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Birthday parties



 
 
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  #1  
Old May 7th 08, 01:22 PM posted to misc.kids
Nan
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 346
Default Birthday parties

(sheepish grin)

Okay, the thread about pinatas got me thinking.

My 8 year old has yet to have a "real" birthday party. Her bday is
Feb. 14 so we've always just had the 4 of us do cake and presents
since there is no extended family around.

She's been wanting a party so I decided to have one perhaps just after
school is out, the last day will be May 29.

She and I want to have a party here at our house so I can keep it
outdoors.

Food would probably be hot dogs on the grill.... classic birthday
party type food.

Anyway, the push to use a venue for parties has taken away from the
birthday parties I remember going to. You know.... the ones where the
really fun games were played.

I have a few ideas for games like Pin the Tail and a balloon race
(where the kids run to sit on a balloon and pop it). I'm asking you
thoughtful folks for some ideas on games. Simple games are best, imo.

I don't want to over-script a party. I envision having the games to
play but if they all want to just play among themselves, I'll go with
whatever.

So.... what games did you play at parties as kids, and most
importantly, did you like or dislike them?

Thanks :-)

Nan
  #2  
Old May 7th 08, 01:53 PM posted to misc.kids
Clisby[_2_]
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 75
Default Birthday parties

Nan wrote:
(sheepish grin)

Okay, the thread about pinatas got me thinking.

My 8 year old has yet to have a "real" birthday party. Her bday is
Feb. 14 so we've always just had the 4 of us do cake and presents
since there is no extended family around.

She's been wanting a party so I decided to have one perhaps just after
school is out, the last day will be May 29.

She and I want to have a party here at our house so I can keep it
outdoors.

Food would probably be hot dogs on the grill.... classic birthday
party type food.

Anyway, the push to use a venue for parties has taken away from the
birthday parties I remember going to. You know.... the ones where the
really fun games were played.

I have a few ideas for games like Pin the Tail and a balloon race
(where the kids run to sit on a balloon and pop it). I'm asking you
thoughtful folks for some ideas on games. Simple games are best, imo.

I don't want to over-script a party. I envision having the games to
play but if they all want to just play among themselves, I'll go with
whatever.

So.... what games did you play at parties as kids, and most
importantly, did you like or dislike them?

Thanks :-)

Nan


I didn't particularly like organized games. I can remember going to
parties where several outside activities were provided (horseshoes,
badminton, balls to kick around or play dodgeball with, etc.) The
parents made sure nobody monopolized any particular game, but that was
about it.

Clisby


  #3  
Old May 7th 08, 02:38 PM posted to misc.kids
toypup[_2_]
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 222
Default Birthday parties



"Nan" wrote in message
...
I don't want to over-script a party. I envision having the games to
play but if they all want to just play among themselves, I'll go with
whatever.

So.... what games did you play at parties as kids, and most
importantly, did you like or dislike them?


I only went to one party as a kid where games were played. It was my most
memorable party. We threw velcro balls at a target, had a bubble blowing
contest and pinned the tail on the donkey.

DS only wants a classic party this year. We are going to have a Pokemon
battle -- very messy, wet and fun.

  #4  
Old May 7th 08, 03:15 PM posted to misc.kids
Banty
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 2,278
Default Birthday parties

In article , Nan says...

(sheepish grin)

Okay, the thread about pinatas got me thinking.

My 8 year old has yet to have a "real" birthday party. Her bday is
Feb. 14 so we've always just had the 4 of us do cake and presents
since there is no extended family around.

She's been wanting a party so I decided to have one perhaps just after
school is out, the last day will be May 29.

She and I want to have a party here at our house so I can keep it
outdoors.

Food would probably be hot dogs on the grill.... classic birthday
party type food.

Anyway, the push to use a venue for parties has taken away from the
birthday parties I remember going to. You know.... the ones where the
really fun games were played.

I have a few ideas for games like Pin the Tail and a balloon race
(where the kids run to sit on a balloon and pop it). I'm asking you
thoughtful folks for some ideas on games. Simple games are best, imo.

I don't want to over-script a party. I envision having the games to
play but if they all want to just play among themselves, I'll go with
whatever.

So.... what games did you play at parties as kids, and most
importantly, did you like or dislike them?


I loved the pin the tail and the balloon race. I didn't like anything where I
had to be physical with another kid (like those three-legged races). Sports is
also common and IMO a bad idea. I cant offhand think of an option to suggest
(why I dont give the parties LOL) but I do want to say you're thinking in the
right direction.

Banty

  #5  
Old May 7th 08, 03:20 PM posted to misc.kids
Banty
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 2,278
Default Birthday parties

In article , Clisby says...

Nan wrote:
(sheepish grin)

Okay, the thread about pinatas got me thinking.

My 8 year old has yet to have a "real" birthday party. Her bday is
Feb. 14 so we've always just had the 4 of us do cake and presents
since there is no extended family around.

She's been wanting a party so I decided to have one perhaps just after
school is out, the last day will be May 29.

She and I want to have a party here at our house so I can keep it
outdoors.

Food would probably be hot dogs on the grill.... classic birthday
party type food.

Anyway, the push to use a venue for parties has taken away from the
birthday parties I remember going to. You know.... the ones where the
really fun games were played.

I have a few ideas for games like Pin the Tail and a balloon race
(where the kids run to sit on a balloon and pop it). I'm asking you
thoughtful folks for some ideas on games. Simple games are best, imo.

I don't want to over-script a party. I envision having the games to
play but if they all want to just play among themselves, I'll go with
whatever.

So.... what games did you play at parties as kids, and most
importantly, did you like or dislike them?

Thanks :-)

Nan


I didn't particularly like organized games. I can remember going to
parties where several outside activities were provided (horseshoes,
badminton, balls to kick around or play dodgeball with, etc.) The
parents made sure nobody monopolized any particular game, but that was
about it.


I saw this after I wrote my last post. This is exactly the problem in sports Im
referring to.

I hated any party physical game that looked too 'serious' - could be scored, or
relied on a particular physical skill too much. Why set up non-sports inclined
kids to look bad when they're just trying to have fun? They get enough of that
at school P.E.!

We get that at Scouts, too - some parents that think
kidssportskidssportskidssports and cant quite seem to get to kids and sports
being possibly separable things. A lot of boys are in Scouts *because* they
were looking for an alternative to sports.

Nothing wrong with sports or doing a sport party with a bunch of kids with a
sports connection. But a lot of parent forget that Sports Isn't All.

Banty

  #6  
Old May 7th 08, 03:31 PM posted to misc.kids
Rosalie B.
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 984
Default Birthday parties

Nan wrote:

(sheepish grin)

Okay, the thread about pinatas got me thinking.

My 8 year old has yet to have a "real" birthday party. Her bday is
Feb. 14 so we've always just had the 4 of us do cake and presents
since there is no extended family around.

snip
I have a few ideas for games like Pin the Tail and a balloon race
(where the kids run to sit on a balloon and pop it). I'm asking you
thoughtful folks for some ideas on games. Simple games are best, imo.

I don't want to over-script a party. I envision having the games to
play but if they all want to just play among themselves, I'll go with
whatever.

So.... what games did you play at parties as kids, and most
importantly, did you like or dislike them?

Thanks :-)


I remember one birthday party of my sisters - my mom hired a pony and
cart. I vaguely remember pin-the-tail on the donkey type games, but
that's all I remember.

My daughter had a multipurpose party one year (around Memorial Day in
Florida c 1999) and I was there at the time - it was a graduation from
law school party for her husband, a birthday party for her son and
possibly a housewarming. She invited family, neighbors, work-mates
and her son's school friends.

The birthday party people were invited for the afternoon. She had a
jungle gym in the yard and a pool and she hired a bouncy house. They
also had hundreds of water balloons. She ordered pizza for the kids
and then there was cake. The adult party was in the evening of the
same day and they had BBQ.

Last year for this kid (13th bday) he invited some friends and they
went out to Stiltsville and fished and played in the water.

  #7  
Old May 7th 08, 03:36 PM posted to misc.kids
Cindy Kandolf
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 11
Default Birthday parties

Nan writes:
So.... what games did you play at parties as kids, and most
importantly, did you like or dislike them?


The only game I remember playing at a birthday party as a kid was that
game where you were supposed to drop a clothespin into a milk
bottle. Hated that game. Hated it hated it hated it. But somebody must
have liked it because it got trotted out at every single birthday
party for years... Fortunately the world eventually ran out of milk
bottles.

I can remember other games at Girl Scout parties and such... things
like bobbing for apples at Halloween, or variations of Ring Toss or
Pin the Tail on the Donkey that matched the theme of the party (Pin
the Cottontail on the Bunny for an Easter party, for instance). Those
were mostly fun, but I always thought the best part of the party was
just messing around with the other kids. Our boys and their friends
seem to agree - we've always had a couple of games planned for at-home
parties in case we needed them, but mostly in those years between
preschool and preteens, the kids have just wanted to watch the
birthday boy open the presents, play with them, eat, and play some
more.

Kids here sometimes do Spin The Bottle, not as the goofy kissing game
I remember, but to decide who gets to give their present to the
birthday boy or girl next. And some parents do the fishing game at the
end of the party to hand out goody bags. Another activity, not quite a
game, is to let the kids "make" their own food. We've had good luck
with making mini-pizzas - an adult rolls out a small pizza crust for
each child (or gives each kid a pita bread if the adult in question is
feeling lazy ;-) and then lets the kids put on pizza sauce, cheese,
and whatever they'd like of maybe four or five toppings. Then these
are stuck in the oven to bake while the kids are engaged in another
activity - it helps a lot to have one adult to supervise the kids
while the other keeps an eye on the pizzas, especially if there are a
lot of kids and the pizzas need to be baked in several rounds. We put
them on baking parchment and write each child's name on the parchment
with a pencil, by the way - then serve them on paper plates with the
young pizza artists' names on the bottom.

- Cindy Kandolf, mom of Kenneth (14) and Robert (8)
****** Bærum, Norway
Bilingual Families Web Page:
http://www.nethelp.no/cindy/biling-fam.html


  #8  
Old May 7th 08, 03:36 PM posted to misc.kids
Welches
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 849
Default Birthday parties


"Nan" wrote in message
...
(sheepish grin)

Okay, the thread about pinatas got me thinking.

My 8 year old has yet to have a "real" birthday party. Her bday is
Feb. 14 so we've always just had the 4 of us do cake and presents
since there is no extended family around.

She's been wanting a party so I decided to have one perhaps just after
school is out, the last day will be May 29.

She and I want to have a party here at our house so I can keep it
outdoors.

Food would probably be hot dogs on the grill.... classic birthday
party type food.

Anyway, the push to use a venue for parties has taken away from the
birthday parties I remember going to. You know.... the ones where the
really fun games were played.

I have a few ideas for games like Pin the Tail and a balloon race
(where the kids run to sit on a balloon and pop it). I'm asking you
thoughtful folks for some ideas on games. Simple games are best, imo.

I don't want to over-script a party. I envision having the games to
play but if they all want to just play among themselves, I'll go with
whatever.

So.... what games did you play at parties as kids, and most
importantly, did you like or dislike them?

Pin the tail on the doney
Treasure map (guess where the treasure is hidden)
Treasure hunt (with clues)
Musical statues/bumps/cushions/chairs
Islands (pieces of paper as islands to get from one side of the garden to
another, increasing the gap each time)
Pass the parcel
Sleeping lions
Find the peas
Pick up peas (the hard variety) with straws and put in a cup
Pick up peas with chopsticks and put in cups
Chasing mouse (use a rolled up piece of newspaper to blow (but hitting the
floor) a light pice of paper)
Blindman buff
Oranges and lemons
Simon says


I agree with the person who said avoid organised sports. When I did that
sort of party with #1 (age 5) I actually fiddled the treaure map to give one
who had no other prizes.
You do need to bear in mind that children now sem to be unused to this
format, and they exzpect to have something to do all the time-that means
they don't sit and watch when they're out, you need to have something they
can go and do. I found crafts went down well.

Debbie


  #9  
Old May 7th 08, 05:44 PM posted to misc.kids
Stephanie[_2_]
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 693
Default Birthday parties


"Nan" wrote in message
...
(sheepish grin)

Okay, the thread about pinatas got me thinking.

My 8 year old has yet to have a "real" birthday party. Her bday is
Feb. 14 so we've always just had the 4 of us do cake and presents
since there is no extended family around.

She's been wanting a party so I decided to have one perhaps just after
school is out, the last day will be May 29.

She and I want to have a party here at our house so I can keep it
outdoors.

Food would probably be hot dogs on the grill.... classic birthday
party type food.

Anyway, the push to use a venue for parties has taken away from the
birthday parties I remember going to. You know.... the ones where the
really fun games were played.

I have a few ideas for games like Pin the Tail and a balloon race
(where the kids run to sit on a balloon and pop it). I'm asking you
thoughtful folks for some ideas on games. Simple games are best, imo.

I don't want to over-script a party. I envision having the games to
play but if they all want to just play among themselves, I'll go with
whatever.

So.... what games did you play at parties as kids, and most
importantly, did you like or dislike them?

Thanks :-)

Nan



I have no recollection of going to any party, mine or anyone else's. My Mom
insists I had one. Is there a procedure where you have one per kid in the
old days? It would have made sense in my family since there were 7 of us!
One every year would have been a nightmare. But if it were not just us,
wouldn't I remember going to friends?


  #10  
Old May 7th 08, 05:46 PM posted to misc.kids
enigma
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 447
Default Birthday parties

Nan wrote in
:

So.... what games did you play at parties as kids, and most
importantly, did you like or dislike them?


two games we always played when i was little were Pin the
Tail (which can be changed to fit any theme, if you do "theme
parties") & Musical Chairs/Hot Potato.
for Boo's parties i have games planned, but usually the kids
are so busy playing (it's the whole 'farm' thing apparently) i
don't have to use them.
i did have a "fossil dig" for his 5th birthday dinosaurish
theme party. i bought plastic dinosaur skeletons from Oriental
Trading & buried them in the sandbox. that was a huge hit.

lee
--
Last night while sitting in my chair
I pinged a host that wasn't there
It wasn't there again today
The host resolved to NSA.
 




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