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Parties/celebrations

Whether you're planning a birthday or a hen do, you'll find plenty of ideas for your celebration on our Party forum.

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Original poster

Party for 6 year old boys

23 replies

DumbledoresGirl · 23/01/2009 10:09

Ds3 is coming up to 6 and has never had a party before I would like to give him one this year and was reluctantly gearing myself up to having a traditional party at home when I realised that would not be possible as we are having major building works done and by the time of the party, the builders will have gutted my kitchen/dining room etc.

Ds3 wants to go bowling but I think this is too old an activity for a bunch of 6 yos (ds3 has been with older siblings).

Any suitable alternative ideas? Money is definitely an object!

OP posts:

bamboo · 23/01/2009 10:34

A few off dd's friends are having trips to the cinema this year. They are 7 though.

We've been to bowling parties for younger than 6 year olds and they seemed to work out alright so I wouldn't rule that out.

debbiedoughnut42 · 23/01/2009 10:38

Village Hall and if like you say money is tight. Take a Cd player with you and organise lots of indoor team games.
Egg and spoon race,large hula hoops, muscial bumps/chairs, dancing and if any older kids around get them to help with the actions etc, simon says,treasure hunt, simple craft actvity like colouring if some children don't want to join in(it will always happen at that age). Make sure you have more activies than you need as kids that age will start to wonder off if not occcupied.Hope this helps

ThingsCanOnlyGetBetter · 23/01/2009 12:53

Don't know if you saw my thread about my 7 yr old DTS. I have just booked them a football party at my local sportscentre. 75.00 for up to 25 kids which includes 2 staff to supervise, and use of a 'party' room afterwards (take in snacks/drinks myself). They do other stuff as well, maybe there's a leisure centre near you that does something similar??

Original poster

DumbledoresGirl · 23/01/2009 13:04

Yikes £75 for a football party would be way out of my reach though ds3 is the only one of my sons who might like it. Thankfully, he does not even know 25 people, let alone have that many friends. (Very small class.)

The church hall idea is quite a good one as there is a nice one near us. I know it must vary a lot, but roughly what might you pay to hire a hall for a couple of hours?

OP posts:

ThingsCanOnlyGetBetter · 23/01/2009 13:14

DumbledoresGirl - I thought 75.00 was good value cos it cost us 50.00 just to hire a smallish room in our community centre last year for DD's 11th (plus the cost of entertainment - you really don't want to know and DD has been told it will never be repeated !!) and I suppose as the party is for 2DSs and they will be inviting 10 friends each, it's seems a good price

Original poster

DumbledoresGirl · 23/01/2009 13:19

Yes I thought the same thing after I had typed my post: that you were paying £75 for 2 of them so it was more value for money for you than it would be for me.

A long time ago (nearly 7 years ago now) I did pay £60 for a go-karting party in a leisure centre for my ds1 so I am sure £75 now is reasonable. I just don't have that sort of money to spend on a party anymore.

I am beginning to think the only real option will be to have a party at home but that is not an option (see OP).

OP posts:

ThingsCanOnlyGetBetter · 23/01/2009 13:36

Sorry Dumbledore. I can't think of anything else as I had enough of a problem thinking something up myself!! I was going to suggest going to the cinema but depending on how many kids you take (and adults for supervision) with popcorn and drinks you'd probably be spending around the same anyway!!

You should try the church hall - they may not be like the rip-off merchants in our area!!

debbiedoughnut42 · 23/01/2009 13:48

Our local hall is about £5.50 per hour and you wouldn't wont it for longer than three hours with clearing up etc

EustaciaVye · 23/01/2009 21:56

Hi DG

when is the birthday? Could you set up a gazebo in a local park and have your own football party/picnic?

Cinema?
Out for pizza with some select friends?
Swimming with some select friends? Doesnt have to be a structured 'oarty' iykwim
Can you hire your school hall and get a friend to help do entertainment? May be cheaper than typical hall.

erm...

IlanaK · 23/01/2009 22:00

We have had parties in the local playground before. It has a gazebo and we sort of took it over and put up balloons and had food and drinks available but basically just let them all run and play. This past year, we used the park (not playground) for a joint party for ds1 and 2 (7 and 4) and did a spy party. They had to come to a "training academy" and do "missions" to become fully fledged spies. It cost very little and they loved it.

southeastastra · 23/01/2009 22:01

if you were nearer i'd do it for you dg. (we do art parties). but it's easy to do yourself/

ChasingSquirrels · 23/01/2009 22:02

ds1 went to a 6th bowling & soft-play party and another boy in his class took 4 friends bowling for his.
Our village halls are peanuts, £6 an hour I think.

elliott · 23/01/2009 22:08

I think some church halls and community halls are quite cheap to hire?
Otherwise, how about keeping it small and having a trip to the cinema? I assume the birthday is soon so no chance of just going to the park...

Original poster

DumbledoresGirl · 24/01/2009 21:48

Thanks for all the ideas. I still don't know what to do (his birthday is at half term so there is no guarantee about the weather) but the mention of soft play has made me realise that we could suggest that (but it wouldn't be cheap would it?)

I forget the obvious ideas. My older dss went to so many soft play parties, why didn't I think of that for ds3? I am going to look into the cost of him maybe taking 3 or 4 friends. It might be affordable.

OP posts:

saggyhairyarse · 24/01/2009 23:00

Do they do swimming parties at the leisure centre? They used to do childrens parties when I worked there a gazillion years ago, they had a bouncy castle and party room all those moons ago.

twentypence · 24/01/2009 23:05

Ds is taking a few friends indoor rock climbing.

mooseloose · 24/01/2009 23:10

I did ds a fancy dress party last year (6), all the traditional party games, finished off with a pinata - which they just loved!

saggyhairyarse · 24/01/2009 23:11

Cool!

Was going to suggest getting in touch with the firestation as we arranged a visit to the firestation and they showed the kids the engines and let them use the hoses and we just made a donation - was one of the best andcheapest partiesever!

dizzy123 · 27/01/2009 09:28

How about go-kart party i run them thet are such good fun contact me on 01323 470537 or e mail [email protected]

stealthsquiggle · 27/01/2009 09:39

Bowling is OK for 6yos, IMHO - DS has been to a few 6th b'day parties which were bowling - especially if you are going to limit numbers.

Halls vary hugely in price, so it is certainly worth checking out, but the cost of "traditional" parties adds up scarily quickly (balloons, food, party bags, etc, etc) - bowling might well be cheaper.

Original poster

DumbledoresGirl · 27/01/2009 09:41

Ds3 would love a gokart party (ds1 had one when he was 6) but I cannot afford one sadly. Dizzy, do you go anywhere? You seem confident of being able to provide one no matter where anyone lives.

OP posts:

MrsBoo · 27/01/2009 09:48

If there are only going to be a few close friends - go to cinema (early bird offer on a saturday morning) or take the boys and bikes to local bike park if there is one nearby, let them get wet and dirty and then home for home-made pizza and ice-cream.

ChippyMinton · 27/01/2009 10:10

cheap eating out deals here The Pizza Hut deal is good as it's 50% off food, which includes the kids meal, which works out at £2.25 for main, salad, drink and dessert.

Check out bowling alley websites for cheap deals to book in advance.

Saturday/Sunday morning cinema is often only £1.

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