It's that time of year when everyone’s getting excited about prom. With the buzz of dresses, dates, and transport—many considering companies like Roadstallion for a touch of luxury. In the back of your mind, you’re thinking about your after-prom activities. Where is it going to be? High schoolers begin to look forward to this as soon as they enter high school. Aside from having fun, planning cool after-prom ideas that are safe and secure is a priority. If hosting a post-prom party at home is not an option, check out some of these places that high schoolers can visit after prom.
After Prom Activities: Places to Go
Not feeling responsible for hosting a bunch of high schoolers at your house? There are plenty of places that are open late, especially on prom night. If you call, businesses would be more than willing to stay open for a big group of people.
1. Laser Tag
You can either rent out a laser tag arena near you or call a couple of days in advance to see if they can accommodate you and all your friends. Be sure to stop at home to get a change of clothes. Separate everyone into teams for some friendly competition. You can also set up your own laser tag game at home with laser tag sets.
2. Breakfast for Dinner
Everyone loves to eat, which is what makes going out to eat with friends one of the best after prom activities to do after a long night of dancing. Talk about who had the best dance moves and who was the cutest couple at prom over some hotcakes and waffles.
3. Teen Night Club
Do a Google search to see if there are any local under 18-night clubs to continue the dancing and laughs. Again, if you don’t want to be dancing in your nice dresses and tuxes, bring a change of clothes or stop by home for a wardrobe change!
4. From Dancing to Camping
Slightly unconventional after-prom activities are always a great time. Going camping is a great one to try. It is so much fun, but it will definitely take a lot more planning beforehand. Everyone who plans on coming needs a tent to stay in. After prom, all you need to do is grab your packed bag, some snacks, and head to your campsite. Roast some hotdogs for a late-night snack and some s’mores to satisfy your sweet tooth. This option is great for a close-knit group of friends.
5. Mini Golf
Do some research on mini-golf in your area that's open late. After prom, head over to your local mini-golf course for some laughs. If you are bringing a large group of people, call ahead of time to make a reservation. It’s all about being together on prom night. Make plans so that you can make memories that will last forever.
6. Bowling
Lots of bowling alleys are open late, especially on prom night. Some schools will even rent out an entire bowling alley to keep their high schoolers safe during the night. Do some research, and see what bowling alleys near you offer. To make you're after-prom activities even more interesting, tell all of your friends to dress in a theme such as a hippie, 90s, school spirit, whatever you want! If you don't want to use public bowling shoes you can bring your own. You may even find a pair of bowling shoes that match your outfit.
7. Comedy show
Check out comedy clubs near you, and see if they allow teens. If they don’t, try requesting a special performance for a high school audience after prom. This is one of the few great after-prom activities to do to keep the laughs going for the night. Purchase tickets beforehand so that your post-prom plans are set in stone.
8. Skate Night
Find a local roller-skating rink near your school and rent it for the night. Skate rinks are usually open up late, and after prom activities that have a deal for large parties are always great! Come up with fun outfit ideas and make sure everyone brings them or stops at home for a quick wardrobe change. You can bring your own roller skates as well.
After Prom Activities
9. Go For A Swim
Tell your guests to pack a bathing suit in case they want to go for a late-night swim. Purchase some floating pool lights to give your pool some light and color. You can even order a volleyball pool net or pool basketball hoop for your teens to play while they’re swimming.
11. Ping-Pong Competition
After prom activities don't have to involve going somewhere. Ping-pong is a great party game that everyone can play whether or not you’re good at it. Leave some paddles and ping-pong balls on the table so guests can play as they wish, or if you have enough people interested in playing, set up a tournament. Organize players into a bracket and crown the winner the “Prom Party Ping-Pong King/Queen.” Ping-pong can easily be substituted with air hockey, foosball, pool, or any tabletop game.
10. Lock-In
Most high school proms end when driving curfews end. To ensure that your teens are off the road late at night, host a lock-in at your house. At the lock-in, provide food, entertainment, and separate rooms for boys and girls to sleep in. All you really need is a movie, fun stories, and a good group of kids. There are many prom face masks that can match your dress and help keep everyone safe.
12. Prom Paparazzi Race
Separate everyone into two equal lines. At the start of each line, there will be a pile of clothing/props. Each player must put on all of the clothing and have someone take a picture of them on their phone. After the picture is taken, they must take all the clothes off and put them into a pile for the next player to do the same. The team that finishes first, wins. This game can be a fun icebreaker at the beginning of the after-party.
13. Balloon Hysteria
Truth or Dare is another one of those activities that you see in all those prom night movies. Continue this legacy at your prom after-party by writing out a bunch of truth or dares on a piece of paper and putting them inside an inflated jumbo or regular size balloon. Each person will pop a balloon and do whatever the piece of paper says inside.
14. Backyard Mardi Gras
Have a Mardi Gras carnival in your backyard! Have different game ideas set up, serve cajun food, and give your guests lots of beads. If you want to go all out, you could look into hiring performers or airbrush tattoo artists. You can also decorate your house or venue with the theme from the prom. Make it a point that the fun doesn’t stop once you walk out those gymnasium doors!
15. Karaoke
Buy or rent a karaoke machine so you and your friends can show off their musical talent or lack-there-of. People performing will draw a crowd and keep your guests entertained for quite some time. If your guests are really getting into it, you can host American Idol's spin-off and call it “Insert High Schools name” Idol. Have the spectators rate the singers on a scale of 1-10 and eliminate someone each round.
16. Homemade Game Show
At-home prom ideas can be great, such as turning your basement or back porch into a game show set. Either be the host/hostess yourself or ask a friend who has the personality for it. Separate your guests into teams and offer prizes to the winners. If anyone chooses not to participate, they can act as the live studio audience. You can ask trivia questions about the school, teachers, and sports teams. Keep it high school-related and full of school spirit.
17. Fire Pit/Firetable
There’s nothing like sitting around a bonfire with friends. You can purchase a fire pit for you and your friends to enjoy at your after party. If you’ve been thinking about getting a fire pit, this could be the perfect opportunity to do so. If you would like to go the less smokey route, you can purchase a fire table that uses propane and does not give off smoke like a fire pit. Stock up on graham crackers, marshmallows, chocolate, and skewers so your guest can indulge in some s’mores too!
18. Prom Night Dunk Tank
There’s nothing more fun than being able to dunk your friends in a dunk tank. There are many options for dunk tank rentals, just be sure to set it up where you don’t mind water getting everywhere. Have softballs and baseballs handy so guests can try to dunk whoever they choose. Let your guests know ahead of time so they can bring a bathing suit to wear.
After Prom Activities: Conclusion
Whatever stuff you choose to do for your after-prom party, make sure you are being safe and having fun! There are so many after-prom activities you can do to have a great time. I hope this list has inspired you to either host a great party, or bring your friends somewhere fun to cap off the night.
If needed EasyEventPlanning can also help plan the perfect prom night, including the best prom budget for you and your group. Make your after prom activities a time to remember. Go through this detailed prom checklist and make sure you have all the necessities you need to plan the best prom yet!
Written by Julie Iannone and Mackenzie Tolrud; Contributors: Sydney Pattison, Deesha Mohan and Margaret Forbush
