Explore fun ways to celebrate 13th birthday milestones with unique ideas that make this special day unforgettable.
Turning 13 is a huge milestone for most kids, and it was no different for my own child, Madison. Madison just celebrated her 13th birthday, and I can’t believe that I finally now have a teenager on my hands. Many of you grew up with her on this website when we first started out as Growing Up Madison twelve years ago. She’s grown up right before your eyes and mine, and while she hasn’t changed much in personality, she’s now a teenager with her own ideas on how she wants to do things.
This year for her thirteenth birthday, I wanted to do something different than the usual things we’ve done over the years. As a teenager, she’s still my little girl, but now she’s a little bit more independent, can be given more choices, and can make small decisions for herself. So I asked my friends to give me a few ideas on what to do for her thirteenth birthday, and they sure came through for me.
So how do you celebrate your child’s 13th birthday? Here are 13 ways you can celebrate. You don’t have to do them all at once, and there are a few you can do on the day. Or even better, you can make it a full year of celebration where you do one thing each month, but during her birth month, you do two things.
Your little one is finally a teenager, so how do you celebrate their 13th birthday? I’ve got you covered with a few ideas.
1. Throw a Surprise Party
If your child likes surprises, you can coordinate with their friends and family to throw a surprise birthday party in their favor. Think about what they love and incorporate some of those elements into their party. You can do this at home or rent a space that fits your budget. You can also opt for a trampoline park or even a mini-golf party with a few of their special friends. Once again, where you go depends on your budget and the season and weather.
2. Have a Themed Party
This is where your child gets involved. When it comes to themed parties, your options are limitless. You can plan a themed party based on their favorite book series, or movie. While your child may not know anything about the 90’s, you can still do a 90’s themed party where the kids can dress up in what they think was the theme for the 90’s. If your child has a favorite anime character, you can also do a themed anime character party. For example, Madison is in love with Sanrio’s Hello Kitty, and would have enjoyed a Hello Kitty themed party where she can dress up as Hello Kitty.
3. Play the You Choose Index Card Game
Now this is entirely based on your budget but is an amazing way to celebrate a 13th birthday. But you get some index cards and write options on each card and have your child choose a random card. Whichever card they choose, you then do what is written on the card for the day. For example, you can have “Go to the Movies” and “Watch a Movie at Home,” and whichever is chosen, that’s what you do. It enables your child to have choices, which are all spontaneous.
4. Participate in a Photo Shoot
When planning a photo shoot for your child, get their input into what they would love to do. Remember, this is about them and not about you. You can pay a photographer for a professional photo shoot, or if you can do it yourself, even better. Grab some props and start taking those shots. This is a great way for them to show off their teenage style.
Every year Madison and I celebrate her birthday with a mini photo shoot. This year, because it was her 13th birthday, we wanted to make it a little extra special. Madison decided this year that she wanted to do a cowgirl photo shoot, and that’s what we did, and we had a blast taking her photos.
5. Have a Special Restaurant Dinner
Remember, this is your teens special day, so have them choose a restaurant that they would love to have dinner at and make it all about them. Let them make the choice on what they would love to eat without your influence. While it might be tempting to guide them on menu options, this is your time to show them that you believe in them making good choices. Maybe this might just be the day they decide not to order a burger for dinner.
6. Indulge in a Mini Shopping Spree at the Mall
Unlike what it states, this does not have to be expensive. You can give your new teen a gift card of $100 that they can use at stores. They can stock up on their favorite lip gloss, nail polish, or something small. If they have a few close friends who would love to join them, you can make the gift card a smaller amount, such as $20, and have them do the same thing. Treat them to lunch afterwards so they can celebrate.
7. Plan a Getaway Together
While we take trips all the time, we wanted to do something special just for her birthday. Taking a trip does not have to mean taking a week off, but can be as simple as a weekend trip, especially if your child is in school and her birthday falls on a school weekday. For your child’s birthday, have them choose a few places that they would love to visit and narrow the choices down. For us, Madison wanted to visit Madison, Wisconsin, or Disneyland, and we decided on Disneyland together. Luckily for us, her birthday fell around a federal holiday, so we were able to do a 4-day weekend getaway.
8. Or Plan a Surprise Trip
On the other hand, you can also plan a surprise trip. While you can still ask your child about places they would love to visit, they don’t get an actual choice about where they end up. After all, you’re the one with the credit and debit cards. Plan a trip and surprise your child with a fun trip using incorporating some of the ideas they talked about while they were planning on where they wanted to go. This could be museums or an amusement park they wanted to visit, etc.
9. Attend a Concert with a Possible Meet and Greet
If your teenager has a favorite band or musician that they enjoy listening to, consider getting tickets to one of their concerts if possible. I know it might be impossible to get tickets on their actual birthday, but you can choose it for a later date. And if you can afford it, consider adding a meet and greet to the option as well. It would make their day!
10. Take in a Play
If your child is a fan of the arts, then attending a play might also be a great idea to celerate their 13th birthday. It doesn’t have to be on Broadway, as many cities have locations where plays are performed. Visit your local art theater’s website and have them choose a play that they would love to attend. If this is the first time, make it extra special by possibly having dinner after.
11. Buy a Special Piece of Jewelry
Consider purchasing a special piece of jewelry that they can cherish forever. A favorite of mine is the brand Pandora. I purchased Madison’s first Pandora bracelet for her 10th birthday, along with a birthday charm. The premise is to purchase special charms for her bracelet that hold a memory for us, and these charms, like our memories, last forever. However, you can have a piece personalized by a jeweler with their name or even the number 13.
12. An Experience Gift
I’ve written in the past that experiences make the best gifts, and I double down on that each time I’m asked, “What should I get my child?” Cash and gift cards come in a very close second, especially with older kids. Your child would remember that trip in a hot air balloon a lot more than they would of that toy you got them at thirteen. While material gifts are great for younger children, experiences are much better the older they are, as they create long-lasting memories. Experiences don’t have to be expensive either. There are many inexpensive experiences that you can gift. For a list of experience gifts, our article shares 75 experience gift ideas you can give to your child.
13. Have a “Yes” Day (Within Reason)
While I don’t recommend doing this every day, remember, this day is special, so consider making their 13th birthday a “yes” day. Be sure to set some ground rules and even a budget, and then let your new teenager call the shots for the day. This will not only give them a sense of control but will also make them feel extra special.
In Conclusion
There are so many ways that you can celebrate your child’s thirteenth birthday, and these are just a few of the ways you can do so. Becoming thirteen is a big deal for most families and the new teenager. While you would love for your little one to remain “little,” they’re growing up, and before you know it, they’ll be heading into high school and then college.
Spend as much time as you can with your new teenager while you can, before they decide that you’re no longer cool enough to hang out with. Here’s to being a new teenager!
