Animal experience party cancelled last minute, help me entertain 18 children!!

[Nichebitch]

So after a hard year I decide to splurge on an animal experience where a company brings small animals to dd (8y old) birthday party, for all the children to see and some to be handled. Everyone is super excited, activity printed on invites, etc - they called me today to cancel. The party is this Saturday, I called everyone but it’s of course too late to book anything else. They’re going to be disappointed but I still have to do something to entertain! What do I do? This is a group of 18 children

So many ideas! Thank you so much.
they offered of course a refund and a discount for next time, which obvs will not be happening.
I have a hall booked and less than 2 days, otherwise I would be going to a farm.

Was it a big company or a local one? I know a good (national) one but won't say their name in case it's the same one! If it is, they won't have cancelled lightly.

It’s a big national one. Calling local people to try to get someone, they told me is not the first time it happens, and reading reviews I saw the same. I wish I had read them before I booked, but it’s so well known I don’t think this would happen

Put a request on your local Facebook group for any entertainers with a last minute slot.

Go for the old fashioned party games.
Silly clothes bag -it’s pass the parcel with a bag of clothes. When music stops you have to put on something from the bag. Prize for whoever looks the most ridiculous.
musical chairs.
the newspaper game - get in pairs. Everyone has be sheet of newspaper they dance around. When music stops you both have to be stood on the paper. After each pause, the paper is folded in half so it gets smaller and smaller with each go.
The chocolate game, grandmothers footsteps, ladders etc

If you have family/friends to help and are creative set up 4 or more craft tables.
We had one with beads to make jewellery, face painting, making flowers with straws and pre cut shapes, make little hats with feathers etc.
The dc get to take everything they made home.
The boys enjoy it just as much as the girls.

Can you pull curtains across and make the hall dark? If so I'd get some glow sticks, UV lights, stick on glow in the dark tattoos etc and play music through a speaker and let them have a dance. Then party games, party food and then let them do their own ice cream with sprinkles and lots of sugar things 😂. Then pass back to parents and run away quickly.

Old fashioned party games but make them animal themed? Pin a tail on a donkey, animal pinyata, sleeping lions, what’s the time Mr wolf! have a look on Pinterest?
Craft table with animal crafts.
Animal theme food, could you make sandwiches and use animal cutters, Pom bears, mini packets of animal biscuits?
Can you tell I wish mine were this small again!

The game where they wrap someone up in loo roll
Any running around game/s: simple obstacle course
Enlist other parent helpers and provide cakes for them as well (bribery)😁
Wish I'd thought of having a whistle to get their attention

I did old fashioned kids birthday parties for my kids at this age and it worked really well. Good luck

The one time I did an old fashioned party with games myself is the party my DC remember the most. Loads of great ideas above. The toilet roll wrapping one was a hit with my lot, as was a ‘guess the item’ - blindfolded, and dip hand in a massive bowl of loose jelly with random items. I’d agree with getting them running around a lot to start with and burning off the energy, then quieter games until food at the end

Can you book an entertainer? We have been to parties with princesses, superheroes, Taylor swift impersonators etc.