A "traditional" birthday party at home

[Pickle]

Our eldest turns 7 in January, and while he wants a party, he is struggling to think of what/where, and now we've left it a bit late to book any of the standard soft play type places. He's not a boisterous boy, much prefers sitting drawing pictures to running around.

Am I mad to be considering a "like when I was a kid" type party at home for him? I know he would enjoy playing old fashioned party games, but would other 6/7 year olds?

I'm thinking pin the tail on the donkey, the chocolate game etc etc, with around 10 kids (I don't buy into the invite the whole class way of thinking!).

Anyone done this with kids around this age?

[SE22mum]

Done it! It's two hours of utter chaos and manic energy but is a lot of fun. Mind you, mine is of the boisterous variety.

Musical bumps, musical statues, musical chairs, chocolate game etc all great. plus dancing. remember that even though they are 7 there may be tears around being "out" so lots of prizes for everyone is a must. Don't plan games for the whole session as they get tired and will start to drop out. Leave some time for just hanging out.

[Pickle]

Ah, that's good to know, thanks. I'm a bit worried that having spent the last year at Gambardos parties, ceramic making, pizza making, bouncy castles, magicians etc etc the kids won't enjoy it - but hopefully they'll see that it can be fun without all the added extras!

I did a DIY party for my daughters 5th birthday, but it was all girls, and I had lots of nice little craft activities which went down really well. This time there will be boys too, and being that little bit older I hope they're not getting too "cool"!

[sanity girl]

Did it last year for my 6 year old - it was fine. I enlisted a couple of other mums to help out and farmed my then 2.5 year old out to his grandparents. If you can get them to do a running about game outside for 10 minutes or so before birthday tea I'd recommend that. We did the usual games - musical statues, pass the parcel, what's the time mr wolf etc etc. I kept it to 8 children.

[snowboarder]

I think it's fine as long as you don't have too many adults! Am presuming at 7 they get dropped off? It's the 2 grown ups per child (sometimes) when they are young that means you need so much space I reckon!

[Pickle]

Yes, definitely a drop off party, I can't be doing with entertaining the adults as well!

[canela]

at 7 some are already a bit too cool - which meant that my nicely thought out craft activity was scuppered by one of the cool ones declaring it deeply uncool. if you do craft or something make sure it is really pitched at your audience, i.e. like horrible science, harry potter themes etc.

I think the kids enjoy parties at home just as much. as long as the food and cake are good, seems to be what is most important!

I find it so difficult to keep the adults away tho! even my hints of "would you like to escape to a cafe" fell on deaf ears....

[Goodliz]

Pickle, from my experience it would go down well. At my 9 year old son's party we did pin the tail on the donkey and it was great. Pass the parcel is good too and the age your son is at means you don't have to pack a prize in each layer. They can take on not winning now I think.

I've never been at a party where the children have not wanted to get involved - they seem to just go with the flow.

It will be manic for you but fun for your son and his friends!

[buggie]

While we did use Dish & the Spoon for the space & catering, I was chief entertainer at bugglet's 3rd birthday. The kids loved pin the tail & musical bumps (all be the rules on going out be v relaxed!!) & pass the parcel (luckily they were too young to notice I was desperately making sure that they all got chance to unwrap a layer!).

2 v easy extras we did which went down really well were to get a pack of tattoo transfers from Baker Ross (as well as little toys for the party bags) which I set my mum up doing in one corner. Then with the tea, cupcakes came out plain & the kids iced/decorated them at the table - gingerbread men/zombies would maybe capture the boys imagination more!

I couldn't even have a stiff drink post party as was 7mths pregnant by then!

[Pickle]

Dish and Spoon is where we had our daughters party in the summer, a fab venue, and the space worked brilliantly for the craft activities etc. I am a huge fan of Baker Ross, will have a browse for ideas for the 7 year olds.

Mr Pickle is reluctant to buy into the traditional idea, given it will just be the 2 of us, with our 2 and 5 year olds to look after as well (he may have a point).

[snowboarder]

How about stick with doing it at home with some games and party tea but get an entertainer of some sort along too? We went to a fab house party for a 4th birthday with games and craft and buffet tea and the magician simon rosselli who was great, and i think would be really good for older kids (esp boys) too - i think he can even do magic and mini disco combos!

[JulieP]

Did this for my 6 year old daughter last year.

She chose a theme and some of them dressed up (super heroes).

Then had pin the cape on the super hero, decorate your own super hero mask, musical bumps, statues and pass the parcel as well as party tea with jelly and ice cream.

Manic - but the kids loved it.

[alieh]

We did this for a bit younger party and it was totally fine. One thing we did that worked well was to have popcorn and a movie to chew up some time in a quietish way. We used one of those projector things onto a big wall so it was more exciting than just a movie on TV screen. I did individual bags of popcorn and had them decorate the bags on arrival (before filling obviously!). The movie helped to break up the time between wild-ish playing and games and the tea/food part.

[pebbles]

We had our 6 year olds party at home this year. 10 kids. I had pre warned the parents to dress them warmly and to bring a change of clothes as we had set up obstacle courses, football games etc etc outside and they spent just over an hour running around with Mr Pebbles and then they came in for hot chocolate and bday tea and i put a Christmas film on for them.

It was a huge hit, very very cheap and definitely the way we will be going every year I think.

Even though just the 2 of us it was surprisingly relaxing :)

[Pickle]

I've ended up booking an entertainer, of sorts (a Science Boffins person), which my son will love. I will still use the games for the 2nd half of the party. Very relieved to have something sorted, he didn't have a party at all last year so it will be nice for him to have some friends over this year.

[fl0wer]

Memorably happy game we set up for a bunch of 7-9 yr olds = treasure hunt.

It takes a bit of preparation, worth while though.

Children as a group solved each clue one at a time, return to base for adult to read out the next one.

When 'treasure' was located, we explained that we'd provided prizes the finder would share out.

(Little items, tiny boxed raisins, stationery, badges, small cars, joke spiders, etc - enough for everyone.)

[JDR]

One of the most popular games I've seen for boys was apple bobbing! Admittedly it was summer butch guess you could suspend the apples from string and see if they can bite them? Added bonus you could have several at once doing it...

[nunheadmum]

Science went down brilliantly for my 7 year old daughter's. We didn't do traditional games but the kids were expecting them. A bit of a disco was a great end.....couldn't get them out!!

[Otta]

I've not done it as an adult, but I feel pretty sure those kids would bloody love an old skool party.

[curlykaren]

Pickle...science boffin? Please share the details, what? Who? Cost? Ta x

[Pickle]

It's a company, Google should bring up their website (sorry, on phone).

?200 all in, for up to 20 kids - not cheap, but ?10 a head isn't too bad given it's something a bit different, and we will do our own food. They do parties suitable for younger ones too.

[Gubodge]

My 7 year old asked for the Science Boffins telephone number after seeing the show at the goodrich Winter Fair; and is planning on having them for her next birthday. Nothing like getting organised well in advance; I'm sure the 7 months will fly by.

But both of mine (7 and 9) have asked for and had traditional parties recently and they've gone down a storm. It doesn't work if you have too many kids there, as some will decide not to join in and you may need to designate teams and there'll be tears and upset. Ten or twelve works very well though. Surprisingly few knew about the chocolate game, though so the more widespread it becomes the better. We've also done pin the something on the something (eyepatch/pirate, star/fairy wand, etc), treasure hunts, musical bumps, pass the parcel with forfeits rather than a gift in between the layers... They love it.

[ClareC]

What is the chocolate game?

Traditional birthday parties are the best :)

[Pickle]

Block of chocolate on a plate or board, knife and fork, gloves, scarf, hat (or similar).

Kids take turns rolling a dice, when you get a 6 you quickly put on the clothing, then cut bits of chocolate and eat them, using cutlery, no fingers allowed. Your turn is up when the next 6 is rolled.

Chaos, but great fun. Make it easier for little kids by breaking the chocolate up into squares first.

[Belle]

We used to play it as the mars bar game - easier to chop!