Party Idea for my not-so-popular DD

bunbun2

our ds will be 10 in september and we will spending a few days in London for his birthday, mainly to visit the Doctor Who exhibition and to see the 'sights'. This will be as part of his present and instead of a party. He may invite a friend for tea or sleepover nearer his birthday.

Luna69

We've never had parties for my son, who is now 11, he preferred to be taken out, we did theme parks, interactive centres etc. He's wanted to go to see the blackpool illuminations for the last few years and not got there yet, his birthday is October though. We've also taken him to see shows, like the ice type shows. ALthough this year he complained that he's never had a party simply because his 6 year old sister had one at home this year. THis was her first party and not sure I'd do it again yet! I prefer just taking them and maybe a friend or two somewhere else. Can't afford these big parties and as you say with play areas and the like, the kids all go off on their own and play with their friends, they're not all together till they eat. I was never into parties myself as a child and still not to a certain extent, hated them, so I never really had any. I used to just have a special tea with my best friend and play with my presents, loved it. Or my mum would take me and my friend shopping and out to eat, just making a special day of something simple.

My suggestions although probably already mentioned... cinema with a friend or two, an exhibition or interactive centre if she is interested in anything like that. My son loved the Derwent museum in Keswick, learning about pencils!! or cadbury world, learning about chocolate lol.
Theatre, meal and shopping, cant' think of anything else at the moment.

Hope you think of something, she sounds like I was as a child.

Good luck

savvy

I had a slightly similar prob this year, my youngest turned 16 so obviously I wanted to make it really special for him, we talked about a party for ages. However it got closer and over that time he'd got more and more fed up with his mates as they are all into drinking, but get a bit stupid with it, so he couldn't be bothered with all the hassle of a party! :eek::rolleyes:

In the end he had 2 mates over for a sleepover, we took him out for a meal, then blinfolded him and took him to Krispy Creme, then we came home and he had a treasure hunt type thing to find his pressie (which was a rally driving lesson) and then he had his birthday cake with a pic of him on from Silverstone.

We made sure he was centre of attention and it was all about him, so for you, you could try that and your DD's friends (I also agree with a small group) would have to join in with everything that she does. What about a treasure hunt type thing with clues that are related to DD? Or a quiz about her? So her friends have to take notice of her IYSWIM?

The_Good_Fairy

Do you have an ice-skating rink? Maybe she would like that with just one friend? Or do you have a swimming baths with all the slides and gubbins?

Maybe you could ask her friends parents to come too if you think they will be worried, if you build up a friendship with them it might help to keep your DD and their daughter good friends.

saving_junky

:rotfl:Urmm.......you say what your daughter doesn't like (being sociable, girly stuff, adventurerous stuff, and not crafty............) and the only thing that you say she might like is theme park but she'd prob be theme parked out by then......

What does she like?? What books does she read? What types of things grab her interest on telly? What kinds of things does she like to buy?? What is her room stuffed to the gunnels with??

If you can start to think along those lines, then perhaps you can start to think of what she might like, even just googling the names of the things along with event or trip that she loves and seeing what comes up with. Or post up on here with what grabs her and see if anyone can think of something that ties in with that.

Kids at that age can be really difficult, I remember myself........... mum I'm boooooooooooooooooooooooored, well go read a book............don't want to....... go take the dogs for a walk.........I can't be bothered.......... go do some nice drawing..........that's just dull............ well if you stick around here I'm going to give you a mop and get you to clean the floor (fastest exit in the world) oh I'm not bored anymore!:rotfl:

but maybe if you can think what she normally really enjoys doing, what really absorbs her that might help.

I loved knocking bits of rock together cos all the different types were just soooo fascintating to me, and was always hoping to come across fossils and would have adored to go on a fossil hunting day trip. Would prob have loved doing a pottery painting day. Something like Go Ape, prob wouldn't have been me at that age, but I'd love it now, having a day visiting a chocolate factory (not sure if you can do that, but just ideas tossed in).........

Much easier for peps to come up with ideas that might suit your daughter if we knew her likes

Good luck!

friendlyamy

may be you can talk to other parents to see what is most commonly of a success ant try to take the best of it, good luck

Mrs7ones

saving_junky wrote: »

:rotfl:Urmm.......you say what your daughter doesn't like (being sociable, girly stuff, adventurerous stuff, and not crafty............) and the only thing that you say she might like is theme park but she'd prob be theme parked out by then......

What does she like?? What books does she read? What types of things grab her interest on telly? What kinds of things does she like to buy?? What is her room stuffed to the gunnels with??

If you can start to think along those lines, then perhaps you can start to think of what she might like, even just googling the names of the things along with event or trip that she loves and seeing what comes up with. Or post up on here with what grabs her and see if anyone can think of something that ties in with that.

Kids at that age can be really difficult, I remember myself........... mum I'm boooooooooooooooooooooooored, well go read a book............don't want to....... go take the dogs for a walk.........I can't be bothered.......... go do some nice drawing..........that's just dull............ well if you stick around here I'm going to give you a mop and get you to clean the floor (fastest exit in the world) oh I'm not bored anymore!:rotfl:

but maybe if you can think what she normally really enjoys doing, what really absorbs her that might help.

I loved knocking bits of rock together cos all the different types were just soooo fascintating to me, and was always hoping to come across fossils and would have adored to go on a fossil hunting day trip. Would prob have loved doing a pottery painting day. Something like Go Ape, prob wouldn't have been me at that age, but I'd love it now, having a day visiting a chocolate factory (not sure if you can do that, but just ideas tossed in).........

Much easier for peps to come up with ideas that might suit your daughter if we knew her likes

Good luck!

Love your post......
Well, her bedroom is stuffed full of 'stuff'!!! She is the most untidy creature in the world.... She can amuse herself for hour and hour in her room, just using her imagination and making an unsightly mess.... If it wasn't for her getting hungry, we probably wouldn't see her on a weekend!!

I do, however, love the idea of taking her to a chocolate factory...... I'm off to google

toshkininny

Hello, I don't know how much these things cost but what about being zoo keeper for a day if there is one near you? If she just invited a couple of friends it may not end up being to expensive?

Sorry, I'm struggling to think of anything else!

Or maybe ten pin bowling where they have to get into teams?

BubbleFrogette

Hello all,

I don't have any kids as I'm not long back from Uni/travelling etc but I'd just like to say that there are some really imaginative ideas on this thread! I hope you find a good solution for your daughter's birthday - what ever you do it sounds like you are really interested in making it a special day for her and I hope you have a wonderful time! :beer:

Lunar_Eclipse

Mrs7ones wrote: »

My thread title sounds awful, but my poor DD is a bit of a loner and her past birthday parties haven't been too much of a success, and she's coming up to her 11th b'day soon and I naturally want to make a fuss of her, but don't know what to do.

In the past, we've had play-area parties, bowling parties, BBQ party at home... but every time, the guests seem to forget it's her party and just get on with it without her......
my poor DD.....

Any ideas??

My recommendation is to ask your daughter what she would like to do. My eldest is a little quiet/shy, but she has clear ideas about what she would like to do for her birthday. She was 8 this year and we kept the non-party party very small watching a movie at our house followed by a hot meal and chocolate fountain and a family weekend to Disneyland Paris.

I would start by asking her what a 'perfect' day to her would entail (not specifically mentioning her birthday.) And also if there is anything specifically she would like to do (in her life) such as learn to ski, horse ride, ice skate, visit the Queen's Palace, go camping etc as that would offer the ideal answer.

Some ideas:
family day trip to a place of her choice, including treats

an experience by herself or with a friend (eg our local farm does days where kids go and be farmers mucking out, collecting eggs etc taking a packed lunch with them), or something like an archery lesson

shopping outing with a friend then lunch/swim/movie. places like pizza express would be good for her and 1-4 friends. oh they do organised parties too!

pottery painting

build a bear 'party'/visit if she likes cuddly toys

visit to london (my children are dying to go on the london eye for instance)

If she doesn't want a party, I would NOT, under any circumstances encourage it. Parents shouldn't get anxious about such things. The important thing is that she enjoys her day and that it feels special to her. There are loads of places to visit (gardens/NT properties, woods, beaches, farms, theme parks etc) that I'm sure you'll think of something up her alley.

One final thought. Children are usually easily pleased. My girls have been dying to go to my gym so I treated them to a swim and hot chocolate there a couple of weeks ago.

Our next birthday parties are the build-a-bear one and also soap/make up making at home. cookery?

birthdaypartyideas.com might help you with your brainstorming.

ETA: if she's not girly, adventurous or crafty, would something like a science party be suitable? I have suggested this to eldest since she loves science. DK science book et al has some great ideas. Sporty - donutting party? Grass sledging with cardboard boxes? Den building? Fishing/pond dipping? There really are endless possibilities.