A 13th birthday is a special occasion in my opinion…especially for a girl! The problem is this age group can be a little “challenging” when it comes to finding just the right party. Figuring out how to make a 13th birthday special can be hard. I have come up with 20 ideas for a girls 13th birthday for a girl…I bet you will see the perfect idea for your daughter on this list!
20 Ideas for a Girls 13th Birthday
The problem with this age is that they don't want to have a party that seems too “childish” but they aren't old enough to do some activities that teenagers would do. We have to get creative and offer up a few choices to make this day extra special for these girls!
As a mom of three daughters….I am getting the hang of this!
Spa Day Party
Most families are not going to shell out money for a big group of girls to go to a real spa. Luckily this is something easy to do at home and still have a blast. Mom—grab a few of your friends to help “treat” these girls to a spa day at your house.
You can do facials, pedicures, manicures….even hair treatments–like special conditioning, etc. The girls will have so much fun being pampered.
Cooking Contest Party
A lot of kids are really into the whole “chef” thing. There are lots of fun TV shows that have cooking contests, etc. What if you did your own version of Cutthroat Kitchen of Chopped!
This doesn't have to be extravagant to be a blast! Be sure to make some kind of cooking trophy
Neighborhood Scavenger Hunt
Send the girls out on a big neighborhood scavenger hunt. They can go in teams of 2 or 3 for safety purposes. Don't forget prizes
Mall Scavenger Hunt
Another fun version of a scavenger hunt is to do it at the mall! Instead of getting items…they will take pictures of items with their phones. This is a good option when the weather isn't going to allow an outdoor scavenger hunt.
Jewelry Making Party
Most 13 year old girls like jewelry. It is easy to personalize to each girl's taste too. Head over to your local craft store and buy a variety of beads
It is nice to have an activity that ends with a nice item for the girls to take home!
Learn a Craft Party
I know some ladies who do different crafts…and do them really well! Find someone in your community who could come over and teach the girls a new craft.
Maybe they could learn to crochet and they could all make a small project. It could be candle-making…there are so many fun crafts out there to learn!
Painting Party
Painting parties are all the rage for women right now. I know that most teen girls would also enjoy painting a nice picture they can put in their room. Find a local painting center and book it for the afternoon! Be sure to ask for picture options that teen girls would like!
Arcade Night
You are never too old to have fun at an arcade (in my opinion, LOL). Take the girls out for pizza and then head to a local arcade…be sure to give them all bunches of tokens so they can play and play!
Cosmic Bowling
Bowling is fun…but cosmic bowling is even more fun! Do a late night cosmic bowling party for your daughter's 13th birthday party. This will be an evening of LAUGHS for sure!
Limo Party
Renting a limo for a couple of hours would thrill most girls of any age. I think this would make a 13th birthday party very special. If the birthday is near the holidays they could look at Christmas lights. If not..they can just cruise and feel extra grown up!
Hotel Stay
This may be a smaller party idea…but taking your daughter and her best friend to a hotel for a night can be a really awesome idea. Book a room somewhere that has a nice pool so they can swim.
Hiking Adventure
My kids and I love to go hiking together. I know that getting a group of friends and going on a hiking adventure for the day would be a really fun time and an unusual 13th birthday party.
Pack some fun snacks to the girls. Take tons of pictures of them on the hike too!
Camping Party
We aren't really a camping family, but my kids wish we were, LOL. I know that surprising my daughter with a camping party would get me lots of points!! Bonfires, tents and roasted hot dogs…just equals a fun time! Here is a great camping packing list!
Night at the Theater
Dressing up and going to the theater…as in musical theater…is a really special evening. Take your daughter and one or two friends to see a musical. This will be a great memory for them.
You can try to see about a backstage tour or a chance to meet some of the cast if you let the theater know it is your daughter's 13th birthday!
Amusement Park
We don't live near an amusement park…much to my children's dismay. If we did this would be high on my list for birthday! Spending the day at an amusement park would be fun for most teenagers.
Be sure to look for ticket coupons or even a Groupon to save money on admission!
Retro Game Party
Retro and vintage are all the rage. Drag out your old games and have a good old fashioned game night. Twister
You could even teach them a new game….my family LOVES playing Tenzie
Karyoke Night
Pull out your karyoke machine
Puppy Petting
My daughters LOVE going to the pet store. They have actually spent HOURS there holding puppies. 🙂 Take the group out to lunch and then to some pet stores for some hands on fun. Give the kittens some love too!
Escape Room Party
We have several businesses in town that offer “escape room” parties. I have been hearing my teen talk about this recently and I think it would be a really unique party idea.
Paintball Party
How about getting down and dirty with an all girls paintball party? I am sure a lot of people think this is something only boys would like…but I disagree and think this would be an exciting party!
How Will You Celebrate?
How will you celebrate you daughter's 13th birthday? Which of these 20 ideas for a girls 13th birthday is your favorite? Do you have an idea that isn't on this list? Let me know!
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these were some pretty good ideas. my 13th birthday is in a few days and so im searching the internet for some ideas for my party. I was going to do one of the Unlock Escape rooms, but it was 20$ a person and im inviting 9 people so that would be to expensive. also, personally, i think that the craft and painting and kareoke party ideas were a little childish, although others might dissagree. But some of your other ideas like the musical or amusement park sound really fun! i have to admit i like the musical because i want to be an actress but i think others would like it too. Thats just my opinion, but thanks for the ideas!
Thanks for commenting Kendal. I hope your birthday is amazing! I appreciate your insight too…I am definitely not 13 anymore, LOL.
my 13 birthday is coming up ad I still dont know what to do. its on saint Patrick’s day so it has to have something green involved. I NEED HELP
Hi Mackenzie! First off…I hope your 13th birthday is a BLAST! What if you had a green themed party at your house. Everyone has to wear green…have all green foods….something along those lines. I think that would be really fun and could get hilarious too.
These are pretty good ideas! My name is Kayla, and 13th birthday is in 4 days. I don’t know how I wanna celebrate and was browsing the internet. Even though i like your ideas i’ll probably watch a movie and eat popcorn at home with my baby brother.
Hi Kayla, thanks for stopping by…celebrating with family is always a good way to spend a birthday! Hope your 13th is wonderful.
mine is coming up soon and agree with Kayla.
My 13 birthday is coming up and I want the perfect birthday but I don’t know what to do all of these sound really cool but I don’t know what ones to do and the limo sounds really cool but I don’t want to spend a lot of money on my birthday.
Yeahhh.
My birthday is the day after Valentine’s Day and my mom is taking my bestie and I out but I’m not sure were to go. I thought about volunteering somewhere. I thought about
Thank you for these ideas! We’re going to go with a painting party. My daughter is an avid artist and it suits her perfectly!
My 13th is in four days. I don’t know what to do for it until I came across this page! I love all of these ideas, my uncle has a limo so that would be perfect for me and my friends!
hi my name is savanna and my birthday is on the 4th of July but i dont want red white and blue themed i need help!!!! i dont know what to do.
Hey jamie , i am gonna be 13 years on 5th of august .
And i have just shifted to Dubai from my home town – India . So i dont have any friends over here that i can invite on my bday , the only people i have here in Dubai is my mum , my sister ,uncle , aunt and maternal grandparents ( cause my parents got divorced 3-4 months back and i live with my mum)
I am pretty confused on what to do , i wanna make it special since its my 13th birthday
The only thing that i have planned is that i am getting my hands and legs waxed and my upper lips done for the first time on 3rd or 4rth of August- thats just before my birthday. I would be REALLY REALLY GLAD if u can help me get through this . 😞
Hi Nighna, Thank you so much for taking the time to comment. I am sorry you are spending your birthday in a new place without knowing any girls your age. I think you can still have a very special day it may just look different then you had imagined. I was talking to my daughter about your situation and we thought maybe you should do a girls night out with your mum, your sister and your grandma. Maybe you girls could go out to a fun restaurant and see a show or musical performance. Spending the night with your family isn’t quite the same as a group of friends your age, but I think you can still make amazing memories!! Next year…you will have lots of friends to celebrate with! HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!
My 13th birthday is in a while as well.
I actually still don’t know what to do,I’ve done everything on your list.I am inviting up to 30 people,and I want it to be a blast,and not too childish.Your ideas made so much sense anyway.Thanks alot.
Wow lucky 🙂
im turning 13 soon and i don’t know many people. I am usually with my nana since my mom and dad go to Mexico every other year on my birthday. We never do anything special. When I turned 12 my nana was working night shift from 12:00 am to 11:00 pm and my papa was asleep since he had to go in at 3:00. My parents were in Mexico so I was alone. Anyways, I have lived in the country for most of my life and I would LOVE to go mudin and ride the 4 wheelers. There is places made for this and one is near me!
HI Alyssa, I am so sorry you have had some disappointing birthdays. Maybe your family can do something the week before or after your birthday. I know this year will probably be different with all the quarantines, etc. I really, really hope you have a good day. You seem like a very special girl.
I’m turning 13 on May 31st, which falls on a Sunday this year. I need to come up with a way to celebrate my birthday normally, pretending that there is no coronavirus outbreak because I have been having headaches when hearing people talk about the same topic a lot. Therefore, I don’t think or talk about this very much. However, I also need to follow the rules for the quarantines, such as sheltering in place, not going out and about, etc. My family is also diving my brain crazy these months because they scream a lot. I really need help with this.
Hi Karolina, first off, Happy Birthday! This is a hard year for birthdays…2 of my girls have not gotten to celebrate with friends yet..everything is on hold. It may be better to put your celebration off until you can do it right and have a fun time with friends. I know it is hard being cooped up with family for so long. I hope whatever you decide turns out amazing. Stay safe!
i’m going to be 13 in 5 days and i am having four girls over for a sleepover. i will have a bigger party after COVID-19 is over but i am not sure what to do for the sleepover. all of the girls like different sorts of things, but i like the idea of camping and karaoke! i am just not sure if that will fill the whole night. we all like an app called tik tok, where you make dance videos (i’m not sure if you know what it is) so we will definitely do that, but one of the friends that are coming over doesn’t have a phone, only an ipad and she is not allowed to have tik tok but she still can dance along. i am just not sure if those things are going to fill the whole night. plus i want something EXITING like rolling someone, but i am just not sure about that. if you could please help me, that would be GREAT!! thank you! 🙏
Hi Elaina, First off..happy 13th birthday! I am glad you will be able to celebrate for your birthday despite the COVID-19 issues. It sounds like you have some good ideas already on how to fill the time. Yes, I am very familiar with Tik Tok in that my daughters love it. 🙂 I am sure that will take up a lot of time because there are so many fun dance videos you can make. What about spending part of the earlier evening cooking…you could make a fun special dessert and all the girls could help. Another idea would be to play some outdoor games after dark..in the dark. Flashlight tag, hide and seek in the dark…that is always fun. I hope you have a super party and stay safe!
thank you so much! i will definitely do your idea of games in the dark! that sounds so fun!😁
Hello, Its my 13th birthday in a couple of weeks, but of course we’re in lockdown which isn’t great, I absolutely love going shopping and spa days, I was wondering if you had any ideas on how I could do these at home or social distanced 🙂
Hi Danielle, first off happy 13th birthday! This year is HARD for birthdays. Both of my younger girls had to miss having a “real” party. So sad! So I was thinking that if you are still quarantining you could do a “virtual” party with some friends. Tell everyone when it will be and that you will all be doing at home manicures and/or pedicures. You and your friends could visit virtually while you paint your nails and show each other the final results. I definitely isn’t the same, but hopefully you can do a belated party once things return to normal!!
My 13th b-day is coming up in November and I have no idea what to do because of covid and my move I lost most of my friends so my b-day will be just family but I still need a theme pls help me
Hi Lia, I am sorry that covid and a move are making your birthday less than you hoped for. I know you can still have a great time with your family. What are some of your favorite things? Try to pick a color scheme and then build a theme around the colors you pick. I hope your birthday turns out amazing!
Hi I’m turning 13 on 7th Jan and I really don’t know what to do… I am inviting 2 of my friends because i don’t want to take risks during the pandemic. I had a few idease but now I’m not so sure. Please help me!!
Hi Charollete, first off Happy birthday!! My youngest daughter has the same birthday…so it is a great day! Are you having the party at your house or planning to go do something? I know that many places are closed so it may be hard to find activities to do outside your home. I think you can still have a great party at home with 2 friends. Is there a particular TV show or movie series that you and your friends like? Maybe you could plan something around a theme like that. My 14 year old loves Friends…so a Friends watching marathon plus some Friends trivia games…maybe even do a big Friends puzzle. That sort of thing…just think about what you like and center the party around that. Remember…you will have fun just being with people you care about. I hope your day is the BEST!
Hi I’m Saia and my birthday is on the 7th of February. I have no clue what I want to do! I’m only gonna invite a couple of girls but what should I do?! My favorite ideas on this list (which I think are ALL great ideas) are: Spa day, retro night, game night at home, night at the movie theater(if it’s open), and a camping party in my backyard. I can’t decide!! Please help
Hi Saia! First off, happy birthday! I am glad you will be able to have a small party. I think having a retro night would be really fun! Retro stuff is so big right now and I think you could have a lot of fun. Maybe pick some “retro” movies to watch. Play some retro games….maybe have a Rubix cube competition to see if anyone can solve it. This could all make for some great memories and photos! I hope you have a wonderful day and thanks so much for commenting.
Happy birthday! My birthday is on the 11th :>
Hi I am Gracie and my 13th is on the 14th of august I know it’s a while but it takes me so long to decide! I think I might do a home party due to current restrictions but I don’t want to just sit around I have no idea what to do these ideas are amazing I think I might do a spa party
Hi Gracie, well Happy Early Birthday! I am the same way and have a tough time making decisions about certain things!! I think your friends would love a spa party…it is always a fun thing to do. I know that whatever you decide it will be great. I wish you all the best!
My mom is having a baby ONE MONTH before my 13th birthday!! I was going to do something like go to a new state. But, with baby I can’t. What should I do?!
First off, sorry for my slow response! Secondly…happy 13th birthday. I am not sure if I am too late in my response to be of any help…but as a mom who has her kids very spread out…my youngest was born a month before my oldest turned 14. I can understand your disappointment in not being able to do what you originally planned to do. Is there any way someone else could take you on the adventure? A close relative, grandparent, friend of the family? Another option would be to have a smaller party on your birthday and postpone the trip until later when it is easier for mom/baby to travel. Whatever you end up doing I hope it is wonderful.
Hi im Honora! Im turning 13 in October , but I still dont know what to do( It takes me a long time to decide) I really loved the escape room idea though! I hope by my birthday we wont have to precede with any restrictions!
Hi Honora…what a lovely name! I also hope you won’t have any restrictions when your birthday rolls around. My family recently did an escape room and we had so much fun! It was harder than we thought it would be. We got out with only 20 seconds to spare!! Wishing you the BEST 13th!!
hi! my 13th birthday is in a month and a bit, and i didnt know what to do until i found this website- its great! im thinking of maybe going bowling with my friends, and then camping out in my back garden for the night. thankyou for all the ideas, i didnt know what to do before i found them
Hi Ella, I am so glad these ideas helped you! I hope you have a wonderful and special 13th birthday celebration!
hi, My 13th birthday is coming up soon. I am what you call an early organizer so I started planning early but I was clueless as to what I would do. Thankfully, I found this site and it is rlly giving me some ideas, I think the escape room is so exciting but I live abroad and my parents are looking for a small budget. the musical also seemed great since I love singing and I also want to be an actress. Camping in the backyard would be fun for my guests but nature is my enemy and I am scared of the dark. But I am totally down for the paintball party. I just wanna say thanks for all the great ideas and now I know my birthday will be a blast!!
hi im mariam. my 13th is on november 5th, but i like planning really early so i have time to change stuff if i want to. anyways, i have no idea what to do! i like the amusement park idea(i wanted to go to area 53, but that’s an hour away from my house and it would cost upwards of 2k to invite 20 friends like i wanted to), but i’m not so sure. the arcade night is a pretty good idea too, but im not sure my parents would want us playing games for that long. some of the people on my guest list are boys, and i want to do something everyone will like. i can’t figure out what to do! please help!