Please or to access all these features

Add post

Watch this thread

Save thread

Start a new thread

Flip thread

Hide thread

My feed

Active Unanswered threads

Getting started FAQ's

Unanswered threads Acronyms Talk guidelines

Hide shortcut buttons

Talk

AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Flip

1 2 3 4

Original poster

Video gaming party

91 replies

Countrylifemama · 13/11/2021 22:44

Hello!

I’ve got a video gaming party setup for my 8 year old son. The company will provide various consoles and age appropriate games - have this for 1.5 hours. They will be supervising the kids and doing mini competitions; handing out mini prizes etc.

Just wanted some thoughts on whether I should cut short the gaming to 1 hour or 1 hour 15? I’ve been told by the company that the kids play with each on the games so it is interactive etc… we will have enough controllers for parents to play etc too I think ..

Should I then get other traditional party games too? Bearing in mind it’s 2 hour party etc?

Just stressing about it now :/ and wishing I did something alternative

Also are the controllers of Nintendo switch similar to ps/Xbox my son has Nintendo at home and not sure they will guarantee that console

Sorry for the long message! Thank you x

OP posts:

MrsTerryPratchett · 14/11/2021 17:00

I agree. My son is 7 and loves gaming but I'd definitely think a bit less of someone who organised this for a party.

I do wish the person who thought less of me organising one just declined rather than having her child come and telling everyone else how terrible it was. Her child bloody loved it though.

AnneTwacky · 14/11/2021 17:38

I'd think a bit less of anyone looking down their nose at a parent organising a perfectly reasonable party for their child's birthday.

OP let them enjoy their gaming for the whole time. No need to add extra stress to the day. Video games, then party food sounds like the perfect celebration for 8 -9 year olds.

slashlover · 14/11/2021 18:13

Jesus hello 1980s, please go back there.

Hey! I got my first "computer" in 1986, the games came on cassette.

@StardewMelons Please tell me your name is from Stardew Valley? I love that game.

PilesEdgeworth · 14/11/2021 19:01

If anything I'd say 2 hours is a bit on the short side - if you're running tournaments of some sort I presume they won't be all playing at the same time. The 2 hours will disappear very quickly. I definitely wouldn't cut it any shorter.

Concestor · 14/11/2021 19:32

@Sparklingbrook

I agree. My son is 7 and loves gaming but I'd definitely think a bit less of someone who organised this for a party.

Yes, organising a party which all the attendees and the birthday boy will love and be talking about for days after is frankly dangerous and irresponsible.

I didn't call it either of those things. I just think that basically putting them in front of a TV for the whole of a party is a bit crap. Same as I don't allow him to be on a screen for the whole of a playdate. I want him to play with his friends not be square eyed.

Sparklingbrook · 14/11/2021 19:42

I just think that basically putting them in front of a TV for the whole of a party is a bit crap

It's a once a year event, and birthday parties are supposed to be doing something fun and something you enjoy? Which is what this is. Plus it's not watching the TV.

MrsTerryPratchett · 14/11/2021 20:03

Plus it's not watching the TV.

It's really not, is it? It's two playing each other, while they all gather round and shout 'helpful' suggestions.

Sparklingbrook · 14/11/2021 20:13

@MrsTerryPratchett

Plus it's not watching the TV.

It's really not, is it? It's two playing each other, while they all gather round and shout 'helpful' suggestions.

Yes, I mean you could raise an eyebrow if it was just everyone crowding around the birthday boys' PS4 and taking it in turns with the controller but this is something organised, and brought in by an outside company who do it all for you. There's probably more than 2 consoles.

You could say a birthday trip to the cinema is just watching a screen for an hour and a half. Tsk.

Original poster

Countrylifemama · 14/11/2021 20:14

@zurala actually we are having large projectors setup with led lights as an experience and they’ll be playing each/agaisnt other not just on their own! The different games such as Just dance is actually quite fun along with the others!

OP posts:

C8H10N4O2 · 14/11/2021 20:16

@MrsTerryPratchett

Plus it's not watching the TV.

It's really not, is it? It's two playing each other, while they all gather round and shout 'helpful' suggestions.

Indeed. Gaming parties were not a thing when mine were this age but we did have a networked house which was permanently full of their friends and they all played games on my network.

For all the naysaying and pearl clutching they all succeeded at school and are now in good professions, steady relationships and with wide social circles. The social circles were expanded by people in their gaming teams.

Eldest was interviewed for first job on the basis of gaming role in large consortium - the CV stood out out from all the identikit RG good degrees whose hobbies were cycling and cooking and they talked about what it takes to run an international team in the upper leagues, team selection, competitor strategies etc. I don't think they took anyone with forest walks on the CV.

Sparklingbrook · 14/11/2021 20:19

[quote Countrylifemama]@zurala actually we are having large projectors setup with led lights as an experience and they’ll be playing each/agaisnt other not just on their own! The different games such as Just dance is actually quite fun along with the others![/quote]
Just Dance is great fun. You may have to join them.

Morgan12 · 14/11/2021 20:26

Pearl clutching over gaming is becoming very very tedious.

People are trying to raise their kids in a world that no longer exists. Parents who don't allow gaming or see it as a bad thing just don't understand it imo.

Gaming is a legitimate career now, aswell as being educational, immersive and extremely social.

All my sons friends play online together. The ones in the class who aren't allowed to game, well sadly they are the ones who aren't included in things as they have nothing in common with the majority of their peers.

AlwaysLatte · 14/11/2021 20:29

Lots of angry arguing amongst mums here, but let's not forget the children can choose their birthday treats 😊

Sparklingbrook · 14/11/2021 20:30

DS1 spent the last year alone in his Uni rented house due to Covid (everyone went home never to return until they picked their stuff up at the end of the year) and I genuinely think if it wasn't for being able to game with his friends from all over the country during his down time he would have been seriously depressed.

Howmanydays · 14/11/2021 20:31

actually we are having large projectors setup with led lights as an experience and they’ll be playing each/agaisnt other not just on their own! The different games such as Just dance is actually quite fun along with the others!

They are going to love that.

I just think that basically putting them in front of a TV for the whole of a party is a bit crap. Same as I don't allow him to be on a screen for the whole of a playdate.

At 8/9 they aren't far off the age where its just friends coming to play rather than "playdates". Needs very little input from parents. Sometimes it's board games, sometimes video games and sometimes they are outdoors the whole time. Having a friend over to play switch (pre covid) was a great, otherwise DS1 would only get to play it with much younger brother or parent.

Hankunamatata · 14/11/2021 20:33

Mine have loved gaming parties. Very inclusive for kids with disabilities - no huge loud noises like most activity centres, kids can take breaks as they need and physical problems don't matter

Flip

1 2 3 4

Swipe left for the next trending thread