Hand each guest a lei as they arrive to help set the scene for your Hawaiian party.
Hawaiian-themed birthday parties appeal to kids age 12 because of the grown-up feel but outdoor fun. You can host a Hawaiian party at home, at the pool or at a water park. Whatever way you decide to go, you can get the guests excited about your event by sending out Hawaiian-style invitations, like a surfboard shape from a piece of card stock or tropical themes. Does this Spark an idea?
Hawaiian Party Photo Fun Ideas
Kids age 12 love to have their picture taken. Let them ham it up with a fun photo opportunity. Use a large piece of cardboard to draw a life-size surfer, hula dancer or tiki warrior. Use cartoon images as your inspiration. Color in the design with markers or paint. Cut out the heads. Use these to take fun photos of your guests. You can create a scene with several different characters on one board for a group shot.
Hawaiian Craft Ideas
Set up a craft table for your guests. Girls can decorate flip-flops with fake flowers, gem stones, beads and ribbons. Boys and girls can design their own tank tops. Use fabric paint to create tiki images, draw their name, surfboards or whatever design they come up with. Girls can tie ribbons on the shoulders of the tank top for a feminine beach look that is still appropriate for 12-year-olds.
Hawaiian Party Games
Play Hawaiian or beach style music throughout the party. It provides a nice backdrop to Hawaiian-themed activities like hosting a hula contest, or limbo game.
Create names for the activities and post them on signs in designated areas. Guests can be split into teams and can rotate through the activities, or you can keep everyone together.
You can hold water balloon volleyball, or set up two piles of beach attire and have teams compete in a relay. The first person on each team race to put all the beach items on; bathing trunks, hat, sunglasses, towel, etc. Then they shout, "hang loose!" and take it all off. They tag the next person on their team to do the same until everyone has completed the task.
Hawaiian Birthday Party Food Ideas
Serve Hawaiian style food that is tween friendly. Kids age 12 like typical party fare even when going to a theme party. Order or make a Hawaiian pizza and set out chips with pineapple or mango salsa. Pineapples or a tropical fruit salad is another simple idea.
Decorate a third of a sheet cake with crushed graham crackers for sand and fill in the rest with blue frosting. Use a colored gel to write the birthday child's name and "Aloha" or "Happy Birthday."
Tags: Birthday Party, your guests