DS's 8th birthday... need some ideas

[pjlippert]

Hi all,

So, hard to believe but my DS is tuning eight years old next month!! So, here is what we've done for "themes" since he was born.

1st b-day Winnie the Pooh
2nd Elmo
3rd Scooby Doo
4th Cars
5th Power Rangers
6th Batman at Pump It Up Inflatables "park" (now out of business)
7th Airforce with a Magician at the house

Now, he wants an all-boy party this year and we are just plum out of cost-effective ideas (since the prior two years were NOT cost effective and we can't go all out this year).

Since I'm a single mom the idea of a slumber party with a few close friends makes me cringe... unless I could recruit another Mom to help me chaperone.

What have you done for b-days at this age?

Thanks!
Pam

 

[jcm]

Hmmm... my DS is 7 so you have me thinking. I too am "single" mom (not technically, but my husband has lived 5 hours away for 5 years due to job situations. he's home every other weekend). Don't know your rules on things, but I think the sleep over w/ maybe a Star Wars theme? Do pizza or something to keep it simple, then have them decorate cupcakes or something w/ Star Wars stuff/colors, then watch some Star Wars (I know many parents prefer the "old school" ones) and eat popcorn. We have an inexpensive projector (it was like $30) and you can run video through it on a " big screen" - like on a bed sheet. Maybe you could find/rent one to do like a movie theater thing? My experience - one girl and two boys - the boy sleep overs are actually easier. The girls stay up TALKING and giggling. The boys usually go so hard all day that they mostly pass out by the end of the day.

JEn

 

[jdimascio]

What I wanted to do for my son's 10th party was a flag football game. If it's nice out of course, you could have 2 teams and have t-shirts made up with your son's name on it or something. You could serve "football party" type foods....pizza, wings,etc. You could choose any type of sport. I had a neighbor who did something similar but it was set up like the reality show Survivor. I didn't end up doing this b/c my son wanted to go somewhere instead. but I thought it would've been cost-effective....and boys are wild, so this would take care of all of that extra energy.

Good luck!!

 

[pjlippert]

Great ideas Jen and Jenn! I'll toss these ideas his way. Although, the weather is definitely an issue up here! Still a couple feet of snow on the ground.

Pam

 

[hokypoky]

Well, not sure if your son likes American Idol, but we did this theme when DD turned 8. She had both boys and girls, and the boys were more into it than the girls! I sent out "golden ticket" invites (printed at home), borrowed a karaoke machine and asked the kids to let me know ahead of time what songs they would like so I had them on hand.

 

[Jenn38]

Do you belong to the YMCA? or a club of that sort?

You can usually get a good price for bday party there. My DD who is 13 has had several swimming parties there. At our local Y you get a party room ( it's one of the day care rooms) and the pool or gym for 2 hours. You bring your own food and decorations. We have always done swimming and the kids love it.

Also my step sister did "A Minute to Win It" party for my nephew. They all just played silly games and the winner got to pick a prize from the prize bag. All prizes were things from the dollar store. They did and had a baseball game. His bday is in June so it was warm out.

Good luck.

Jenn

 

[mom418]

we recently did a bowling party for ds 7. we just invited family, just 2 lanes. the kids all really loved it and wanted to go back. they also had a lazer show option, not sure how much that is. maybe your local bowling alley has special nights with something like that.

lazer tag, play dart tag at home in the basement, or outside in a snow fort, play guitar hero (you could borrow the pieces from a friend, or buy them for less from craig's list to keep.)
for all ages of kids they love to play ddr dance dance revolution. it comes with mats with the arrows like at the arcade.

 

[mom2kttj]

I think the easiest is the swimming pool party. It usually costs about $60 and all you have to do is bring a beverage and cake. Best of all no cleaning the house before and after the party. I always try and do an at home party because I think it will be cheaper but no matter how hard I try its hard to spend less than $50. I think I've read your son likes Lego's. This year we had a Lego party for my son. It was great. I made a minifigure head cake and a minifigure head pinata (not hard at all). The hit of the party was I got a box misc. Lego's off of ebay and spread them on the floor. The kids had the sticky slap hands and flung them onto the Legos. Whatever they picked up with the sticky hand they got to keep. It was chaotic and fun all rolled into one. There is tons more ideas for Lego themed parties online. Good Luck.

Sarah

 

[Stephanie0523]

My sons turned 6 and 9 this December (birthdays are three days apart), so we had a big party at the bowling alley here... They had a kid's alley and arcades... Pizza, bowling, arcade. They had a BLAST. And there was no clean-up for me! Bowling parties here are LOTS more economical than other places...