Inside: 18th birthday ideas for guys that are a blast.
My little brother turned 18 last month, and needless to say, I went pretty overboard for it. Turning 18 is one of the biggest birthdays that you will ever have! Next to 21, of course, but we will get into planning those parties when the time comes.
As soon as I realized the date was coming up, I sprang into planning action. I created an entire list of ideas that he could choose from (I gave him the option for a surprise party, but he said no), and it seriously helped us narrow down what we wanted to do.
He ended up picking something simple, which was nice and all, but I wanted to go BIG! Granted, I still went as big as I could with the simple birthday he picked, but still. Now I have this list that is just sitting in my notes app, and I want to share it with you. That way, it’s helping more people! Check these out.
18th Birthday Ideas for Guys: Party Themes
If you are planning on throwing a party, then you are going to need a theme. Some of the themes below are sure to get your creative wheel rolling. So take a look and think about which ones your son, brother, or friend would enjoy the most.
1. 18 Years of You – For this party, you will essentially decorate the party with photos of him throughout his life. I would recommend making a playlist of his favorite songs throughout the years, playing his favorite games, and reminiscing over his youth.
2. Welcome To Adulthood – This can be such a fun one. There are tons of decorations online that you can use too. Banners that say this phrase, plates, cups…you name it. You can play adult-themed games; the sky is the limit if you ask me.
3. Adulting 101 – This one is fun AND informative. You basically throw a party that serves as a master class of everything he needs to know now that he is an adult. These kids know surprisingly less than you might think, so this could be helpful.
4. Cash Money – Every teen loves cash; you cannot tell me otherwise. So make cash the theme! No one can use some money more than an 18-year-old. So you can get money decorations and serve them a money cake. Make all of the games money themed…you got this.
5. Classic Birthday Bash – You can never go wrong with a classic birthday. Sometimes the best thing you can do for yourself and your teen is to keep it simple. There are plenty of awesome 18th-themed decorations and games out there, so you have a lot to work with.
6. Video Game Themed – If your teen is a gamer, then I don’t think there is a better party theme than this one. You can get all their friend together and have them play their favorite game. You can complete this with his favorite food and game-themed decorations.
7. RIP Your Childhood – This is the party theme that I ended up going with for my Brother. My mom even made his cake look like a headstone that read, “Here lies Dj’s Childhood.”
We put photos of him throughout the years all over the party, and played games like adulthood trivia(which was mainly questions about taxes).
8. Football Party – My brother wasn’t very into football, but I still added this idea just in case he secretly was or something.
If your teen enjoys football, then perhaps this is the party theme that was meant for you! This is an easy one to shop for because there are so many different decorations and foods that easily fit the theme. Plus the game that you can play at the party? Yeah, I think football is on theme.
9. Sport Themed Party – If football isn’t your teen’s thing, maybe he has another sport that he enjoys. Whatever it is, you can make the party themed after it. If he enjoys multiple sports, include them all. This is super simple and super fun.
10. Meme Themed Party – Have you ever been to a meme-themed party? My little brother is the king of memes so this idea only made sense. You have everyone come dressed as their favorite memes. There are lots of meme decorations you can buy. You can make a meme cake and then cap it all off by playing What Do You Meme?
Out Of Town 18th Experiences
If he opted for an out of town experience, then you should find this list helpful. Below you will find a whole bunch of ideas that you could use as the basis for your trip. Sometimes, when the world is your oyster, it can be too hard to pick. This list will act as your guide. Happy planning!
11. Go See A Sports Game
12. Eat At A Michelin Star Restaraunt
13. Go To A Concert
14. Visit San Fransisco
15. Visit New York
16. Visit LA
17. Go See The Grand Canyon
18. See the Aurora Borealis
19. Visit National Parks
20. Go To New Orleans
21. Go To See Mount Rushmore
22. Go On Classic Roadtrip
23. Go To Hawaii
24. Go To Mexico
25. Go To Europe
Perfect 18th Birthday At Home
If your soon to be 18 year old opted for a simple birthday at home(like mine did), then you might be struggling to find ways to make it feel special while not going too overboard. I gave this list to my brother and had him circle everything he wanted. I would suggest the same to you!
26. Start the Day With Their Favorite Breakfast
27. Let Them Sleep In
28. Take Them Shopping
29. Go To Their Favorite Restaurant
30. Go See A Movie
31. Go Bowling
32. Have a BBQ
33. Get Them A Money Pizza
34. Play Video Games
35. Play Basketball
36. Play Football
37. Movie Marathon
38. Throw a Surprise Party
39. Give Them 18 Gifts
40. Ask Them What They Want
Funnest 18th Birthday Ideas for Guys
And lastly, I wanted to include some of the funniest 18th birthday ideas for guys. These are a mix of presence, funny cakes, and sweet ideas that are sure to make him feel good on his special day! Man, I cannot believe my little brother is 18. I am getting old.
47. Soda Cake Idea
50. 18th Birthday Card Made of Scratchers
Isn’t it crazy to think that he is going to be 18? I am still struggling to wrap my brain around it. How dare they get older! They are supposed to stay little forever. But you know what? Watching DJ(My Lil Bro) grow has been such an amazing thing to witness. I am so unbelievably proud of the man he’s becoming.
I bet you feel the same way about your soon-to-be 18-year-old. That is why we all go so about and beyond for this birthday; it shows them just how loved they are.
If you loved these birthday ideas, you should check out some of the others I came up with. I am a birthday-planning machine!
Mom to teens with lots of ideas and inspiration to share for travel, food, parties, school & fun!