birthday for 9yo - friends round house - am I mad?

[wonderwoo]

My ds wants to have around 5 friends round for his 9th birthday. The plan is they mess around/play and we get takeaway pizza for tea. Then they go home. All good...

...EXCEPT: I am a bit concerned that it will all go a bit wrong. If the weather is bad, they will be stuck inside and the kind of things he plays 1:1 with friends (lego and marble run) will probably go completely out the window when there is an excitable group of boys there. I am worried it will be all wrestling and running around which I don't mind for 20 mins, but what about the other couple of hours!? If I put a film on, they won't sit nicely and watch it past the first ten minutes, will they? My son suggests playing football indoors or a massive nerf gun game. Funnily enough, I am not too keen on either!

Will I regret this? Any experience?

Just give some structure to the party and organise some activities/games they will enjoy. I would not have too much “mucking about” time at all.

Would they really not watch a film? Mine had a similar set up at that age and we had a bit of structured games, pizza and them a film. It worked well.

Thank you finfin and ohbyes.

What kind of games would you do for that age? Last time I did party games it was pass the parcel and musical statues. Not sure that would go down too well now!

I did think maybe a treasure hunt and music with balloons? Maybe they would watch the film...

A piñata is fun and you may be surprised that pass the parcel may still work if you added forfeits, tricks and the like. A treasure hunt would be great.

I hosted eight 9/10 year olds for my son’s 10th birthday in Feb. I was also about ten weeks pregnant and knackered. It was fine. It was a bit of a gaming party so some of them brought round DSs. They played a game getting maltesers out of jelly and I bought solor robot kits but they were a bit difficult for them. I have also done making slime and decorating notebooks which is cheap and easy. Basically have a couple of structured activities and food and they should be happy! My friend did the same but hired a hot tub and that went down very well!!