AIBU to dread dd's party! (Ideas please!)

[Italiangreyhound]

My dd is not far off becoming a teenager and another mile stone will be reached this year (12); plus for the first time would like a few boys at her birthday party.

All well and good and I was all up for a bowling party, or swim party or some sort of cinema thing.

But she wants the party at home, doesn't want karakoe and I am now wracking my brains about what the group will do!

I am not trying to be sexist but if it were all girls we could have a pamper evening or craft or jewellery making. I am well aware somewhere not too far away there may be boys who would love all of this but it is unlikely to be dd's male friends!

I've really tried to push her on the cinema thing but she is adamant she does not want it.

Looked up paint balling and Lazar today but it is very expensive. Especially for the number she wants. She is quite shy so i really had hoped her party would be a chance to meet old friends and a few new ones. But as she wants it in our reasonably modest/average home that is going to limit it.

We are looking at about 12 12-year olds!

If it was summer I might go for this in the garden www.groupon.com/deals/the-hawaii-party-rentals-honolulu (no we are not in Hawaii and autumn is cold, so the garden is out!)

Last year it was a sleep over for half that number and it totally exhausted me.

Any ideas, please? I don't feel I am being unreasonable to feel daunted by this task and really it is the first birthday I've really felt such trepidation about!

[Italiangreyhound]

What are red solo cups?

[OutDamnedWind]

Red Soli cups

[wonderingagain21]

We had a mocktails & canapés party I did a quick demo of four different mocktails & kid friendly canapés. - the kids all took it in turns to try & reproduce the different bits & then swapped over so they all got to make everything. They then got to eat it all. They had lots of fun, it was quite cheap, indoor & felt v grown up.

[Optimist3]

My 14 year old we did fire pit, they cooked and ran round madly getting covered in mud. Great fun.

[Ilovehamabeads]

Dd and her friend had a party recently where they made a huge cardboard photo frame (boxes from the supermarket, cut to shape and stuck together and covered in shiny paper). They went to a few £1 shops and bought props - glasses, wigs, hats etc, and had a photo booth party. Said it was great fun, they are 11 and 12 and there were lots of boys there too who enjoyed it.

[Italiangreyhound]

Such really excellent ideas.thank you.

[ShowMeTheElf]

Photo booth is an excellent idea! I'm stealing that for next year!