actually glue the cutouts onto the pumpkin, as compared to having tape stuck to the back, and all they have to do is just position and place it on the pumpkin. It's easier to judge who's is the best when they are all lined up. Add in a time limit perhaps?

I'm doing pizza and veggie/fruit trays for food in between games. Maybe add some finger food like chips and skittles (as was suggested before  )

And I guess to make it all come together, little gift bags at the end of the party filled with whatever. Candies, pencils, jewelry etc.

Hope my entire party plan helps!


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## Halloweenie1 (Sep 28, 2008)

NewbieHaunter said:


> Im having a bunch of 12 yr old girls.... heres my 'Tempt your Fate' game set up
> the push pins will have ribbons attached to helium balloons with their fate inside.
> Its all on a tri fold board that I can easily set it up anywhere.
> the pan and scoop is for the 'scoop a poop' fate (tootsie roll in grape nuts cereal)
> ...


Nice job! Very cute!


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## cuethemusic (Sep 12, 2009)

When I was about 12 I went to a halloween party at a friends house in her basement, which had 2 rooms. One room was for music/dancing and all the lights were off but they had glow in the dark halloween decorations everywhere and I remember just thinking it was a really cool atomosphere. In the other room she had a ouija board, scary movies playing, and an adult was doing crystal ball fortune telling. Her mom also set up a scavenger hunt in the backyard which was lit by lanterns and it ended up being a blast!

I think it's important to not really dictate what is happening when like with children's party "okay now it's time for pin the tail on the donkey", but rather just offer them a variety of things to do and let them choose for themselves.


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## DannyDanger (Sep 17, 2009)

have had a lot of experience in this area so I would suggest some structure, but not too much. Sort of a loose structure like some posters before me have suggested. 

I've worked at a camp in the past and the way most our events are structured is like stated above. So for a Halloween party I would suggest, a room with music for dancing, a room with movies,snacks, and games, and then if you can pull one together, A Haunted House!!!!!!

Now I know most preteens will say they don't like to play those silly games, but most, if not all, secretly still want to play them. So I'd suggest in one room, putting on a few Halloween classic movies, and just have them playing. I know at parties I never really sat down to watch a movie, but it was cool to have them on in the background, in case I ever get bored or something, just go see whats playing. (Shameless self promotion) If you have a computer in the room with internet and good speakers, you can go to my site halloweentv.tk and just play movies, and TV shows from there! haha All are Halloween themed pretty much! (End shameless Self Promotion.)

In that same room have a table with the usual snacks. And have games out that they can play as well. Like someone all ready suggessted the DDR game would be awesome at a party!

In the dance room have a playlist of a bunch of different music, mostly dance music, but throw in some Halloween novelty songs for fun! The Cryptkeeper jam is a fun one! 

And then the haunted house! Now its not as overwhelming of a task as it might sound. I mean it can be, but if you wanna put something simple together it can still work if you do it right! I once made one Halloween during the day and had it ready by night and it was a HIT! Like the next day all the kids were saying that was their favorite part! So how did I do it you ask? Use your garage, basement or just any room really. And then set up a "maze," really just a trail to lead them through it. I used tarp on strings, as my maze walls. Hey it works! Anyway have creepy scenes set up to set the feel of the haunted house. But the main thing is, either urself or another adult, or whoever, has to be the "Scarer." If thats even a word. I worked at a Gyro's haunted house before and I realized the main success was the people who jumped out and scared you! Sure the creepy atmosphere is cool and all, but really does it ever really scare anyone? The startle scare is what gets them! So like have someone in a scary costume hiding around a corner, and then when the kids pass they jump out and scare the kids, and chase them out. Or another way to do it, is if you have the means, set up a bunch of scarecrows or dummies or whatever and have the person hide amongst them so that they look fake. Then when the kids pass he jumps up and scares them that way. 

And thats basically all u need for a "simple" haunted house. The creepy atmosphere and the startle scare. If you have enough people to help a few startle scares are better!

Oh yeah so about the structure, or loose structure. You can have a board that list "events" of the night. I'd suggest leaving some free time between each event. Time to socialize, snack, watch some of the movie. Anyway have like at this time we will play, such and such game. You coudl have a sign up sheet if u feel inclined, but idk if that might seem a bit TOO structured. anyway then some free time. Then at this time costume contest or whatever. free time. At the end of the night the haunted house opens! make sure you don't just let them all run through it. Putting it at the end gives them a reason to stick around, and have something to anticipate. Cuz who doesn't LOVE a hunted house on Halloween night! Send them in in groups, so that they don't ruin the scares for the other kids behind them. You can end with scary story telling as well. 

What I like to do is plagarize old tv shows. haha. I don't claim I invented the story but I also don't really tell them its from a tv show. Most of them prolly are too young to have seen it anyway so its new to them. 

Anyway I like to tell the story of the guy who picks up a girl on the side of the road and he finds out shes a ghost at the end. I tell the version from the Halloween episode of "Growing Pains." I tell it in first person as if it happened to me, though if they ask I say its not really me just how the story is told. Course if they dont ask, well then i guess it happened to me! haha But yeah you can just think about halloween themed episodes of ur favortie shwos from the past and tell them like a story. you can change names and such and make it fit. The reason I choose halloween themed shows/sitcoms is cuz they are specifically written to entertain/scare. Which is key. You can tell those "scary stories" from like those compilation books, but most of those are just kinda boring I found. So like you can tell about the evil ventriliquist dummy that comes to life and stalks its maker (liek Steveil from "Family Matters") or maybe the mad scientist who switches the brains of a group of friends (Like in the second halloween episode of "Two Guys and a Girl") And so on. The stories will have that scary halloween vibe, but also can be funny and entertaining. 

You could ask the kids to tell scary stories too, some kids are pretty creative. 

A few game ideas. The one with donuts on a string is always fun. I'd suggest a more halloween themed treat hanging though. Just to make it more in tone. If you can get those Peeps bats, I think those would be PERFECT! liek hang them from a string and make it look like bats hanging from a cave! 

Another game me and my friends call "Ohh!" but for Halloween you can call it "oooooh!" like a ghost haha. Anyway the object is to put ur finger on someone's back and then draw a line up their back and say "oooooh!" They have to make a full line though. If they just touch ur back and don't finish the line it doesn't count. We play for points, but you can play for candy if the kids are down for it. And this is an on going game! So kids will always be having to watch their backs haha. You could have safe zones too though. LIke the movie room or whatever could be a safe zone. Anyway sometimes we'll have certain people be worth more points. But only for a brief time. So you can have certain kids be worth more pieces of candy. And whackiness ensues!

Hope this helps!


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