How to entertain 7 and 8 year old BOYS at an adult-ish party

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We have a new year's day house party planned which is adults and children but there are several boys coming who always seem bored and cause havoc

the girls just tend to make a gang and play together with no trouble at all but the boys always end up injuring people or the house!

What DO you do with 7-8 year old boys at this sort of party? Do you have to plan things for them to do?

Any ideas welcome

If the weather is ok, put them outside.

can you rope them into helping with food and drinks?

I had 9 boys aged between 6 and 9 and my 2 boys at our house on he last say of term. They were all wonderful. I just make sure there is lego to amuse some, a good DVD, something like marble madness or anything else they can build, and generally I find they amuse themselves in little groups and are no trouble. I chuck them outside if they need a run about and keep the DVD handy for when some get tired so they can chill out at the end. I do make it very clear from the beginning what is acceptable behaviour though as I do think boys need to be told the rules. I just say 'I DO NOT want you jumping on furniture or running around the house as that s how accidents can happen and someone will be in tears.'. Also, I make it clear that good behaviour means they will get homemade popcorn atthe end of the evening o watch the DVD with. Lots of incentives.

In fact it's when I have girls over the trouble starts as they are always whinging and whining and interupting the grown ups whereas the boys just seem to get on with it

mmmm, we had a party a bit like this and they...

played table football
played real football outside
then I put a film on in playroom for them and gave them crisps/lemonade etc