Have your teens started getting invited to go ENO? This is a trend in our college town, so it may be more of a college thing to do but our teens have picked up on it and it has really caught on. Everyone takes their ENO hammock and meet up at a local park and hang out.
What is an ENO? Well, it’s an abbreviation for the brand (Eagles Nest Outfitters) that sells lightweight hammocks. They are light enough to take backpacking and provide a great way to rest along the trail. They are made of material that weighs next to nothing and will dry quickly if a rain storm pops up. They come in fun colors, and now most big box stores have their own version of these lightweight hammocks making them more affordable for everyday use. But regardless of what kind of hammock you own, kids will still ask you to go ENO.
This year, he became a teenager. A teenager! Time slow down….please. So we decided to have an ENO party at the park. We had walking tacos (have you heard of these?), bug juice (he said it was still fine to have something cute like that at his party), a s’mores bar (this was definitely the hit of the party!), and some watermelon (it was the end of summer after all)! Everyone brought their own hammocks and we put on the tunes, had a water balloon fight, and played frisbee in the park. The kids had a blast and there really isn’t anything more fun than hanging with your friends at the park without a care in the world.
The biggest hit of the party was our s’mores bar! I made a printable s’mores menu to give the kids some inspiration on the options they could make. The Chunky Monkey was the favorite but the kids had a blast coming up with their own creations too.
How fun is our bug juice? So easy and not too cute for the older crowd. I took a set of plastic toy insects (washed them first) and then dropped them into the lime soda. At first they all sunk to the bottom but after a few minutes, they rose to the top and floated just like I hoped they would. I added round printable stickers to paper party cups and a jar full of gummy frogs and worms. They really loved these!
I found these super cute FREE printable s’mores boxes from Oh Happy Day! They were my inspiration for the party and I thought they’d make the cutest favors. I packaged ingredients to make an original s’more in a plastic bag and sealed them in the boxes. Tip: I had mine printed at 200% on 11×17 cardstock to make them a little bit bigger. My original favor idea was to get each kid a hacky sack but these worked great!
When making your portable s’mores bucket, be sure to use the green ethanol burners. I found mine at Party City. After researching the difference between the chafing fuels offered in the store, I found that the only safe gel product for direct food heating is marked “ethanol” on the canister. Those marked “methanol” are not meant for direct food heating. Good thing I looked! And they were the cheaper ones to purchase so win, win!
As my son continues to get older, finding cool ways to celebrate his birthday with friends continues to present a challenge. But I do love a challenge…especially when it comes to throwing a party! Long gone are the over the top birthday parties that consume our time and our budget. And honestly, I am glad. I am finding that simpler events allow me to savor the moments a little more. I still like to put forth the effort to make it special, but it doesn’t have to consume me or my bank account. (Wink!) How are you celebrating your teen’s birthday?
PIN THIS FOR LATER!
Want to throw your own ENO party? Shop my sources!
PRINTABLE PARTY SUPPLIES: LuluCole for Amy’s Party Ideas | BUG JUICE INSECTS: Amazon | ETHANOL CHAFING FUEL: Party City | FREE PRINTABLE S’MORES FAVOR BOXES: Oh Happy Day Tip: I had mine printed at 200% on 11×17 cardstock to make them a little bit bigger.
shehnaz kadri says
Very nice and different idea for my kids birthday party.As he is growing into young ,i feel this idea will be the best theme for his birthday .He will really enjoy and have fun with his buddies.
Kristine Yee Keow says
What a great theme – my son has always wanted a camping party but we don’t have a backyard – this would be perfect! I remember ordering both Skylanders printables and Gamer printables from you for my son’s 7th and 9th birthdays, can’t believe how much your son has grown! My guy is turning 12 this summer, time truly flies. Thank you for sharing these awesome ideas 🙂
Amy Croushorn says
Aww! Thank you Kristine! It is really going way too fast but I’m loving this stage too. Hope your son has a super fun birthday this summer!
Sis says
Waaaaaaaay cute!
Tina says
Would love your taco chili recipe.
Alison says
Hi! Super cute! Can I ask where you got the 2-tier stand for your walking taco bar? Thanks!!
Amy says
Hi Alison! Thanks for asking! I got it at Target several years ago in the garden section. It is Smith and Hawken. Sometimes I discover things I can use by looking in departments 😊
Kanika says
Hi beautiful party where did you make your smore sign
Amy says
Thank you so much! The smore sign is available in my shop 🙂 https://amyspartyideas.com/shop/hammock-party/eno-hammock-party-smores-menu/
Laura Alcantar says
Where can I get the Walking Taco bar printable? Where having a cheer party and going with that theme ☺️
Amy says
That sounds like fun! Here is the link to the menu labels which include the walking taco label 🙂 https://amyspartyideas.com/shop/hammock-party/eno-hammock-camping-party-table-tent-menu-labels/
Annmarie says
Love this theme!!!! Where did you get the stand the walking tacos are on?
Amy says
Thank you! I got it at Target years ago in the garden section. 🙂