URGENT: Ideas for party at home for 7 year old boys.......

[ThingsCanOnlyGetBetter]

DTS 7th birthday in a few weeks and want to do a party at home for them. Have not done a home party for quite a few years (usually have them outside the home) so would like some tips on how to keep approx. 10 boys entertained.

Any ideas before I get a fit of the terrors and decide that I will have book something else as I don't want the kids to tell me they're bored and the party was crap !!

7 year old boys....? I'd book a run around kind of party outside of the home TBH.

10 7yos? I am with the Dragon on that one - keep them away from my house unless it is warm enough to be outide. However - if you are feeling brave - how about a games 'championship' with a mix of board games (short ones, or something silly like Hungry Hippo), video games and (if at all possible) outside games? In teams, maybe? With sports-themed tea to follow?

I must say felt faint when I saw there would be 10 of them.... in winter... and I speak as the owner of 2 boys, 9 & 7.

[weeps]
[rocks in corner]

Has to be a treasure hunt of some kind - I dont envy you at all! I did a hunt for 10 but it was outside.!!!

We are not, collectively, being very encouraging, are we?

I feel I should point out that my caution is for your sanity, not that I think for a moment that they will think that the party is rubbish or be bored

What sort of things is DS into?

I'm sure I remember giving suggestions on MN for a "spy" party recently.

Here you go

another one

That would have been for me

It was great in the end and I am more than happy to "pass it forward" (I have word documents with timetables and everything but it did take up a lot of space and we did it in a village hall - but then we did have ~30 DC [joins Dragon rocking in corner]

It was wasn't it I didn't realise that til I'd posted.

ooo I wouldn't have that many either.

Had 6 (including DS1) (8 if you included DS2 and 3) for DS1's 8th birthday part last year when he had PS2 party and that was chaos enough

I had one a while ago for 7 years olds. We did a cinema party at home.
Can you get hold of a data projector and a big white sheet?
I showed a suitable movie, ordered loads of popcorn themed tableware from ebay and fed them cinema type food - popcorn, hotdogs, nachos and cheese and had a pick and mix of sweets. Was great ad they all sat quietly for over an hour

By the time we did cake ec, parents were turning up to collect them

Arrghhh, maybe I am being optimistic. Only done home parties with DD before (and they were all girls so bit easier to entertain). DTS have only had outside parties, softplay places mostly, but are a bit old for that now. Thought we could do a home one to save money - really can't get the hang of party games though. Do you think they are too young for party at the cinema (can't get hold of a projector so will have to take them to one), worried some of them may have already seen the film we decide on though!! Thought about Bowling? Get really fed up of stressing about bday parties, the one's DCs go to always seem to go one better and it seems like people are trying to outdo each other!! Whoever invented them should be shot .

The trick is not to try and do the same thing better - do something different

What have they been to recently that we need to avoid?

You can do this (with the support of MN, of course)

I am a keen fan of parties at home although 10 x 7 year olds needs a little forward planning but planning is the answer. Pick a party theme pirates, dinosaurs, spy, superhero, animals what ever your ds is into and plan from there. Getting outside would be good so as long as its not wet and the ground not muddy I would plan something outside. Treasur hunt, team games, simple golf type activity, football shortout, basket ball what ever you have.

Games that are not too active like trivia quiz, pass the parcels, charardes(when I worked in school this was always a favourite on a wet playtime. Then have some that are more active like musical bumps but not chairs, simon says.
Quite a few boys still like making and constructing things at that age. You could look for some craft kits.
Lego party thats another idea.

Hope that helps a little, if I knew what ds was into might be able to come up with some more idea's

Thanks for your tips Ladies.

Have now decided that it is not going to work having it at home (and I was a bit crazy to think it) and have just found out that my local sportscentre do football (indoors) parties for 75.00 with staff supervision and a party room with balloons for up to 20 kids!! So all I should have to organise is some snacks and the cakes (x2!). God, the lady who does the bookings is not there now so I hope they're not booked up or I will be back to square one!!

They do tennis parties and other stuff too so should'nt have to worry about the next two years either .

[relief]

I took 6 boys bowling once, 5 8 yr olds and DS2 who was 6. Never again.

at such a neat solution.

notadragon why no bowling party ?
ds 7 in April and was considering this ?

Generally only one boy is bowling at a time which leave another 4 or 5 trying to find something to do to fill time inbetween goes. A 7yo might be more competent at actually bowling (and not taking 5 minutes for his turn), but I imagine it is more challenging with younger children.

Result! Party booked at Sportscentre for up to 25 kids (2 staff will do the work) . Very good value IMO. Just have to take some fruit/crisps/drink as booked it at 2.00pm so no need for anything heavy. Cakes will be bought at Sainsburys the day before and thinking on giving them mini footballs (with slice of cake) instead of party bags!!

Now just need to do the invites for Monday. So easy and to think I was starting to get stressed about it . I don't think any of DTS friends have had a party there before (well they were'nt been invited if they did!) so will be something different as well. Ahhh feel like I have achieved something today .

Lilyloo, it was more the 1 adult to 6 boys ratio that was the problem. That and the personality of the boys