Ideas for arriving/ welcome activities at children's party?

[FreddoBaggyMac]

Hi. I'm planning a party at home for my DD's 6th birthday in a few weeks and think I have it more or less sorted.... they'll be making build-a-bear type bears as a main activity.

The only bit I'm stuck with is what to do in that first 10-15 mins while everyone arrives. I don't want them all jumping around and going wild (at that early stage anyway!) so ideally I'd like some nice calm activity... Don't really want to spend anything on it as have spent enough on the party already. DH has suggested that we put wii sing or wii dance on until everyone arrives and that's the best idea we have so far... any better ones out there? There will be around 15 children in total. Many thanks!

Get them to colour and decorate a name badge each?
Something like this.

The first 15 mins will be over before you've blinked. When I do parties in halls the first 15 mins is taken up by saying hello, giving presents/putting on a table and then playing with balloons before the main activity starts. Is there a separate room to the bear one that can be the holding room? Wii sounds like a good idea. Don't over plan it, they'll all just want to see each other and be excited to be at a party. You could give them each a handmade half a bear badge and they have to find who has the other half?

Decorate paper party bags?

Or have colouring things out with printed off pictures and plain paper and coloured pencils?

I was amazed how many children arrived early for dds party. I'd definitely have an activity planned. We made up coloured cards with stickers on which we hid around the room. The girls were given one card and asked to find 8 matching ones (was dds 8th b'day) I thought it would be quite tricky, but all managed it and got a sweet.

HTH

Thanks for the responses. I've done a couple of at home parties before and find that first 15 mins tricky, they tend to get very over excited which might turn into a bit of a problem if there's nothing for them to do.

I like your idea maybeyoushould and also harecare's idea of the half bear badge... I'd prefer not to do any colouring type things as it's going to have to be done in the living room on the floor (kitchen table will have party food on) and there's too much risk of potential pen/ crayon on walls etc (particularly with my 2 year old in amongst them!)

We're planning on putting our (huge!) tent up in the garden to make the bears in, and having the rest of the party games etc... in the house... just hope the weather is good enough for the tent!