Birthday party for 16 year old DD

[almostfinished1514]

DD's turning 16 in about 2 months.
I'm not looking to do anything "fancy" and my budget is pretty low.
Our kitchen and lounge are too small to hold 15 15+16 year olds - so I was thinking about hiring out the hall in our local leisure centre (It's cheap - I checked).
I have no ideas for what activity they'd do... (nor does DD). All DD's friends, (bar a couple) were born after her and she hasn't been to a "party" for years apart from a "lame" one last year so neither of us really knows what to do.
Ideas to entertain 15 teenagers for 2 or so hours?

Could your budget stretch to something like a dance lesson - you could get a local instructor to come and teach them salsa or street dance or something? No idea how much that might cost though!

Kareoke machine (borrow one),
If all girls-make beauty stuff like face masks from natural ingredients etc and then have spa session, borrow footbaths, collect nail polisheshair chalks etc.print off how to do diffetent hairstyles, Bring in towels, mirrors, make up etc.
Make bath bombs/lipsalves to take home-loads of tutorials on youtube

Or are they sporty? Dodge ball etc.with prizes

Or do they want to be kids again and hire a bouncy castle?

Photo booth session with dress up silly moustaches , feather boas,hats etc

Quiz all about their lives and interests with silly prizes

Borrow wiis and tvs and do Lets Dance dance off or wii party games

I used to go to the woods with my friends and several litres of cider when i was 16 for a party so they might be crap ideas!

DD is in year 11 and all her friends are turning 16. She has been to Laserquest (paid for by the parents, but everyone had to pay for their own meals afterwards, a couple of sleepovers and a couple of meals (again, everyone has paid for their own meal).

A lot of DD's friends come from families where money is tight so they are all happy to go for an inexpensive meal and pay for their own food.

DD would absolutely refuse to go to a make-up and pamper party. It is not her thing at all. Besides there are a few boys in their friendship group and they don't get excluded.

DD would invite 7 boys and 7 girls - so spa type things aren't a great idea.
From what DD said, only her (male) friend and her are sporty - but dodgeball might work I guess. I'll ask her.
Defineme - I would never trust them to go somewhere by themselves as a whole - they aren't exactly the most trustworthy kids. The would definitely enjoy it, but I wouldn't!
Bunbaker - The laserquest idea is good - but the closest laserquest/quaser to us is 10+ miles away from us - and would work out above my budget.

Hi there,
you might have already booked something, but my husband has started doing graffiti birthday parties and it's really well received by teenagers. He's an art youth worker with councils and does graffiti murals with teenagers. If you have access to an outdoor space he can do a mural with them and teach them how to spray, or canvases for them to take home. We're in the SE- feel free to DM me. Pretty reasonable prices too.

DD1 was 16 last year and she invited 5 friends out to an Indian restaurant, DH went and collected them and paid the bill. They then came back to ours and watched DVDs and had a sleepover. We made them an American breakfast the next morning, fluffy pancakes with syrup and fruit. They loved it. Although obviously paying for 6 is a lot cheaper than entertaining 15! :-) Her friends are mostly from wealthy backgrounds but most of the celebrations were pretty low key, no big sweet 16s or anything. Two girls hired an alcohol free nightclub for a big bash but DD opted not to go. She went to quite a few pizza and sleepovers, usually about 5/6 of them. One friend paid for a session for 10 in a trampoline park and then they went for a pizza and paid for their own food afterwards. They all seemed to opt for low key events really. Maybe they are all holding out for their 18ths next year!! :-o

Hi Jess, I am looking for a graffiti party for my daughter's 11th birthday in March. Can you let me know whereabouts in the SE you are?