Birthday party

[sherrardk]

It is my daughter's birthday party in three weeks (she will be seven) and I am going to try and make it brilliant but I also want to spend less money than I usually do (I've been watching super scrimpers). The hall and bouncy castle are a fixed cost but I think I have come up with a plan for cheaper party bags. I have already cut the cost of the invitations from £7.50 to £2 so feel like I am on a roll! Any one have any cost-cutting ideas? I also need party game ideas as I am not going to do pass the parcel (as it is a faff and works out quite expensive when you factor in the gift in the middle, the sweets in each layer and the wrapping paper). 34 children have been invited in total. Thanks for any ideas.

[DTCwordfan]

Use your men - two men holding an old mattress on one side and let the kids blow off steam by pushing into the other side as if it was a scrumming machine - loads of fun and they can use them to jump on as well. Obviously a garden thing.

[commoner]

My grandson (7) just had a really successful birthday party with the theme of Olympic Games...Gold,silver and Bronze medals,,chocolate ones of course,,went down very well with the kids....consolation choccy prizes for the losers (?) of course...;-)

[tenrec]

Make cupcakes and get the children to decorate them. This works well for girls, however the boys don't seem to care for it!

[excelsior-1]

hello sherrardk.

how about doing a pinata?

you can make it yourself - and you can buy cheap bags of lollies and sweets from pound shops.

[excelsior-1]

ps ........ happy birthday to your little princess.

[queenofmean]

sack races in black bags up and down the hall way...we did this at most of my parties...was great fun

[excelsior-1]

good evening queenofmean.
looking beautiful as usual.

[queenofmean]

evening Excel
thank you :)

[gness]

Hi Sherr. You okay with Smarties? A pile of dress up clothes....e.g.hat, long scarf and big gloves. Children in a circle, in the middle a chair or stool with a plate of smarties and a small plastic fork. Pass a ball around in time to music. When music stops child holding ball runs to stool. dashes to put on scarf etc and gloves and tries to eat smarties with fork. Meanwhile other children clap and count to...20 or whatever you think. Stop eating. Am I clear? x

[sherrardk]

Had to read it twice, but got it now (fine with smarties, if I am looking after them for two hours you can bet that I am going to send them home on a sugar big!).

[sherrardk]

^ high!

[gness]

That's ok then. :-) Children sitting I should have said. Tried to do as many games involving sitting as I could. I also drew a huge cartoon face of daughter's dad without a nose. Made loads of round red noses and did Pin The Nose On Daddy. Blindfolded kids and prize to closest.

[PringlesQueen]

We had this brilliant party game when I was young. Get two teaspoons, each with a hole in each handle. Tie a piece of string about 6" long between each spoon. Pair the kids up, and give them a bowl of jelly to eat. The first pair of kids to eat their bowl of jelly is the winner.
Not only it is funny taking part, but it is a really funny game to watch.
My seven year old niece loves glow sticks that you can turn into bracelets. Our local pound shop sells 12 sticks for £1. They make nice gifts to give as prizes. 12 prizes for £1 cannot be bad.

[parkie]

Good idea with the glow sticks squsalminney. Just one word of warning, I know someone whose daughter brought one home from a party, put it on the sideboard and it leaked overnight. It left a burn mark on the sideboard.
I don't know if it is common or just a faulty 'stick or what but it better to know these things.