13 Fun party games for 13 year olds that teens actually think are fun

Planning a 13th birthday party is a very particular kind of puzzle. Your almost teen still wants a birthday celebration, but they definitely do not want anything that feels babyish or cringey.

At 13 they can switch from goofy kid to cool teenager in about three seconds, so party games need to feel fun and a bit grown up at the same time. Nothing too try hard, nothing that feels like parents are forcing the fun.

From my own recent experience, the hardest part is working out what they will actually find fun, not what we think they should enjoy.

So I have pulled together party games that have passed the teen approval test and work brilliantly for 13th birthday parties.

These ideas work for 13 year old boys and girls, for confident kids and quieter ones, and for everything from after school hangouts to full sleepovers.

You can mix and match a few to create a simple party plan that keeps everyone busy and happy.

Short on time? If you would love some ready to print games to go with the ideas in this post, have a look at the Teen Birthday Party Games Printable Bundle – 16 fun games for teen girls. It includes teen friendly games like selfie scavenger hunts, What’s On Your Phone and birthday themed question games that you can simply print out and play alongside the classic party games here.

Related: 44 ideas for happy birthday wishes for a 13th birthday

How to choose 13th birthday party games

Before you dive into the list, it helps to think about a few quick things.

Group size

A small sleepover group will enjoy different games to a big mixed group in the garden. Think about whether games need four or five players or whether you will have fifteen kids squeezed into your living room.

Energy levels

Try to balance icebreakers, loud active games and more chilled games for later on. You do not want six high energy games in a row with a room full of teenagers.

Indoors or outdoors

Check which games work in your space and have a wet weather back up. Some games are perfect on the lawn but not so much in a tiny kitchen.

How well the kids know each other

Close friends will happily jump into sillier or more personal games. Mixed groups might do better with team challenges, guessing games and quick challenges.

Phone rules

Decide if phones are on or off for certain games. You can also plan one or two games that deliberately use phones, like a selfie scavenger hunt, then have phones away for the rest.

You can use the 13th birthday party games planner checklist as a simple way to tick off these decisions and keep your games plan on one page.

Best birthday party games for 13 year olds

1. Minute to win it games

Minute to Win It games are always a hit with 13 year olds because they are fast, silly and over in 60 seconds. They are perfect for competitive teens who like to see if they can beat their friends, the clock or both.

These games work best once everyone has warmed up and is happy to be noisy. They are great for mixed groups and you can easily play them indoors in a living room, basement or garage.

How to play

Set up a little challenge zone and explain that each game lasts one minute. You can play:

• One teen at a time with everyone cheering
• Two or three teens head to head
• Teams taking turns and earning points for each challenge

Have a phone or kitchen timer handy and keep a simple score sheet so you can crown a winner at the end if you want to.

Here are some easy Minute to Win It ideas that work really well for 13th birthdays.

• Junk in the Trunk
  Strap an empty tissue box filled with ping pong balls to a player’s waist and get them to shake, jump and wiggle until all the balls fall out.
• Face the Cookie
  Place a cookie on each player’s forehead and get them to move it into their mouth using only their face muscles. No hands allowed.
• Cup Stack Race
  Give each player the same number of plastic cups. They have one minute to build a tall tower, then take it back down again without it collapsing.
• Ping Pong Bounce
  Line up a few plastic cups on a table and see how many ping pong balls each player can bounce into the cups in one minute.
• Chopstick Challenge
  Give each teen a pair of chopsticks and a bowl of dry pasta or sweets, then see who can move the most pieces into another bowl in a minute.

You can pick three or four challenges and run them as a little tournament, or set them up as stations around the room and let small groups rotate through.

If your teen loves this kind of fast paced challenge, you can add even more ideas from 17 Cool Teen Party Games and mix them into your 13th birthday party plan.

2. Phone photo scavenger hunt

If your teen is attached to their phone, lean into it and add a selfie or photo scavenger hunt. This is a very now way to keep them busy and creative rather than just scrolling.

It works really well for 13th birthdays because it gets them moving around, talking to each other and coming up with funny ideas.

How to play

• Make a list of fun shots they need to capture, for example
  • A photo where everyone is in mid air
  • A selfie with something that starts with the letter B
  • A picture where everyone is pulling the same face
  • A close up that is hard to recognise at first
• Split into small teams and give each team the list
• Set a time limit and let them race to tick everything off
• At the end, gather everyone and scroll through the photos together

You can have a small prize for the team with the most challenges completed or the most creative photos.

The Teen Birthday Party Games Printable Bundle includes selfie scavenger hunt and What’s On Your Phone games, which are perfect if you do not want to write all your own prompts.

3. Classic scavenger hunt

A classic scavenger hunt feels like an adventure rather than a “game”, which is why it is still so popular for teens right now. It is brilliant for 13th birthdays if you have a safe space like a house, garden or local park.

You can keep it very low key for a shy group or turn it into an energetic race for a very active group.

How to play

• Decide on your play area and set clear boundaries
• Make a list of items to find or clues to follow that lead to a final prize
• Split the teens into small teams and give each team the first clue or the full list
• Set a time limit and send them off hunting
• The first team back with everything on the list, or the first to solve the final clue, wins

To make it feel more teen than kids’ party, you can:

• Tie the clues into your party theme
• Use simple riddles and puzzles
• Have a small prize for the winning team

If you want to keep your planning simple, you can note down your clue ideas and prize plan on the 13th birthday party games planner checklist so you have it all in one place.

4. TikTok dance off or challenge station

If your teen is on TikTok there is a good chance they spend a lot of time learning dance routines and trends. A TikTok inspired dance off lets them use all that energy in a way that feels party ready, not just everyone on their phones.

This is a great choice if you have a confident group who like performing.

How to play

• Ask your teen in advance which dances or sounds are popular with their friends
• Create a short party playlist that includes those songs
• At the party, split everyone into small groups
• Each group has a few minutes to come up with a short routine to one song
• Then they perform their routine for everyone

If you are comfortable with phones out, you can let them record one or two routines, but you can also keep this completely offline and just enjoy the performances in the moment.

5. Charades

Charades is brilliant for 13 year olds because it feels more grown up than some party games and lets them show off what they are into.

You can make it as cool and current as you like with the prompts you choose.

How to play

• Split the group into two teams
• Write down words or phrases on slips of paper and put them in a bowl
• One player from the first team picks a slip and has to act out the word or phrase without speaking
• Their team has a set amount of time to guess correctly
• Then it is the other team’s turn

To keep it teen friendly, use themes like:

• Current films and streaming shows
• Singers, bands and TikTok famous songs
• Sports, hobbies or school life

If you do not want to write your own prompts, you can also use printable charades cards from the Teen Birthday Party Games Printable Bundle and just shuffle and play.

6. Name that tune

By 13 most kids have very strong opinions about music. Name That Tune lets them show off their favourite songs and try to beat their friends.

It is ideal for music loving teens and works well for mixed groups.

How to play

• Create a playlist before the party with
  • Your teen’s favourite songs
  • A few current hits
  • A few older throwback songs
• Split the group into teams
• Play a short snippet of the first song
• The first team to shout out both the song title and the artist wins the point
• Keep going until you have worked through the playlist

You can give bonus points for knowing the year a song came out or the film or show it appears in. Your games planner checklist can include a little space to jot down playlist ideas so you are not scrambling on your phone at the last minute.

7. Truth or dare with clear rules

Truth or Dare has been around for years, but 13 is the age where you really need some clear boundaries so it stays fun and kind.

Played well, it is a good game for a group of close friends who want to laugh and share a bit more about themselves.

How to play

• Get everyone to sit in a circle
• One player spins a bottle or other object in the middle
• Whoever it points to chooses “truth” or “dare”
• If they choose truth, they answer a question honestly
• If they choose dare, they complete a simple challenge

Ground rules to set before you start:

• No dares involving social media posts
• No kissing or dares that involve touching other people
• No sharing of other people’s secrets
• Everyone is allowed to pass without being teased

Keep the truths light and silly, and the dares easy and harmless, so no one feels put on the spot.

8. Would you rather

Would You Rather is a brilliant game for 13th birthdays because it is low pressure and always gets everyone talking.

It is perfect for a quieter moment in the party or when you are waiting for food to arrive.

How to play

• Prepare a list of age appropriate Would You Rather questions in advance
• Go round the circle asking each teen to choose between two options, for example
  • Would you rather have to sing every time you speak or dance every time you walk
  • Would you rather only watch one film for a year or only listen to one song for a year
• Encourage them to explain their choice
• You can also let them guess what their friends will pick and award points for correct guesses

If you do not want to think up your own questions, you can use my big list Best would you rather questions for teens and pick out the ones that suit your group.

9. Wink murder

Wink Murder is a calm but tense game that teens really enjoy. It is all about eye contact, acting skills and spotting tiny clues.

It works well if you need a quieter game between louder activities or you want something everyone can join in with from their seat.

How to play

• Write “murderer” on one small piece of paper and leave the others blank
• Fold them and place them in a bowl
• Everyone takes one and peeks at it secretly
• Players sit or stand in a circle where they can make eye contact
• The murderer has to “kill” people by winking at them when no one else can see
• If someone is winked at they do a dramatic or super quiet “death” and are out
• Players can guess who the murderer is when they are sure, but if they are wrong they are out too
• The murderer wins if they stay undetected

You can play a couple of rounds, swapping murderer each time so more teens get a turn.

10. Twister

Twister is a classic party game that 13 year olds still secretly love, especially once they relax into the party.

It is a great way to get everyone laughing and works best with a group that already knows each other and is happy to be a bit silly.

How to play

• Lay out the Twister mat on the floor
• One person spins the spinner and calls out “left hand green” or “right foot red”
• Players move their hands and feet to the right coloured circles without falling
• If you touch the floor with anything else or fall over you are out
• The last teen still balanced on the mat wins

You can make it more fun by playing their favourite playlist in the background so it feels more like a challenge than a kids’ game.

11. Egg toss or water balloon toss

Egg Toss is an old school party game that still makes teens laugh, but it can be messy. If you are not keen on raw egg everywhere you can use water balloons instead.

This one is best for outdoor parties and warm weather.

How to play

• Pair everyone up and give each pair an egg or a small water balloon
• Ask pairs to stand about a metre apart
• They take turns throwing and catching
• After each successful catch, both players take a big step back
• If the egg breaks or balloon bursts, that pair is out
• The last pair with an unbroken egg or intact balloon wins

Remind them to wear old clothes if you are going the egg route.

12. Playlist challenge

Playlist Challenge is a simple game that works nicely towards the end of a party when everyone is a bit tired but still chatty.

It is also a lovely way to involve your teen in planning their own party.

How to play

• Before the party, ask each guest to send your teen two or three favourite songs
• Make a big party playlist with all the songs mixed together
• During the party, play short clips of each song and get everyone to guess which friend chose it
• Give a small prize to the guest who correctly guesses the most

You can keep track of song ideas and who chose what on your 13th birthday party games planner checklist so it is all organised in one place.

A quick note on sleepovers

If your 13th birthday party is rolling into a sleepover, you can reuse several of these games later in the evening, then switch into calmer activities like spa style pampering or film watching.

For extra help with planning a full on sleepover, you can also use the Sleepover Party Games Printable Bundle For Teens, which has easy print and play games designed especially for teen sleepovers.

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