Football Party - any tips, ideas, suggestions please?

[NorbertDentressangle]

This will be for about 15-20 8/9 year old boys. It will involve a mini-game of football and penalty shoot-out but wondered if anyone had any tips or ideas that have worked well?

Also any other football related games, especially the indoor sort, that I can throw together at short notice if it rains? (my worst nightmare!)

Is there anywhere currently selling football themed tableware or decorations etc - I had a vague look before the party was decided on and it all seems to be Moshi Monsters and girlie stuff.

I think there's a whole load of football stuff at tesco at the moment.

In last minute indoor terms, I'm thinking something like straws and ping pong balls for indoor football.

I looked in our Tesco as I was convinced they'd have some but they didn't. Maybe its just the larger stores?

Crossbar challenge-have to shoot to hit the crossbar.
Get some cones out, dribbling races in teams.
Most supermarkets have some football themed stuff, plates, cups, napkins etc, be surprised if you can't find any.

I was sure I saw football stuff last week, but I can't see it on their website now! Must be going mad. Anyway, this is where I usually get invites, decor and party bag stuff from and they have lots of football bits.

I can't do link very well on iPad but this store sells all footi serviettes and stuff www.peeks.co.uk

Thanks everyone for the links and ideas so far.

Rather than a party bag what do you reckon to a big inflatable football (I think the ones I saw were about 2 ft!) and piece of cake?

I wasn't going to do anything but DS seems to think we should give something and TBH the party isn't costing much.

ds(9)'s absolute favourite football game is one call Lightening. He plays it at his football sessions every week.

The boys line up single file behind the penalty spot. First boy goes in goal.

Second boy does penalty shoot. If goalie saves it the shooter is out of the game. If not the shooter goes into goal, the goalie goes to the end of the line and the next boy shoots. Keep going, making it quite fast paced, until there is a winner.

My DS (Yr 4) plays for the local Under 9s and they do the Lightening game too and seem to love it. If you google football drills for under 9s you'd probably get some good ideas. Also, I wouldn't worry about the weather too much, the boys will play football in pretty well any weather, but maybe they will need a change of clothes if it is really bad. You could always buy a DVD of funny football mishaps or something as a standby if you come in early (are you talking abut indoors at home, or in a hall somewhere).

We took the easy way out last year and hired a coach for DS's football party, so I didn't have to do any of the hands on stuff, or provide balls, cones etc.

As regards party bags, I just googled football party bag fillers or similar and came up with sets of red and yellow cards and a pencil and notebook, a whistle and a tiny football puzzle book.

Hi OP,
Just to say my ds is having a football party for his 5th birthday next month. He's inviting approx 15 kids.I got the football cups, plates, table cloth etc from Sainsbury's relatively cheaply, instead of party bags I got PVC inflatable footballs off ebay to give one to each child, also a banner, 'football' cupcake toppers, and glow football balloons from ebay. I am then going to buy the £7 football cake from Sainsbury's. The local sports centres offer football parties relatively cheaply but the kids have to be 6 or older so unfortunately it's costing me a bit more as I've had to hire the local hall and then a football party coach on top. I am going to do light buffet food for the kids too. Perhaps you could do medals or certificates for each of the kids?PP's have had great ideas about actually what to do at the party - I'm useless at that sort of thing and DH doesn't like football which is why I've hired a coach!Fun planning!

Thanks Rosvita - Sainsburys it is then! I tried a couple of Tesco, Asda, Poundshop type places but couldn't find any apart from at a massively overpriced party shop.

I don't know how those party shops survive, we have one and everything in it is very expensive, but they do a roaring trade in helium balloons, maybe that's the secret.

When we had football theme birthday party for kid, We Played Like hot potato/musical chair.As the music played,they stood in circle passing around football and when the music stopped the one with football was out.The last one in won the prize.The other game was we made two lines and had someone hold two hola hoops and they had to take turns throwing the football through the hola hoops.if they made it they went to end of the line until only two were left and they both got prize.

Party Princess Productions

A few years ago when we had football parties, we gave a football instead of a party bag, think they are 2 for a fiver at sports direct, it also worked out a lot cheaper than a party bag.

You can also pick up toy medals from supermarkets as spot prizes for winner of cross bar challenge, penalty shoot out etc...

And I wouldn't worry about if it rains other than to have plenty of towels on hand, in my experience boys of that age love getting wet and muddy whilst playing... In fact mine prefer playing in the rain as apparently it doesn't hurt as much when they do sliding tackles!

And my last tip, make sure you have a bottle of wine chilling to crack open as soon as the last one leaves.... You'll be ready for it :)