Football party?

[hoarsewhisperer]

Hi all

This is my first time in the party forum, but I was wondering if you could possibly give me some ideas/reassurance on the plans for ds 5th birthday party.

We are having 8 children in total and the plan is to

1. Let them design their own t shirts with fabric marker pens. (i.e. scribble on them...i had thought of drawing their names and a number on the back and letting them go wild on the front)
2. get them into aforementioned shirts and take them outside to have a football match.
3. Bring them all back in and eat the football shaped cake and usual party grub
4. Play a few more games, give them their party bags and home

Ds is massively excited....any other ideas on what might be fun for a bunch of football obsessed 5 year olds?

thanks...i HATE kids parties...i find it more stressful than grownup parties

Sounds good! Having used the fabric pens before, I would definately consider doing the writing on the back. Apart from making it easier to work out who's who's, there is quite an art to using them! Are you making your own footie cake? If so, I have a very easy one you can do from my collection!

How about playing some sort of blow football with straws and ping pong balls.

that's a great idea about the blow football.....I have 2 really big trays which I suppose I could cover in green paper and draw lines on./..and make goals at each end. BRILL.

re the cake - i have the auzzie womans weekly book which has a football cake in, but I'd love to see yours in case it;s easier

one last question - where can i buy the fabric pens?

Footie cake is on my profile. Its simply a sandwich cake which I cut slightly domed by just shaving off the edges and I used white fondant icing to cover and then a layer of the hexagons. So easy. You don't need to do the fancy badge in the middle. I cut out a hexagon template out of card and then just cut out as many black and white shapes as I needed to cover the whole cake, starting with a black one in the very middle.

Fabic pens you can get in Hobbycraft or online at Baker Ross. You may also be able to get some in either bigger branches of Wilkinsons and WHS.

We did a penalty shoot out for DS's birthday. I also got football tattoos off Ebay.

football tattoos a good idea.

Do you have two goals for the match?

Is it worth trying a few ball skills bits - do you have a skilful DH who can teach something? If there are only 8 they won't get bored waiting?

Oh another thing I did was to make a football pinata with papier mache round a balloon. I think you can also buy the football ones.

DD went to a 5th birthday party recently with a football theme in a village hall - worked well because of the potential for bad weather.

When she arrived each child was given a ball to kick around.

Then a professional coach organised lots of skills type training - lots of fun with them running around and leaping onto the floor etc.

He made sure they were rehydrated between each group of exercises.

Then he organised a penalty shoot out with one of the older siblings in goal.

Finally he divided them into 4 teams of 4 and they played mini games (with one set cheering whilst the other played).

Then football themed tea.

All went really well and DD loved it. They were encouraged to wear shin pads and trainers on the invitation.

I hadn't taken on board that 5yos just run after the ball whilst playing and kick it anywhere they can - even back to their own goal!

The birthday boy was presented with a new ball by the coach at the end before the tea.