Do mixed-gender birthday parties work?!

[Sparkletastic]

I'm considering this waaaaaaaay in advance of the actual date but DD1 will be 6 next birthday. She's friends with boys and girls in pretty much equal numbers but I've noticed she often seems to be the only girl at her male friends' parties (this doesn't bother her at all) and when she goes to her female friends' parties they are 100% pink princess affairs with not even a disgruntled brother in sight . I'd really like her to be able to invite all her friends to her next do, but is there anyway of keeping them all happy? Would something at our place work or should it be at a venue with some kind of activity. Is there a theme that 6 year old boys AND girls would like?

Any words of wisdom gratefully received....

[Sparkletastic]

bump

[AbbeyA]

I always left it completely up to my DCs who they invited so if she wants boys and girls I would let her. All I would say is that you will need something energetic-if boys get bored they will wrestle. Wear them out!

[Sparkletastic]

Thanks AbbeyA - that's a very helpful tip about energy-burning activities. I know nothing of boys and their ways really!! Have you done 'at home' mixed parties or did you hire a hall or somesuch?

[AbbeyA]

I should ask at sports centres, they often do activity parties and someone leads them and they do tea as well. They do anything from bouncy castles to football and you can have a mixture. I liked swimming parties but you need to find out how your swimming pool operates them, it can be a bit too much responsibility. If you are going to do it at home find out how lively the boys are first!

[Sparkletastic]

Hmmm yes I don't feel thrilled at the prospect of having a whole crowd of Y1s at my house actually - can envisage them splitting into factions with girls holed up in one room with fairy wings and tiaras and boys in another with swords and DH's Wii

[Sparkletastic]

Oh that's a good one Rubyrubyruby - did the pirates make the princesses walk the plank though?! What about games - will the tried and trusted old faves still work or do I need to be a bit more creative? We've done the bouncy castle thing for the past couple of years and I think they are a bit young for swimming party. I guess there's always soft play but I sort of feel like that's a cop out. I need to suffer more clearly!!

[Overmydeadbody]

I think you are stereotyping too much!

It doesn't have to be pink princesses or pirates, there are loads of things that boys and girls both enjoy at this age, I think 6 is still fine to have mixed gender parties. hey are all just children at the end of the day, and mostly get enjoyment out of similar things.

If you're worried about numbers, just tell your DD she can invite a certain number of friends, and it's up to her to pick who.

Some of DS's best friends are girls and he often has groups of boys and girls over for playdates and they pretty much all play together, while fitting into slightly different roles (like Peter Pan games, with the boys being peter and lost boys and pirates and the girls beign tinkerbell or Wendy or the Princess Tigerlilly )

[Overmydeadbody]

Do you even need to do a themed party? What's wrong with it just being birthday themed?

[AbbeyA]

You could just do a traditional party-it would be a bit of a novelty these days.
A lot of the games that I played with my Beaver colony would be successful
look here
The right age ones are the one with B in front.
There are some quiet ones to put at intervals!

[Sparkletastic]

That's a very handy link thanks AbbeyA - trad parties are making a big come-back round these parts (credit crunch to blame again ). I take your point Overmydeadbody and I really don't want to stereotype but other mums have said that DD1 is their DS's only female pal and the girls parties of late have been 100% pink!! I really don't want to go down that path as DD1 isn't massively girly - she is far more worried about being cool - I'm sure there's trouble ahead for me when she hits adolescence