Desperate plea for help organising ds1's 7th birthday party!!

[citronella]

I have 6 left on the calendar but 3 weeks in reality as we will be away the last 3.

It is the weekend after they go back to school but have had to send out invites last week as obviously no one would be around in between.

I have managed to book a venue (with a kitchen) for mates rates

I am on a teeny weeny budget. I mean I can't really go over £100-£150 incl. entertainment, food and party bags

I really would like to use some sort of party entertainer as amusing 25 6-7 year olds on my own could be a bit challenging to say the least.

So, what I need are some suggestions of entertainers (not face painting though -he's really not into that, party games, easy food,
organising tips etc etc.

PLEASE HELP ME BEFORE I RUN OUT OF TIME!

That sounds brilliant fun stealth.Definitely interested in the notes. Even if not this year, another year I may have 1.Planned earlier 2. organised some help 3. A better budget.

citronella do you have CAT? I found the science party notes - they are from Katz. My notes take the form of a briefing for the helpers so probably are not complete but I am happy to send them to you if you can CAT me / otherwise give me an email address?

I don't have CAT. but email is

f/r/a/n/c/e/s/c/a/-/m/a/y/@/h/o/t/m/a/i/l/./c/o/m/

with no forward slashes obvioulsly

thanks everyone for all your useful suggestions

Noticed you said he likes nature. For my DS's 6th party we had someone to bring along various animals - it cost about £80 I think, so maybe a bit too expensive, though. Maybe there is someone who does this near where you live? It was REALLY good - there were plenty of really lovely and interesting animals, and DS got to hold/stroke them all and take them round to show his friends (with the lady holding some of them!). We had a 2 hr party and only needed this plus eating time to use up all that time.

this site is excellent for uber-mum party planning

Katz is away at the moment for the weekend. However I did help out at her DD';s science party, and have run some of the science experiments at my study group with Y1/2 children - so any info you need just shout.

You can find a lot of similar experiements here with descriptions and videos.

It worked really well but you need hekpers. You are best having children in groups, say of 5 or 6 and having the experiements on a carousel with the children moving between them. So you need one adult per experiment.

I think I have the links for the lab coats and googles too.

I did science party with my DS - also using Katz's ideas! we had 9 9 yo's and DH and I did it between us at home - whole party including party bags cost £65! I didn't buy lab coats though!

citronella I have forwarded Katz's notes to you and will send my spy party notes once edited.

We did a spy birthday party for dd's 8th party. We did our own food, I made the cake, we did lots and lots of party games all around the spy theme.

Printed up ID badges before hand with photos of each child on. Did wanted posters of about 8 kids, disguised them with black marker pens and moustaches and got them to guess the crim. Did pass the secret video tape from one to another via the knees. Had lots of loud disco music.

I bought lots of cheap nicknacks from poundland and Home Bargains and did a tombola stall. Borrowed the tombola machine thing from the HSA at school. All the kids went home with a prize.

Also did a sweet stall (courtesy of Home Bargains) and a tattoo stall (courtesy of Ebay).

All the kids went home hyped up on sugar with a bag full of goodies. Cost about £100 for all the prizes/sweets/tats. Everyone went home happy.

Sorry Stealth. missed your earlier post or I'd have just said, ah yes...we did that too! That'll teach me not to read the full thread (doh emoticon!).

Get a friend to help, one that is stern and will give the kids the tone and look to do as they are told.

Food = keep it simple. Kids don't eat much at parties. A friend put wraps pout with ham and cheese slices and a few salady bits and crisps and that went down well.

Bulk buy ice cream/lollies for afters.

Party bags, I wrapped a small activity book, mini felt pens and a pack of Fruitellas which went down well.

Good games are:

Duck, duck, goose
Beans
Musical statues/bumps

But fill a room with ballooons and release 7 year old boys and they spend a fair while bursting the balloons.

Squilly yours sounds quite different to ours (and lots of fun too)

try and beg or steal some large sheets of bubble wrap (the ones with the big bubbles)

then 20 mins before the end insert ear plugs and let them bounce ...