Birthday Party Ideas for My Preteen

He seems a little old for group activities and goody bags. At that age my son and all his friends were basically into playing video games and eating pizza.

By 9 yrs old our son was pretty much done with friends birthday parties - we did more special experience type birthdays - like a Naval station tour.
The parties older kids seem to enjoy are laser tag or around here is a bus you can hire which is outfitted for playing video games - it's great for almost any weather.

https://www.alignable.com/chesapeake-va/gamerbus

A movie theater party might work too if they can see an Avengers movie.
No 12 yr old I know wants any goodie bags - these kids are almost - if not already - middle schoolers.

I would plan some Minute to Win It type games or contests, but modify them so that they fit your Avengers theme. For example, give them an Avenger theme mini puzzle and see who can put it together fastest. Or have them take turns putting on Hulk smash gloves and see who can smash the most balloons in 1 minute.

I wouldn't do goody bags. Get some movie theater style boxes of candy and send them home with one.

I don't think most kids this age like really structured activities or goody bags. I like the idea of the popcorn container and a bag of microwave popcorn to take home, and maybe a movie candy bar (large size) but get an assortment in case of allergies or preferences. You could include a movie ticket to the local theater - if you're a AAA member, you can get them from their office at a discount. Write each kid's name on the ticket or on a removable sticker so if one gets dropped, you can figure out who owns it.

You could consider an Avengers beach towel, water bottle or t-shirt if you aren't having a ton of kids and if you know their shirt sizes. And that presumes they are all Avengers fans, rather than just fans of your son.

Games like Head's Up can be fun for this age, and if you have time to adapt the clues to the Avengers, great. You might get some older teens to help you. Again, this presumes that all the guests know the story line and characters.

Otherwise, I'd get an Avengers style cake and be done with it. Ideally you can send the kids outside with a wiffle ball bat/ball or a couple of frisbees.

11/12, middle school, is a tricky age - some kids at 11/12 still act more like elementary school kids, but some act very much like young teenagers (puberty, peer pressure, trying to experiment with tobacco/alcohol, etc).

So, if your son is inviting a bunch of kids in that age range to celebrate his 12th birthday, I think you should be wary of walking the line between doing stuff that your son will enjoy while also not making the party too "babyish", in light of what some kids might say behind his back after the party.

If he wants "Avengers theme", my advice would be to focus on the movies (maybe everyone can watch one of the movies - rent one of the old ones if you don't want to pay to take everyone to the new one) and have lots of food and "movie snacks". Instead of "goodie bags", maybe each kid gets a plastic popcorn bucket filled with candy and microwave popcorn.

I used to do scavenger hunts. If you're knowledgeable about the Avengers, you could make up a wicked hunt with prizes and rewards along the route.

For the goodie bags. I would just do a bag full of assorted candy. Candy is good for kids (and adults) of all ages.
For the game you could do a jeopardy style game with all avengers answers.

For his age, I would not do goody bags or activities.
I'd just let them play video games and have pizza.
For food, I'd make sure I had plenty of snacks on hand & I'd have them close by
where they are playing video games: water, sodas, chips, pretzels.
Instead of cake, I'd have cupcakes so they can just grab one or two.
I'd have tins of little bags of chips, snack size candy bars, popcorn, pretzels.
You could even hire a gaming truck to come park out front of your house.
Then they can all play at once.
For Avenger decorations, maybe just the colors & a big cut out of the superhero
Maybe have a basketball on hand if they get bored or a cool movie for them to watch.

At that age, ours were typically going out for something then back for pizza, cake, or to a sleepover type thing - just a few friends. I don't think you need to do goodie bags.

At that age, I think ours took some see to see a movie or a few out to a hockey game or out for pizza or something. It was pretty low key.

One of mine went to his best buds with another friend, and they would go out to mini golf or something like that, then back to the house for pizza, cake and maybe spend the night. They would play video games or something.

Some kids play a bit of sports outside or whatever their interest is.

I don't know if there's a movie out (Avengers) at that time - there is, isn't there? Could they go see that?

ETA: I saw your SWH - what you have added is just fine. That's basically what they do. Play video games and hang out. They will make their own fun. Sometimes ours would pull out the old Nerf guns, or grab a ball and play whatever ... and yes, bringing home candy is typical. Even those gift certificates to DQ or something we've had those, or even water bottles (like Gatorade ones) with a a fun sports drink and a choc bar or protein bar (if they played a sport for activity outside) ...

They will just have fun - they create it on their own together at that age and you don't have to worry. You can have an idea or two (here) but typically, they just come up with their own :)

My 12 year old has gone to several birthday parties where all they did was play video games. One was even a sleepover - pizza and video games. I understand you not wanting it to be just about electronics, but it's his birthday. He's hanging out with his friends and bonding over video games. I think this is one of those times you can just not worry about it. Let them have fun!

he's coming to the end of the age of parties in this sense. by next year i'll bet he just wants to do something cool (paintballing or cliff climbing or even going to a movie) with just a couple of his very best friends.
so, enjoy this one!
he should still be giving you input, though. how can you know what things his friends enjoy if he's not participating in the planning?
one thing that kids of all ages (even old kids like me) seem to enjoy is a good scavenger hunt. even if the kids are all planning to settle down with their controllers and headphones after the pizza and cake, they'll all have a blast hunting down clues and prizes, especially if the weather allows for it to be outside.
khairete
S.

I stopped goodie bags because I was sick of the junk my daughter brought home. I do like the popcorn idea. For one of my daughters birthday I let the kids fill a popcorn bag with popcorn and different candy. They loved it. As far as the party is concerned I would go with what he wants to do. At this age trying to pen then down to doing something that you think would be fun doesn't work. If he wants to play video games he will find a way for he and his friends to do that. Good luck.

Avengers...well, how about taking the kids to the movies to see the new Avengers Endgame movie then?! Sounds like a great idea to me. My daughter is turning 13 and wants to do a party with friends (first time, as we normally just do the family thing) at Sky Zone, a trampoline place. Maybe you can take the kids to one of those places, you don't have to do a full-out birthday party with a reserved room, etc., just take the kids for a few hours of fun (assuming there aren't more than a carload of friends). Other options: roller skating rink, ice skating, playing baseball in the yard, mini-golf, laser tag, etc.