Is 8 too old for party in the garden?

[pastaparadise]

Ds will be 8 soon, and feeling a bit stuck for party ideas. He only really wants about 5 friends. He's asked for soft play but a) no great soft plays nearby, b) wondered if this seems a bit young now? C) not enough for sole hire.

So wondered about hiring bouncy castle and having it in the garden at home with some food, games etc. Does this seem too young? The rest of his class seem to have had older types of parties eg disco, animals, swimming.

Bouncy castle and relaxed garden atmosphere with a few friends and some hot dogs or pizza is a perfect summer party idea. Maybe some nerf wars to vary it a bit. My two have been to similar with friends and cousins, usually just a handful of kids. They all declared the last one the best afternoon they'd had in ages.

No that’s fine! Like the idea of adding in the nerf guns

We did this at a similar age. Best party ever. Bouncy castle loved by young and old. We had craft stuff set up to make crowns and shields. I would say it's perfect!

Sounds a brilliant idea. My 8 year old would enjoy a party like that

I can’t remember why now but we had donething similar when dd2 was about that age. Declared best party ever with traditional games and some “free play” time too. If I recall the party tea was eaten in a circle on the trampoline.

Thanks for votes of confidence. Feel a bit nervous about hosting as not really had to do much before due to covid.

Complication is that ds2 is 6 the week after. I'd rather do them a combined party so less work, but ds2 wants to invite more children, and ds1 wants to be separate. Any advice on whether to have combined, or one after other on same day (cheaper as only one cost of bouncy castle), or one a week later? Friends are overlapping which makes it a bit awkward to be separate, and I wondered if lop sided numbers would also be tricky. Any thoughts??

Also like the nerf gun idea thanks!

Can you look at one in the morning and the other in the afternoon or see if they offer deals on weekend hire?

My kids are 7 and 9 and their favourite thing to do in the summer is play out in the garden on the trampoline and have water gun fights. They'd love a bouncy castle!

Personally, I'd do two separate parties. Especially if your eldest wants it small. It's hard enough having birthdays close together without being forced to share! I have family birthdays close to mine (like the same week!) and hate joint celebrations! If your youngest wants something bigger, can you do the whole soft play thing for them?

You could do one party on Saturday and one on Sunday? Two parties on the same day might be a bit hectic. Also you might need a back up plan in case it rains as I don't think the hire companies allow you to use the bouncy castles in the rain

As much as it's a pain in the arse & more expensive, I'd do them separate. DS1 wants something small, I'd let him have that.

DS2, how about a hall with a magician/whatever. If money isn't too much of a problem, somewhere like soft play (if there's a decent one for smaller kids) if they provide the food & clean up'

if DS1 complains, remind him he wanted something small & soft play couldn't do such a small one!

Separate parties due to the age difference!

I like the idea of doing one in the am and the other in the pm.

DS had 5 children for a party at our house for his 7th birthday and I highly recommend nerf guns - pick some up cheaply Facebook marketplace. Pizza and cake went down and treat and you cannot go wrong with a pinata. I'm cheap and love crafty shit so I made his pinata, we had a Minecraft theme and so I made it as a ghast. I also had a load of cardboard from a equipment delivery at work and made every one a cardboard Minecraft sword (use a Stanley knife!). He wants a party at home this year too, I think they are at an age where they want to hang out etc and a bouncy castle in tbe garden sounds perfect.

If it is, this world is more f*ed up than I already thought it was.

at his age, party in the garden is perfect. Suspect the others don’t have much choice.

Water fight in the garden, my 4 loved the ones I did for them at a similar age, just fill a paddling pool and provide lots of water pistols.

OK this has swayed me to 2 parties, hopefully one after the other same day to save on bouncy castle hire. Will try and get the mayhem over in one long day!

Think pass the parcel is OK for 7/8 Yr olds, as long as sweets in each round? Was also thinking pinata, maybe nerf guns, musical statues...? Any other game suggestions?