Birthday Parties for 10-12 Year Olds
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Birthday Party for 10 yr old Boy
Oct 2011
I am looking for some ideas for celebrating my soon to be 10
yr old boy . Some ideas that could be real fun for boys,
cost effective, and not too far from Elcerrito . My main
concern is the month of celebration, first week of December
which limits my outdoor options. Mom
One idea is 'Playland Not at the Beach'.
http://www.playland-not-at-the-beach.org/
it is in El Cerrito.
-pinball lover
My son is turning 11. We have done Playland at the Beach in
El Cerrito. Bowling Party at Albany Bowl and the Lawrence
Hall of Science. All of these have worked well for indoor
birthday parties. El Cerrito Mom
You could have a battlebot party. My brother-in-law has
been hosting 'Bot Bash Parties' for a while up in Chico and
he recently moved to the east bay. Essentially he brings
all the battle-bots, sets up an arena and teaches the kids
how to play with the battlebots via remote control. He
built all the battle-bots himself and can also talk to the
kids about the bots. The parties have been a huge hit up in
Chico and would be perfect for a 10-year olds birthday
party. Check out http://www.botbashparty.com/ botbash fan
Hotels for 12 year old's birthday party
Sept 2011
My VERY serious but fun loving 11 y o going on 12 yo
daughter has more or less outgrown the sleepover parties of
the past, and after, visiting her family in LA, wants to
have a b day pary based in a hotel! This more or less
translates into a party of 6 girls and 2 adult chaperones in
a suite on a sat and sun nite. A hotel with tolerant staff,
hot tubs/swimming pools and rooms ervice whould be good. Any
Suggestions? All of the girls involved are very well behaved
but probably a little high pitched. future engineers want
to have fun too!
You'll probably get good suggestions for the east bay, but
another popular place is Embassy Suites in San Rafael, near
the Marin Civic Center. My teen son had a a good time
playing hide and go seek, as well as using the pool and hot
tub. They also have a great breakfast buffet. fan of San
Rafael
Hotel for 12 year old's birthday party
July 2011
My soon to be 12 year old entirely skipped her 11th birthday
celebration because she wanted at least 12 girls and
something extra special. Our little home wouldn't do. For
her next birthday (since I saved a little having not done
the last one) I'd like to rent two hotel rooms at a place
with a pool where the girls can watch movies, swim and eat.
I've been at Embassy Suites which seems just disorganized
enough that you can get away with anything, but it is also
crowded at the pool.
Has anyone ever done this, any thoughts or suggestions? Any
new ideas or suggestions would be great too.
Thank you!
birthday mom
My daughter had her 10th birthday party at the Doubletree
Berkeley Marina (with only 3 girls, not 12). They ate pizza,
watched movies, went swimming and generally had a total
blast--a highly recommended birthday party option. anon
Embassy Suites in San Rafael is a popular place for this
type of party. mom of teens
Birthday party ideas for girls 10-13
Feb 2011
Does anyone have any good ideas for group birthday parties for the
preteen girl set (i.e., 10-13)? We'd like to invite around 10 girls
and would like to go offsite somewhere in the East Bay. Thanks very
much.
Albany Mom
Our girls liked miniature golf parties at about that age.
There's one in Castro Valley.
Ed
Fashion-themed birthday party for 10 year old
Dec 2009
My soon-to-be-10-year-old daughter loves fashion design, and wants a
fashion-themed birthday party. I am just at a loss for games and activities
around this theme (for 7-10 kids), and am hoping someone has some great
ideas. Thank you in advance!
heidi
We've done ''make up'' parties - go to the drugstore, buy a
bunch of cosmetics within pre-set budget (everyone picks),
do it up at home (you can include facials) and then go out
to a restaurant that way. Also, going to a charity thrift,
give the kids $20 and let them buy whatever (and also go out
to a restaurant that way). Super fun and the kids pick their
''favors.'' In fact, we still have a cool pair of black boots
from the party for my eldest.
-mom of 2 girls
We had a great time at a luau I did for my daughter's
birthday. We divided into teams of two and designed grass
skirts with crepe paper, flowers, etc. and then had a
fashion show. 1 person was the designer and the other was
the model. You can do similar with newspaper and tape to
design an outfit. Have someone from Mary Kay come in to do
an age appropriate skin care and make up lesson. Have them
lie on a ig sheet of butcher paper. Outline them in
pencil. Have them design the ultimate party dress for
themself, then tape them up on the wall for the rest of
the party. Buy small canvas totes at the Dollar Store,
sparkle glue, felt, etc. and have them decorate their own
tote.
kl
I don't know if you or your daughter ever watch Project
Runway but they have some fun ''competitions'' to see what
outfit can be made out of recycled materials (bags, tin
foil, etc), natural materials (leaves, moss, etc) and the
stand-by bridal shower material - a roll of toilet paper.
Seems like it could be fun to have the girls get into groups
and make outfits out of household items. With supervision,
what about making duct tape purses or some other object.
Inexpensive and creative! Or go to Michael's (in
Emeryville) and get t-shirt paint, glue on ''jewels'', glitter
and the like and have a plain white t-shirt for each of the
girls to decorate and take home? Or you could get
inexpensive canvas bags that the girls could decorate with
above materials? Fun theme for a party!
- love the creativity!
I did this once for my then 10 year old at a place called
Pure Girls in Pleasanton. I think they have since closed,
but essentially, they had a ramp with curtains (should be
easy to build - just use curtains around am existing
doorway, and add a long runner or series of rugs). The
girls did their hair and makeup - again, if another mom
can assist you it would be great. They can choose what
haristyle they want, add some basic makeup if you are
comfortable with it, and give them a trunk filled with
clothing and accessories so they can be creative. If you
have a mike (even a $5 one from the drugstore), you can
announce the fashions as theu model on the ramp. It was
great fun - add some music for more energy!
Timi
try apparel arts in san francisco. they hold multi-day
summer camps for kids and seminars for adults. you could
call them up to see if they would host a party or you might
be able to hire an instructor to have a mini-session in your
home. http://www.apparel-arts.com/
a non-sewing mom
Dec 2009
Hi. I'm looking for a place for my daughter's 12th b-day. Something different.
There is a place in Santa Clara that is fantastic called Sky High, wall to wall
trampolines, trampoline dodge ball etc. but it is quite expensive and far to
drive so many girls. Any suggestions of something like that closer to berkeley?
Thanks.
I have a boy, but one place we went that all the 12 year olds thought was
way cool was the laser tag place in Concord. My husband and I took the boys
to Spaghetti Warehouse for dinner, which is quite close by, then on to Laser
Tag. Don't know if the girls would enjoy this so much but speaking as a
woman in her late 40s at the time, I had a blast.
Dianna
My daughter had a rock-climbing birthday party at Berkeley Ironworks that
all her friends seemed to enjoy and it wasn't that expensive.
mom of an adventurous girl
Birthday Party setting for 11 year old girl
Sept 2008
I am looking for a birthday party setting for my soon to be 11 y/o dtr. Her
preference is a setting like Circuits in Alameda, but quite frankly, I would
prefer a cheaper setting. The weekend rate for Circuits can be 270.00--It is
an arena that offers jump house stuff, Wii games, arcade games etc...Any ideas
out there for something along those lines available for less....even a little
less would make me happier. Thanks!
Budgeting Parent
Possible ideas: An ice skating party (Dublin Ice Skating parties
run about $110. Bowling parties run about the same for one game,
perhaps a little more for two games. Also, ceramic painting
(Alameda town center) are also reasonable depending on how much you
choose to spend on items. Indoor rock climbing in Berkeley is
another idea.
Another 10 yr old Mom
I went to a wonderful party in the Hayward Hills last weekend. I'm
not sure of the cost, but I'll included the phone number and email
from the card. The business is call Sables Saddle @ High Five
Stables in the Hayward Hills. The stable was clean with happy,
healthy and well cared for horses. The kids at the birthday party
first learned how to brush and clean the horses hooves. Then they
all fed Sable the horse a carrot, watched her get saddled and each
child was lead around the arena by Mary the owner of the business.
What a great time for everyone even the parents. I would highly
recommend that you look into it as a party choice.
Mary Celaya 510-314-0258 or email sablessaddle@gmail.com
anon
March 2004
Can I get some recommendations or fun birthday party ideas for
my twin boys soon to be 10 in late March? I'm interested in
something outdoors-hiking at PT. Reyes, Mt. Diablo, staying
overnight on the Coastside-something along those lines.
Mom
We had fun taking a a few 8 year old boys (and a few 11 year
old siblings) on the ferry to Alcatraz. You can either book
an ''Alcatraz Kidz Tourz,'' including night tours, or just go on
your own during the daytime for the regular tour. The website
is: http://www.parksconservancy.org/parksites/nightkidz.html
I believe I learned about the Kidztours on Berkeley Parents
Network. All ages of kids loved it.
Diane
Try the Pt. Reyes youth hostel. Think they have an extra cottage
for groups.
Outdoorsy
Hi Mom,
The Oakland Zoo has a Bedtime with The Beasts program in
March. I think there are 3 programs for the month of March.
You can always check online at www.oaklandzoo.org and go
to ''news and events'' and then ''calendar of events''. It's really
a fun event. Your kids can spend the night in the zoo and
everything. There is also a Family Sundown Safari that is for
the whole family. Check it out. These are both really great
events.
ankie
March 2004
Can I get some recommendations or fun birthday party ideas for
my twin boys soon to be 10 in late March? I'm interested in
something outdoors-hiking at PT. Reyes, Mt. Diablo, staying
overnight on the Coastside-something along those lines.
Mom
We had fun taking a a few 8 year old boys (and a few 11 year
old siblings) on the ferry to Alcatraz. You can either book
an ''Alcatraz Kidz Tourz,'' including night tours, or just go on
your own during the daytime for the regular tour. The website
is: http://www.parksconservancy.org/parksites/nightkidz.html
I believe I learned about the Kidztours on Berkeley Parents
Network. All ages of kids loved it.
Diane
Try the Pt. Reyes youth hostel. Think they have an extra cottage
for groups.
Outdoorsy
Hi Mom,
The Oakland Zoo has a Bedtime with The Beasts program in
March. I think there are 3 programs for the month of March.
You can always check online at www.oaklandzoo.org and go
to ''news and events'' and then ''calendar of events''. It's really
a fun event. Your kids can spend the night in the zoo and
everything. There is also a Family Sundown Safari that is for
the whole family. Check it out. These are both really great
events.
ankie
September 2003
I'm looking for ideas for my son's upcoming 11th birthday. Since
his birthday is in December, we're hestitant about planning an
outdoor event. At 11, he's outgrown a lot of the more traditional
things to do. We're hoping to find something that he and his
friends will think is ''Cool''.
thanks...
hb
Recommended:
Berkeley Iron Works
Birthday Party Ideas (website)
December 2002
My son turns 11 in January, and we're searching for
indoor birthday party ideas. In the past couple of years
we've done small-scale sleepovers, so we feel he's
overdue for a big, fun party. He really enjoyed playing
laser tag down at the Santa Cruz Boardwalk. Does
anyone know of a laser tag facility within 45-minutes'
drive of Berkeley? Any other ideas for a fun party place
that can handle pre-teen boy energy (other than the
over-used Albany Bowl)?
Maria
To the writer seeking laser tag for 11-year-old party:
Q-zar has laser tag places in Concord and in Pleasanton. We
have been to both. I prefer the one in Pleasanton--there's
a world of shopping out there if you are not participating
in the games yourself--but they are both pretty similar in
terms of what you get. The Concord place has a web site at
http://www.theentertainmentzone.net/Welcome.htm.
Cynthia
For my son's 13th birthday we took him and a small group of
friends to the Spaghetti Warehouse in Concord, then walked
the one block to the Q-Zar laser tag place. It was lots of
fun and at least cheaper than the Metreon in the city where
we had gone the year before. The Metreon is fun, but very
much designed to suck as much money out of you as possible.
I don't have the address info for the laser tag place, but a
web search should turn it up. Good luck
Dianna
We took our 11 year-old boy and his friends to the batting
cages in Emeryville for his birthday and it was quite a hit
(ha ha). They have several different ''cages'' with different
speed balls, etc. and they also have a indoor basketball
court and balls which we used for an adult against kids
game. They have other stuff like an air hockey table and
some video games, and there is a ''party room'' for doing
cake and presents. I can't remember the exact name of the
place but I'm pretty sure it is on Hollis St. in
Emeryville, a little past the Emeryville Public Market and
movie theater area.
Suzi
There is Q-Zar at 2295 Willow Pass Road in Concord. Their
phone number is (925) 521-9663.
Annie
we once had a party for my son at pt. pinole regional park -
- asked kids to bring bikes to ride, and we had a picnic.
they had a great time riding off that energy!
another idea -- take amtrak down to san jose, and visit the
tech museum of innovation. the kids love the train ride,
especially once they find the snack bar! it is fine for
them to wander around, and there are seats with tables so
they can play games etc. on the way. and the tech museum
has lots of very cool things to offer. it's maybe a 1/2
mile walk from the train station. the whole trip makes for
a long and satisfying day.
or, berkeley iceland is a good place for energetic kids,
even if they don't yet know how to skate -- most can get
the gist of it pretty quickly! and most kids who have
skated before also fall. add some hot chocolate from the
vending machine, and a good time had by all.
but albany bowl is also wonderful, especially if you get
adults involved -- the kids can look pretty good next to
some of us, you know?
kathy
Not long ago my younger son had his 11th birthday. My sister was complaining
about throwing toddler parties, so I thought I'd give her an idea of what she
has to look forward to. This easy recipe makes one sleepover birthday party.
6 boys (aged 11-13 years)
Food:
- 4 sixpacks of sodas
- 2 quarts orange juice
- 2 gallons milk
- 1 cup coffee (this kid was weird)
- 1 package pretzels
- 2 packages chips
- 1 dozen apples
- 4 peaches
- 1 large bag of carrots
- 1 med size jar peanut butter
- 2 large pizzas
- 1 large birthday cake
- 1 dozen fudgesicles
- 2 dozen pancakes
- 4 frozen waffles
- 1 dozen bagels
- 1 large pot of leftover spaghetti
- any other leftovers on hand
Entertainment:
- 3 packages of water balloons
- 8 squirt guns (preferably supersoaker variety - have kids bring them)
- 2 garden hoses with faucet connections
- 8 towels
- 1 gory movie (rent)
- 2 Japanese animation videos (rent)
- computer and games - at least one
- video game system and games (borrow)
- birthday presents (kids will bring)
Directions:
Party will run itself! Just do the following:
- Leave food out where they can find it.
- Make sure outdoor entertainment doesn't come inside, and vice versa
- Place food, entertainment, and sleeping bags as far away as
possible from where you plan to sleep.
- Next morning, withhold all food and entertainment for 30 minutes
before departure time (for clean-up).
--Ginger
More Ideas
Sept 1999
A friend of mine had a great idea for a bday party. She
bought Chinese takeout
for dinner, rented a minivan (since she doesn't have one)
and took the kids to a
drive-in. her husband brought their own car so that they
could have all the kids
in the minivan and park next to them and not have to hear
all the shrieking and
carrying on (it was a bunch of 11-year-old girls). then
she drove the kids home
for a sleepover. If you have a mini-van, it is pretty
cheap, since usually a
drive-in price is per car, not per person. just some
clean-up the next day! And
the kids had a blast. I went along too, and thought it
was about the best idea
for a party I had seen. The trick is to find a drive-in
a safe area with
age-appropriate movies.
Sleepovers are always popular, and I've always been of
the mind that the kids
will have fun no matter how much you spend, so why spend
a lot? it doesn't have
to be a competition. Pizza and videos and maybe some
activities or crafts and
voila. One party I had (for girls) involved beading - i
went to the bead store
on Shattuck, picked out a bunch of different beads (be
careful, it can add up
quickly!) and wire, and had the girls make their own
jewelry. they had a lot of
fun, and I was chasing beads around my floors for a
couple weeks. One year I
tried scrap-booking - i took a bunch of pictures of the
girls when they came to
the party and tried to get them developed at a 1-hour
place so that they could
make their own scrapbook pages of the night's activities.
that didn't quite work
out, because what I didn't realize is that all the 1-hour
developers shut their
machines off around 7-8:00 pm, so I wasn't able to get
the pictures done until
the next morning. A little planning goes a long way!
One of my friends had the girls (age 8 or 9, I think)
make sock dolls out of
toddler socks that turned out to be really cute and the
girls had a lot of fun
making them. I like the idea of the kids doing a craft
and creating their own
take-home party favor, and doing something creative or
physical as opposed to
passive entertainment.
Another fun BD party is ICELAND in Berkeley or the
skating rink in downtown
Oakland. I did a BD party for my daughter (12 years) at
Iceland and all the kids
had fun. I think it ran around $5-6 per kid, including
skate rental, if you had
a group of at least 10(?). you can bring your own cake,
but no other food - you
can buy sodas from their machines. I was surprised to
have 2 of the kids not
want to skate at all, but who asked me for money for the
video games - you might
want to think about what extras you want to pay for up
front, if you go this
route. Nancy
Try Hilltop YMCA (either swimming party, gym party or
combination) or
Albany Bowl. We've had parties at both places (swimming
for 7 year old
girl, bowling for 8 year old boy) and both were fun and
successful. The
price is probably more than $100, but with the bowling,
if you have the
party part at your house and just bowl, you can certainly
keep the costs
down. Of course, this time of year, you could do
something outside, like a
kite flying party at the Berkeley Marina kite flying
park, or maybe even an
outing to Lake Anza at Tilden Park (and just pay the
admission fare for the
kids). Good luck and enjoy!
Helen
I remember a fun party at Albany Bowl. They have a party
room, no
charge. I also think it is possible to get alley bumpers
so the kids are
not too frustrated with their bowling. Perhaps other
bowling places
offer something similar.
Years ago, there used to be puppet show up at the Nature
Center in
Tilden and we scheduled a party around the show. The
kids got to go to
the Little Farm and or the Nature Center. We had a picnic
on the grass
out back. Mostly the kids just ran around. Sometimes, you
can also
arrange for them to bring out the stuffed owls and live
snakes etc. No
charge.
Swimming is another option. One can rent Albany Pool and
probably
others.
That's all for the moment.
Sgerry
Pool parties are great: Albany Pool, Strawberry Canyon
Pool, El Cerrito
Pool.
Bowling at Albany Bowl. Take them to Iron Giant (this
film has heart and
great animations!)
Iceskating at USA ice in Oakland or the Berkeley rink.
Good luck!
Dorothea
Jan 1997
Re: Birthday parties for 11 year old: one thing you didn't mention is
a pool party. I think you can arrange for one at the Berkeley YMCA
for about $75. If the weather is nice on the weekend you want to
have the party (and you are right that you can't count on this), a
kite flying party at the Berkeley Marina is a very cheap option.
It might be possible to have a pool party at the Albany pool;
you'd have to contact them about this.
I've noticed before that there is a real dearth of parks with covered
areas around here. I guess they are more common in areas with hotter
summers. You might try calling Live Oak park and see if you can reserve
one of their rooms for a party.
Good luck,
Diana
I understand that Albany
Pool will let you rent the pool for an hour, unlimited guests, for
$35.00. Great in the winter because it's indoors.
From: Dawn
Subject: Re: Suggestions for 11 yr old birthday?
Last year for my daughter's 11th birthday we held an overnight, with the
main attraction being a trip to the 10 pm Laserium show in SF (the
particular one was LaserRage, but I don't think they show that any more).
We provided the usual cake, ice cream etc (and had a contest to see who
could eat their cake most neatly with NO HANDS), as well as breakfast for
the kids. We asked the parents to pay for the show itself ($5 each for the
kids; $7 for any adults who wanted to go). The kids agreed that this was
one of the best birthday parties they'd ever been to.
Editor Note: Laserium closed in the early 2000's. See
this page
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