Aibu to ask for winter birthday party ideas?

[justanotherkid]

Please give me some ideas!
DD is 8 during the xmas school hols.
There may be crisp dry days to do something outside for an hour....but the risk of rain is high, and planning in advance is tricky 🤷‍♀️.
I thought maybe cinema with few friends but her Bff wont be be allowed to attend so that's a non-starter.
I don't want kiddies in the house as shielded her sibling previously.
Any ideas what I could do if I went with an hour outside???? We live near woods so could have shelter, but it would be cold!
(We are Wales for covid rules 🙂)
Thanks

[LemonBar]

Santise hands then pinata smashing
Archery?
Pin the thing on the thing on a tree
Treasure hunt?
Limbo or whatever its called.. you keep crawling under somethibg that you keep lowering
Egg spoon race to keep them warm..maybe too old and cool for that?
You could set up a mini campsite with music, blankets, marshmallows
Musical chairs on the toadstools some parks or woods have a circle of cutdown stubs of trees? Just cover the stool with a pine cone or something as you wont be able to move it out obvs
Would you be abke to hire a magician or fire eater or acrobat then have a fun fair theme with popcorn, cotton candy, sparkers
Making a bird feeder outdoor or bug hotel... maybe too old for that though...

You could do a zoom party and goody bags to be opened together and there are entertainers that are doing stuff over zoom.

[TheSandgroper]

I’m not in the uk, just so you know.

Could you hire a wood fired pizza oven and set it up in the back yard with a large gazebo or something? Fire is always good.

[PucePanther]

Yes, YABU to ask. We’re in the middle of a global pandemic. It won’t kill your kid to not have a party for one year.

[reluctantbrit]

As someone with a December birthday I would say forget outdoor planning. All apart from one where we had snow, my birthdays were always indoor parties.

Like most children, I think parties will be cancelled. DD had one friend over but it was Summer and they could sit socially distant in the garden and chat.

I am very reluctant to let DD go anywhere even if we are out of lockdown. A walk in the park is basically the only thing we would allow.

[TheYearOfSmallThings]

I selfishly wish the primary schools would allow a cake to be sent in (or a box of birthday cupcakes) and everyone could sing Happy Birthday at lunchtime. DS is about to have the lamest birthday ever, and school is the only time he gets to see a big group of friends.

[SebastianTheCrab]

@PucePanther

Yes, YABU to ask. We’re in the middle of a global pandemic. It won’t kill your kid to not have a party for one year.

Oh fuck off. The OP isn't asking for ideas fora 300+ rager.

[LostInMoab]

We’ve done loads of outdoor winter birthday parties (in Scotland!) and the kids have always had a blast, even in terrible weather.

For forest parties, head into the forest together, get all the kids running around straight away with a game of capture the flag or whatever they know and enjoy. Meanwhile start building a fire (you might need to invest in a fire pit; check local forest regulations). Get the kids round the fire to toast marshmallows/panettone (tastes really good toasted on the fire) and have some other food available - I usually do things like sausages in the oven beforehand, then if you wrap in a couple of towels they’re still pretty warm but taste good cold too. Then cake, then sparklers/glow sticks... by this point they are all running around having a wonderful time and never want to leave.

I like a timing of 2-4pm because it’s dark by the end which makes it exciting and no expectation of a proper meal!

[LostInMoab]

I love the idea upthread of having cosy blankets for everyone... you could even make those into the party gift.

[BrownOwlknowsbest]

If you are allowed enough people, a wide game like this dragon.sleepdeprived.ca/games/wide_games/wide_games.htm (barnyard bedlam) goes down well with that age group. Fires are fun but you can also use food flasks to supply soup, hot chocolate and hot dogs, something hot is definitely needed when outdoors
Do you live within walking distance of a chippy? A treasure hunt type walk ending there for chips to eat outdoors might be fun.

[justanotherkid]

Thank you Lemonbar some fab ideas!
sandgroper we can't enter our backyard unless through the house - which i am trying to avoid....but good idea and i will ponder, as it is allowed to do that here in Wales (the children not the adults) thank you.
@PucePanther - her sibing may not see may more birthdays so yes not a helpful comment, if you have nothing nice to say go away. Did you miss the #bekind thing?
reluctantbrit - we are in wales, not in lockdown :) I do hear you, and don't want a big thing - not much more than a walk in the park, but its been rough on the the kids, a xmas birthday is a bit shite at the best of times you know.
Theyearofsmallthings, I hope your ds gets a nice day with his friends x
seb - thanks x
LostinMoab - stealing the ideas thank you! x

DD is so content and happy with her lot in life, not grabby, really happy with a few fab friends, and will don wellies and run wild in the forest, I just feel a bit sad for her. Thanks for the fab creative ideas all x

[LtGreggs]

I'm in Scotland, we do outings/parties like @LostInMoab describes in all weather. You can skip the fire and just take hot chocolate flasks and snacks. Have a 'home base' where an adult or two will be, and let the kids go off. Don't let rain stop you.

Or - does your dd ride a bike? Take a small group riding. Either mountain bike area, or local farm track type area. Or go to an official place and hire bikes.

Last few months kids here have had birthday parties that are 'meet in the woods with our bikes and get takeaway pizza there'. They are happy!

[justanotherkid]

thanks brownown....we could have an adult deliver hot chips or pizzas....ooh ideas forming, thanks

[justanotherkid]

LTgreggs she loves her bike, so that is definately a pondering....if there is hot food at the end! thank you

[MotherExtraordinaire]

I know not normal, but if close to beach and low tide times are favourable, beach walk/play, barbecue, toasting marshmallows? As long as not teeming down and appropriate clothing should be easy enough to make as special as circumstances allow. Obviously if no beach could transfer to different location.

[LostInMoab]

She sounds like a lovely girl and I’m so sorry your family is going through such a hard and sad time. Let’s hope that this is her best party yet, we have had that comment from many kids who would not normally be outdoorsy so you never know! Fingers crossed for a perfect winter day for you all.

[PucePanther]

Did you miss the #bekind thing?
“Be kind” doesn’t mean the same as “Approve of people doing dangerous unnecessary things such as parties during a pandemic”. Its not unkind to say you shouldn’t be doing it.

[Oooohbehave]

@PucePanther oh piss off and get a life

[TW2013]

Set up a treasure hunt or just have a scavenger hunt. Something with less planning but busier would be ice skating if temporary ice rink near you.

[whattodo2019]

Near where i live we have a great place called Moors Valley Country Park.
Do you have something similar?
Great for a big walk and a picnic
Go Ape
Play Park?

[Ionacat]

We did Go Ape for DD’s January birthday and she had a great time. They were brilliant as we had to cancel the first one as she was sick and they let me rebook with no extra charges.
Tracker style walk? Follow arrows and end up somewhere with hot food and fire pit?

[justanotherkid]

@PucePanther if you can tell me how 4 or 5 children from DD school class bubble running around a forest consistutes dangerous & unnecessary i'll eat my hat - do you suck the joy out of everyone around you, or just over the web? .........especially when i've already said DD has a shielded sibling who won't see many more more birthdays in our household.....

thank you all for the fab ideas!
i have a friend who works in the council/forestry who is going to put something together, sort of a 'be a ranger for the afternoon', and they can build a shelter, make a fire etc.....and I can just be present with cake! so its being sorted :)
thanks for helping me think outside the box....fab mums. DD will be so chuffed and rain/cold will not stop play. i am happy for her.

[CCC1]

Hi. We have done lots of winter outdoors parties and they are surprisingly well remembered- my son is almost 17 and him and his group order nostalgic pizza deliveries to the woods!

Some practicalities - ordering pizza is easier than carting stuff across. Believe me I’ve cooked in the woods/taken stuff to the woods in many bags and then wondered why on earth I hadn’t had a friendly chat with the takeaway.

Brief parents. Warm clothes, waterproofs, wee before otherwise be prepared for your child to do wild wees.

Cheap waterproof ponchos and hand warmer pouches are your friend (mostly for those parents who don’t listen).

A tarp or patio set winter cover strung in trees in good wet weather cover.

Keep them moving.

Dusk is very brilliant and quite exciting for children. You can also add fairy lights etc to make it magical.

We served mulled apple juice (just juice warmed up) on a camping stove. Warms them up nicely- especially if waiting for food.

Capture the flag is the best game ever until it results in all out war. Judge your group.

[BikeRunSki]

@TheYearOfSmallThings

I selfishly wish the primary schools would allow a cake to be sent in (or a box of birthday cupcakes) and everyone could sing Happy Birthday at lunchtime. DS is about to have the lamest birthday ever, and school is the only time he gets to see a big group of friends.

DD's school is doing this. In the middle of each month, they are having a birthday party for all the children with a birthday that month on Friday afternoons. There is a small buffet. Not sure who pays for it.

[EveryDayIsADuvetDay]

Ah, that's sad - friend of mine in Wales had daughters birthday at the end of a lockdown a week or so ago and managed to fit in a restaurant meal- just family, not school friends as far as I know.

No idea whether anything like this near you (or what sort of lockdown you have), but a sculpture park that I go to in Dorset has a range of shepherds huts / summer houses that you can rent out for a half day. Or beach hut maybe?

Whatever you do, big call out to borrow vacuum flasks etc - although if very close to home, food will stay warmish just wrapped.

I thought Pucepanther was being OTT since they're all probably in the same school bubble. I imagine her(him?) puce colour with steam coming out of her ears as she prowls around scouring for anyone that might be contravening The Rules.

Have a brilliant day with your daughter whatever you do .

[CCC1]

@PucePanther

Did you miss the #bekind thing?
“Be kind” doesn’t mean the same as “Approve of people doing dangerous unnecessary things such as parties during a pandemic”. Its not unkind to say you shouldn’t be doing it.

Absolutely. You don’t need to approve.

However the risks involved are children in an existing school bubble doing an outside activity for a relatively short period of time.

By rushing to your keyboard to call it out, well that’s really unkind.