Help! I have invited 12 reception age kids to a party at our house!

[EchoBeached]

DS is having a 5th birthday party at our house. For the first time we're getting the children dropped off (rather than have the parents and toddler siblings come too - we don't have room for them).

I am now wondering how on earth we'll entertain/control them in our relatively small house. DS (and all his boy friends) isn't interested in craft-type activities - what are good games to lay on apart from musical bumps/statues and pass the parcel? We're not having a theme as DS also hates dressing up. Probably about 8 boys and four girls. How would a treasure hunt work in a smallish space?

Also, is it best to lay out a table of food and let them graze, or to do each child a pre-selected box of stuff?

If you've been through this I'd be very grateful for tips!

Make it 2 hours max. If not 1.5 hours.

Putting food in little cardboard boxes like happy meal ones is an idea I've seen at other parties. I'd say don't do anything where there us someone being out ie musical statues as tears generally happen.

Do you have a garden to throw them out into?

Not sure I'm much help really (although did survive DDs 3 hour party at home recently - was only 8 children plus DS and a friend though. And had jewellery making for entertainment)

Let them graze. Savoury canapé-sized food goes down best. Pin the tail on a dinosaur kept them entertained for quite a while. They all have good fun watching the blind-folded ones cocking up,whilst awaiting their turn [hgrin]

Suitable, two hours is a good idea, sounds like plenty! We're making it a morning too so they will hopefull be hungry for food (lastyear we did afternoon and they were all full of lunch when they arrived). Our garden is tiny and full of sharp tools so probably better not!

If no musical statues I'm a bit stuck... They played that at a party DS went to recently and it worked quite well, not many tears.

Pumpkin, the dinosaur tail is a nice idea, might give that a whirl

Does anyone have any tips on whether/how DP and I will be able to vaguely keep on top of things with 12 four and five year olds and no other adults???

Pass the parcel (with sweets in each layer) works well I have found. And maybe it is only 5 and 6 year old girls who throw hissy fits at musical statues

I think it's more that the four and five year old boys at the party we went to hadn't really realised they were out and the game was engineered so that everyone won a round and they all got sweets!

we did this last year for DS1 when he was 5. We had a magician who took up 1 hour and a treasure hunt, a piñata and tea and that was all we had time for. I would see if one or two of the parents can stay to help out.

oh and Pass the Parcel upsets more kids than it pleases. I have promised DS1 that we will have musical bumps instead this year

Funnys, your party sounds great, can we come to yours instead next year? Pinata is a good idea, any idea where to buy one? And with a treasure hunt, are they all following the same clues at the same time/working together/competing? How simple do you have to make it? Can't quite see how it would work with our lot...

you're welcome to come end of November and same as last year!

I got the pinata from the co-op and filled it with bags of sweets. It was a crocodile! It took the kids ages to smash it up too. The treasure hunt was just bags of gold coins with the childrens names on, one for each, hidden around the house. They had to find their own bag of coins.

This year DS1 want to do the same again, but this time instead of a lot of different party food we are just doing a pizza party which will be miles easier! 6 pizza's some garlic bread and birthday cake, et voila