Winter Pre-Teen Birthday? Ideas Abound!

My 12-year-old daughter has a winter birthday, which is a constant point of drama in her life. No pool parties, no get-togethers with friends at a local theme park, and not many outdoor venues for her parties. It is always something indoors. This consistently feels unfair to my pre-teen.

How does a busy mom manage time and become the top parent in the eyes of their teens? I’ve come up with a few ideas through the years that could be just the mom tip you need, so read on for more info!

See A Movie

Thank goodness for the movie theater! Theaters along with other great indoor venues can make even the pickiest pre-teen happy on their birthday. We learned years ago that taking a group of friends to the movies for our daughter’s birthday was a smash hit for everyone, and it is become a tradition filled with popcorn, oversized and maybe overpriced sodas, and lots of giggles. The giggles make it all worth it. Kids love shows, which makes them a great activity for rainy or cold weather as well as tired feet or tired moms!

Chicago has lots of options for the busy mom looking for a cinematic, kid-friendly venue. Depending on the age of your child as well as their school schedule, one great option is a matinee. These shows are not only less crowded, they are also usually cheaper. Theaters such as Regal Cinemas and Cinemark typically have amazing matinee deals. Just search our KidFriendlyVenues app on this website for all their locations on our 'Entertainment' Category.

If taking the kiddos to a matinee will not work, check out the evening or weekend schedules online. This lets you see what is available before you go and, as a bonus, you can scope out how crowded the theater will be if you go through the steps to buy tickets. Just peek at how many seats choices are still available!

Another route you could take is a drive-in movie. There are plenty around the Chicago area, and these vintage experiences are always a blast. Most drive-ins offer concessions but you can easily stop and grab snacks before you go (hello budget friendly!).

One super option for taking the kids to see a show is live theatre. The Chicago Theatre is one the best places to visit with kids but there are dozens in the city that are equally great, offering all kinds of showings from classics to Disney favorites.

Think Outside (the box)

When seeing a show isn’t quite enough to entertain your winter baby for their birthday, there are plenty of other options available. Consider other outdoor or indoor activities such as ice skating, roller skating, or laser tag. These kinds of activities keep kids active and laughing! Not only will it make your kids a star in their friends’ eyes, keeping these types of ideas in your bag of working mom tricks will make you a hero in your kids’ eyes!

Chicago has an array of opportunities for ice skating, especially in the winter. You can find indoor and outdoor venues, including Millennium Park which hosts an outdoor skate park during winter months. It is wildly popular, well lit, and fun for the whole family (including those picky pre-teens!)

Don’t have skates? Don’t have a worry or care! Skate are available to rent! In fact, the park even offers free ice-skating lessons on certain days each season.

If you want to stick to drier activities definitely consider this top mom tip. Take your kids to the roller-skating rink! The Fleetwood Skating Rink in Chicago has been around since 1957 but recently went through a thorough renovation. Skating rinks such as this one offer skate rentals, party packages, and more. Kids will love skating with their friends to the beat of the music. And when you set up a party at a roller-skating rink, you’ll get the whole party package rolled into one outing. That is great time management for mothers!

Another of the best places to visit with kids is a venue which hosts indoor activities such as an arcade. At these fun venues, kids can enjoy gaming, bowling, and even laser tag. There are even concessions available, which makes this a great time management venue, kind of a one-stop-shop for a great pre-teen birthday! WhirlyBall Chicago is one great example of this type of activity center. These venues definitely get a 5-star rating from my family.

Again, see our KidFriendlyVenues app for all the details. Give your favorite a star rating for other moms to appreciate. No matter what you choose—catching a show, skating, or doing another indoor venue—it is sure to please the kids and hopefully the grownups too. We all want our kids to feel loved and showing them that love on their birthday is always a great way to make that happen. This is exactly the type of info you can be sure to glean on a mom-to-mom blog like this one. Happy partying! 

Katie C