Childrens Birthday Party - questions & ideas (merged)

Edinburghlass_2

Make them make their own tea as well, by giving them pizza ingredients and they can prepare their own and then a chocolate fondue with fruit and marshmallows and they can clean and cut up the fruit ready for it

carol_a_3

I'd get them peeling all my spuds and brussels ready for the Christmas dinner!

savingmum

Claude wrote:

I'm sure this is not the right board for this, so my apologies in advance, but I've asked advice from the OldStylers before and they've come up trumps for me! (They do say that flattery will get you everywhere )

DD is going to be 13, 3 days before Christmas! It's always a difficult time of year to organise a birthday party as it's so close to Christmas and it's in winter so our options are always limited. But this year is even more difficult because as she is becoming a teenager (well officially anyway because unofficially that happened two year ago at least!!!) so I'd like it a bit special. I also want it cheap!

So far she's rejected all of my ideas: cinema outing (done it), theatre (done it), paintballing (we're girls not boys!), pamper party (not really her style), restaurant (might be an idea)

So I would love to have your ideas on this. I need something quite original if poss and not to expensive!

Thanks

I can really sympathise with you my dd will be 14 - 3 days before Christmas!!!!

Last yr which really shouldn't have been a party yr - we do the age 10,12,14,16,& 18 for parties- she wanted one due to the teenage thing we hired a local community hall the sat before ( still in school so no one forgets!!!) for £20 for 4 hrs and had a disco - that cost £40 we knew the DJ but really again we could do it ourselves if had to with cd player. low lights and loud music is all you need!! She invited about 40 with about 25 turning up which we couldn't do if paid for by the head. The hall was also decorated due to it being near to Christmas so it looked great for a small community hall

The hall had a small kitchen and we did hotdogs with rolls - the hotdogs we got from lidl ( about 40p for tin of 8) and then value rolls from tesco. we got squeezy bottles of sauce which we put on they all lined up roll in a value serviette. It was quick, easy and literally no waste ( we are all veggie so i did get veggie hotdogs for the family). We made up cups of squash in an area that they could go to at any time and drink in value plastic cups

For 'party bag' we did a freezer bag with a pkt of crisps, a lidl mars bar and piece of lidl swiss roll - it went down great with both girls and boys and they had a great time

ancasta_2

Claude, im sure there is a "sweet" under 18 club night just before christmas. I think the last one was at Baja or Ikon. It might be nice for a meal for your DD and a night out "clubbing" to make her feel grown up. But you know shes safe as these events are rediculously well planned and safe.

Just a thought.

Mandles

I did apple bobbing followed by marshmallow bobbing(in flour)..kids wore my old t-shirts.It was a huge hit!
Also had singstar ps2 (like karaoke you can see yourself singing with wierd effects)with eyetoy on big tv in corner, also a mega hit for kids & adults

kabie

I have a problem and thought that someone on here would have a bright idea.
I booked a hall and the local football club are doing a training thingy for my soon to be 9 year old. BUT the football club have had to cancel because a game was moved from the Sat to the Sun. So we've rescheduled, the only way we could do it was for the sat which has meant that the hall is only booked for 2 hours (including tidying time) and the football thingy lasts for 1 hour 15 mins. My problem is food. it's from 11.15 to 1.15 so the kids will probably be wanting fed. I can fit in the cake hopefully but husband reckons that a goodie bag full of snacks is weird and unnacceptable, although of course he doesn't have another idea. I had been thinking hotdogs in a napkin, and a bag with a piece of cake and a couple of other bits but I'm worried this will make us over-run and the other party booked after us will arrive before we've finished. Anyone got any good ideas?

Claude_2

As you have been so kind with all your suggestions, I thought I would post and let you know what DD has chosen to do for her 13th birthday: A Murder Mystery Party. She has invited 10 friends - 6 girls and 4 boys - (all the girls are staying for a sleepover arghhhhhhhh!!!!!).

So it will work out at
- Murder mystery game from Amazon £15.95 (no p&p as bought along Christmas pressies)
- Outfit: Vintage evening dress from Ebay £23.00 (was planning on re-selling but she loves this dress!!)
- party bag equivalents: 10.00
- Food: pennies as I'll make everything from scratch

I will let you know whether it's a success or a complete disaster!!!!

Alleycat

Hi,

Well dd's first birthday is fast approaching (just over two weeks, yikes!) and we are going to be having a party. There will be about 7 children ranging from 4.5 months to 5 yrs, 9 year old twins (all kids are girls, not intentional though) and their parents, so we will have a pretty full house!

There's going to be some food, nibbly bits etc, but I am really unsure of how to go about it all. Any suggestions would be great for things like food, party games (should we have them??), music etc.

I was thinking about having little sausages, pizza fingers, crisps, carrot sticks but am stuck as to what else.

Also, I was going to do a pass the parcel but don't know what presents to put in each layer and in the middle that would suit a wide age range.

Music, should I even have any and if so, what do little kids listen to?? We tend to watch the tweenies and fimbles, but I don't know how appealing that would be for 5 year olds.

Heeeeellllllllp!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

purplepurple

For pass the parcel, sometimes we put noisy things (Wilkinsons do a party pack of "musical instruments" for a quid or so eg: whistles, shakers etc etc) so they've got something to do to occupy them while waiting for the parcel to come round. Other ones we've done have had a task on a bit of paper in each layer such as "sing old mcdonald" or "sing your favourite song" which makes it more interactive as everyone can join in.

To be honest, neither of mine were remotely interested in their first birthday parties! It is easy to go over the top with party games, when in reality they'd probably be just as happy with a few toys on the floor! We used it more as a get together for the adults to celebrate getting through the first year!

Try and borrow the "Pop Jr" cd from the library for the music... something for all ages on it!

For the food, I'd recommend Annabel Karmel's complete party planner... it's a fantastic book and has ideas for all sorts of parties... should last you many years!



Whatever you do though... Have Fun!!!!

VenuS

Hi Alleycat, and congrats on your Daughters first birthday!!

Party games like pass the parcel may be fun for the older kids, but if there's not enough little ones to go round, it may get a little boring for them. Unlessss..... you can grab some parents into the game, and make sure the music stops on the right child Most 1 year olds don't "get" pass the parcel, and even you opening the wrapping for them isn't much fun. They just want the toy NOW!! lol stuff the wrapping!!

Sing a long songs (wheels on the bus, 10 green bottles, ring o ring of roses) always went down well with my sons partys, that way you and the other parents can grab your babes and get them clapping along also :T Even the 5 year olds like sing a longs.

We had balloons, but thats a personal preference. So if you don't want tears if one pops then stear clear lol

Depends on how much mess you want also... lol. I put out finger paints (non toxic) on a plastic sheet and let them go mad. Of course the babies need help, but they love getting messy and the older kids will love it also

If you have enough money you could also hire a clown for the day maybe, or a punch and judy show. Though I love doing the fun stuff myself hehe

The children are still young, so remember an hour would be a long time for them. So don't let the party go on forever (an added plus for you also)

As for party food just avoid anything with nuts in if possible, but you seem to have it covered...... apart from cake!! and lots of it lol

Have a super day!!!