It doesn’t matter how many children you have or where you live in the world – when you have kids, there’s a lot to look forward to. The milestones and the laughter, the fun and the coming of age parties, it’s all there for you to get excited over. It’s sad when your once-baby turns 16 because they’re getting closer to that age when they’re growing up and about to move out and be on their own. Independence is what we teach our kids their entire lives, but once it comes around, it’s a little bittersweet!
Finding the best possible way to celebrate your child’s sweet sixteen is a must. You don’t have to go all out in the same way they do in the USA, but you might want to think about making this occasion special. For example, in some cultures, an Iced out Rolex is the perfect coming of age gift. You could have a look at world traditions for coming of age and go from there. It’ll help you to determine how you can ensure that your brand new sixteen year old has an amazing time. Below, we’ve got some of the best suggestions for celebrating this milestone birthday!
- Go out and Go Kart! Most teenagers love the thrill of the adrenaline rush and one of the best sweet sixteen ideas out there is going to a race track to gain some experience behind the wheel. Make it a group thing and you’ll start their birthday off with a true bang.
- Host a party. No, not an over the top MTV party, but a real one. All you need is their friends, some great party games (think Guitar Hero, not Kerplunk!) and good food. As the evening starts you can retreat to another area of the house so everyone is supervised but not cramped. A party is the coolest thing and if your teenager is into it, you could theme it! Your daughter might want a spa party with face masks and pedicures with real salon talent arriving.
- Head to a theme park. A theme park is the ultimate party destination for a teenager. It’s a place they can go all out, with all of their friends with them. Get the wallet out here because you’ll be on the hook for party arcade games, souvenirs and food for the group. It’s a whole thing!
- Plan a trip. If your brand new sixteen year old is a fan of camping, why not go camping for their birthday? You can upgrade a tent in the forest to a glamping experience like nothing they’ve experienced before. You can also keep it relatively simple with those tents and ‘smores (American style).
- A family dinner. Along with all of the suggestions for things to do with friends, you want to get the family involved, too. Host a family dinner party with gifts, party games, good people and more and your teenager will remember this forever. They’ll create a new core memory – how fun is that?