Birthday party ideas 5 year old

[talkalarm]

His friends are doing soft play parties but he doesn't really like soft play. So something that will occupy 5 years olds who want to run around but not soft play?

Any ideas (very) welcome

When is it as weather may have an influence!

Ah of course! Sorry

It will be in Dec, in England so cold and likely wet!

Indoors then! How about hiring a hall and an activity like this: www.miniathletics.com/birthday-parties/

Ah nothing in my area but it was a brilliant idea!

Church hall, entertainer, disco, toys, food.

Is there any companies near you that do pop up petting zoos?

My DD's was in the village hall and we had a children's entertainer, a craft activity, sandwiches and cake.

There's all sorts of activity/entertainer based things you can put on if you want to throw £££ at the problem - like a "mad scientist party", disney characters, a magician, meeting and handling insects or animals. Or you can DIY theme it around an interest like having a lego party or a superhero party, where you say theme a couple of games and a crafty activity around that. Or again £££ hire something out that isn't soft play, like a trampoline place, or even some shops and places do it (unlikely interest for a 5yo boy but Lush as example), or a local attraction of some kind.

Bowling
Trampoline Park
Bounce inflatable place?

I did DIY at home parties at that age. Proper 1970s ones like i had as a child. 9 other boys invited, so 10 altogether with my DS. Proper Birthday Tea squashed around the table, (sandwiches, mini pizza, crisps, jugs of squash, mini babybels, mini peperamis, cucumber, peppers, midget gems etc). Birthday Cake in the dark, singing and blowing candles. Got themed paper napkins, plates, table cloth, cups etc off the internet, very cheap.

Then DH and I did musical statues, pin the tail on the donkey (or similar) and pass the parcel. Followed by letting them all play with the HUGE amount of lego we had. Then they all got collected after about 2 hours.

Children had a whale of a time, didn't have to invite the whole class, party bag cost was minimal and after that LOADS of the other mums did the same kind of party.

The reason i did it was that my DS as a little boy HATED crowds and loud music/discos and would cry if we went to a party like that.

We hired a room at the council leisure centre, it was the tennis court/gym space and they put up a bouncy castle and some giant board games and those bouncy/hopper things. There were loads of tables and chairs we could use and we just showed up an hour before, decorated and put out the food we bought with us.

Party was 2 hrs long we didn't do any organised activities, just let them all run round like crazy things. We had a 30 min section in the middle for food and cake and then they played around that.