Birthday Parties

[Seagull]

Help! I'm looking for suggestions for my 7 year old boy's birthday party. If you can offer any ideas in the NW London area or thereabouts...
Thank you

[Seagull]

Thanks for all the advice.
Have ended up booking a sports party at King Alfred School. Fingers crossed.

[thirtysomething]

Is he into football? Leisure centres often do good football parties for around 15-20 kids and some (not premiership!) football clubs also offer birthday parties where they show the kids around the stadium and let them have a kick about. Swimming seems to work well at 5years plus but you may need quite a lot of adults to stay and supervise (pools often stipulate one adult per child...) Pizza Express also do good parties where they let each child make their own pizza - alternatively if you are brave you could hire a hall and organise your own multi sports party with basketball and football and cricket and divide them up into teams - I have known this work well but depends how rowdy the kids are!

[janh]

kmg, we haven't given a swimming party at that age but my kids have been to them - usually the pool will provide lifeguard cover, and for a younger children's party they use the shallow learning pool, not the main one - does your local pool have one of those?

Supervising the changing room would be my biggest dread!

We have had a swimming party for older children at a leisure pool - that was very popular (came home for tea afterwards though).

[kayleigh]

We had a bowling party at the Hollywwod Bowl at Finchley Warner Cinema complex for ds1's 5th birthday. The kids really enjoyed it. For £9.50 per child they provided everything including food, invitations and decent(ish) going home presents. All I had to take was a cake and the kids.
I was also quite impressed with the way they provided a party "helper" who helped the kids bowl, talked to them while they were waiting for parents to turn up etc. Worth the money.

[kmg1]

Have other people had swimming parties for boys? What age children? I'd love to have a swimming party one year for my boys - but am not sure I'd want the responsibility for 6 or 7 yr-olds - not all children can swim. But much older don't they go really crazy and wild in the pool?

[Twinkie]

Message withdrawn

[codswallop]

swimming?

[survivour]

This year my 7year old had a bowling party at Llyods in Enfield. We have also been to a swimming party. Clown Town, involves soft play areas. UGC cinema, get to see the projection room, a film, games, and something to eat. Prices are between £6.75p to 10.95p per child, most have a minimum of about 10kids weekdays and 12kids at the weekend. We have had a lot of parties!!!!!!!

[hana]

what about watching a movie/dvd and then making mini pizzas afterwords, where they get to make up their own with toppings, cheese ect. Did this when I was little ( although I am a girl) and always lots of fun. hope you get some good ideas here
hana