ideas for a little birthday party please ladies?

[nightowl]

for an 8 year old boy. cant be anything posh. no barbecue as theres a chance a few toddlers may be there. this is not a definate thing yet, just running through some ideas btw. would be no more than 15 kids, probably only 9 in fact. how much food and what? how to keep them occupied..etc etc etc. and what if it rains?!!

DH is a chef and also does party planning so I will let you have some of his ideas.

ooh thanks

I hired local hall for £20 for 2.5 hrs and small bouncy castle (space ship for £40). BIL was DJ and a few traditional and new party games (they still like them).
Local sports centre does 2.5hrs for £35 includes bouncy castle and hoops etc.

If your going for a garden party at home borrow a few gazebos and put them up even if its not raining belive me you don't want to wait until it rains and you have 10+ children running around while you try to read instructions.

Make it easy on yourself and order in pizza.
Have a new DVD and popcorn on stand by and prepare room for home cinema. See if anyone has a DVD projector at work you could borrow.

Design a monster game,
Split in to 2 teams give pile of crepe paper, tubes, cartons and other junk plus large sellotape dispenser and a willing adult each to "decorate". 5 mins to make the best monster/ alien.

Ice cream factory,
Get the block pack of ice cream or just scoop from big tub. Use small disposible bowls, fill tubs with buttons, smarties etc (Asda do cheap bags of sweets). Couple of bottles of syrup and sprinkles. The small bowls stop them getting to carried away. I have done this at a 5yr and 7yr birthday. Very popular just get granny/ friend to keep eye on kids at sweetie table while you scoop out ice cream.

I'd probably do something simple like pizza for kids that age, they could even make their own? You can get those Neopolitan bases and sauce, toppings?

Thats a good idea just set up tables outside and let them make their own, the Neopolitin bases cook quite quickly so just keep cooking them as they finish making, Maybe stagger them starting so you don't have a queue