muketeers party and bootcamp party

[isitmidnightalready]

My four year old dd has decided she wants a "Barbie and the three Musketeers" party for her 5th birthday - which is great news. But any ideas for games/ activities/ food that don't involve whacking each other with cardboard swords?

Also (bad family planning here) my 9yr old dd has a birthday two days earlier and wants a bootcamp party - 6 mates, arrive 7pm for a night on the lounge floor in sleeping bags having consructed shelters out of sheets and string. Plan to get them on a route march the next day round the fields and to the local pub. But what do I do when it snows or rains?

Smug feelings that we have escaped girlie parties this year rapidly turning to worry as to what to do with the kids after the first half hour.

Ideas please.....

How did it go?

It hasn't yet - it's not until the 29th - I'm just trying to be organised inthat part of the whole christmas/birthday thing, as I have only just realised how close christmas is and how little I have done. But thanks for asking - I'll keep you posted if it was a brilliant success, and say nothing if it didn't!

Just to report back - bootcamp party was fab - i was only there to make sure no-one got hurt, and a gang of 7 nine/ten year olds dared to go 200m into the back of a very dark and scary tunnel. i was most impressed! Weather was kind and the kids ran most of the way.

Musketeer party was not great - my dream of newspaper swords was usurped by plastic ones the kids brought and insisted on hitting each other with.... do not hold this party! You know it is not great when the minutes drag by and you've done all the food and games and still have an hour to kill....