Need ideas for 8 year old birthday party - HELP!!

[mieuxmew]

My twins will be 8 at the end of June (boy and girl). For the past few years, we have had a party for them at Bounce U or similar. June is too busy and every year I struggle to get enough kids to come to make it seem worth the $400-500 dollars. This year I want to do something different (and less expensive).

Anyone have any suggestions? My kids are really rallying hard for a big party and I am feeling very guilty. Honestly, I have not seen too many parents this year having elaborate, expensive kid parties. We are going to Disney in October and would rather spend the money on the trip or buy my kids a nicer birthday gift.

I have tried suggesting a trip to the movies/pizza with their friends to see Brave, but that went over like a lead balloon, as they kids know they will get to see the movie anyway! I offered a day at Hersey Park - no go.

HELP!! Thanks in advance!

 

[brymolmom]

I would do one of two things:

1) Give them 3 choices of options and have them agree on one choice. For example:
a) movie idea
b) outdoor party at the house or rent a pavilion at local park (usually $25 or so) and let them invite as many as they want (just buy a bunch of pizzas, bring some water balloons and balls, etc. and let them run around like crazy)
c) bring a small group of friends to some sort of event (local sporting event, your hershey park idea, etc)

Make sure all 3 are within your desired budget.

Or
2) 8 is old enough to understand about things being more or less expensive. I would give THEM the budget and tell them they can come up with whatever idea they want (within reason, of course) but they have to stick to the budget. This is a great learning opportunity for them.

On a side note - ds9 is about to have his bday party at the local AAA ball park. They have 'special' seats out in the outfield that you can reserve. He is REALLY excited about it and the kids he invited are excited too. He invited 4 friends but with cousins we're looking at 11 kids total, so it'll be a bit pricier than I likely would have wanted. But you could do something like this and limit it more.

 

[zoemurr]

We have had a carnival, cooking party, duct tape party, minute to win it, scavenger hunt, art, around the world..

I enjoy doing home parties and usually spend about $100 on games/activities/food

check out www.birthdaypartyideas.com, or PM me and I would be glad to help. I love planning original parties.

 

[luvmy3]

Nerf War Party in your yard. You can google it for ideas and can do it inexpensively or go all out.

 

[julieanddanny]

Bowling? My 8 yr old had a party at the bowling alley. It was cheap compared to some other options...

 

[McKelly]

I agree with an at home, themed birthday party. My kids actually CHOSE to have home theme parties vs. destination parties, and trust me, I asked! LOL. You can do a decent, fun, party at home for $100.00 or so. Tons of ideas for kids that age.

 

[mom2lns]

Maybe a 'big' gift is an alternative (and could cost you less than a big party). After dd's invites were mailed for her 8th bday, she told us her iPod wish. If I had known sooner we would have given the option of the party or the iPod. She cried when I told her she would have been able to choose. Now ds's bday is in a couple months and he'll be 8, and he's already talking about no party bc he wants an iPod also. We might have one or two friends sleep over. He's really looking forward to that.

 

[tink_lover]

My son's bday is early July. For the past few years, he has had a Super Soaker party. The kids love it! They run around outside with waterguns, have water buckets, water balloons, etc. I provide snacks on the deck/porch and we have cake at the end. The kids coming are told to bring swimsuit, towel and watergun. We have extras if they need one.

 

[princess barbara]

Don't forget the Slip-n Slide too.

 

[nchulka]

My son is turning 9 this year and he wants a messy party. We'll do it outside in our yard, June would be perfect for you. Tell all the guest to wear old clothes that can be destroyed! Have a sprinkler going and chalk/bubbles for the kids to play with anytime. Do games like an egg toss, eating small donuts from a string dripped in chocolate sauce etc. Make up some slime (corn starch mixed with water, add some food coloring if you want), let the kids have a slime fight or use it to pour on kids when they get out at games! Break them up into two teams, give each team 6 different colors of large Crayola washable paints (although after being on their clothes for hours and baked in by the sun, the washable becomes debatable), and brushes and have them paint each other in a contest to see which team looks the best. Beware, when my kids and their friends do this they cover their entire faces, hair, everything is painted, and it's the highlight of the day!!! Make worms and dirt, chocolate pudding, crushed oreos, and gummy worms, have them eat it without using their hands! Get a small plastic pool, fill with water and liquid dish soap, give the kids a hula hoop to make giant bubbles around themselves. Give them marshmallows and mix food coloring and milk to make food "paint", let them paint the marshmallows. When it's cake time, instead of cutting it and passing out plates and forks, have them all gather round and yell dig in, everyone eats with their hands! Make a separate small cake for the parents to enjoy normally Make sure to have plenty of cheap water guns around and a bucket of water to fill them, add food coloring for more fun! Throw in some water balloons and it will be the best birthday your kids ever had

 

[SYDCOLEMOM]

Last August for my DD 8th birthday we rented one of those huge inflatable water slides ($150 for the day). Cooked out Hot dogs, I had a big basket of individual chips and cookies and an ice chest full of drinks. They had a BLAST !! Total cost including cake was around $250 but we invited lots of kids in the neighborhood etc. I think we are going to do the same for her birthday this year. She said it was so much more fun than skating, bowling or the bounce parties she has had in the past. Party favors were water guns and splash balls.

 

[thebeesknees]

We are having a building party for my DS (turning 10) at Home Depot this year. Every kid (you can invite up to 25 total) gets to choose a kit to make, HD provides the room and the employee to help put the kits together. The birthday kid gets an apron and construction helmet. We provide our own snacks/drinks/pizza. Total cost? Just the snacks! HD doesn't charge (yet) for the use of the room or the kits! DS is super excited because this is the first year we've told him he can invite his whole class, and so far, all the RSVP's we've gotten have had a note attached with what a great idea it is, so hoping it goes over well with the kids.

 

[Zim]

In a year with a trip to Disney, I always use additional Disney treats as wheeling and dealing. For instance, if they REALLY want to do MNSSHP, that would be a trade-off to a huge birthday party this year.

I know it's kind of giving them a bit more control than kids should have today... but I also consider it empowering. They know they've helped make a choice that helps with the family financially (as well as mom's sanity). Also, when you give them a black and white choice like that (and stick with it - make sure you're really willing to give up MNSSHP if they opt for a big bday bash) it goes a long ways in keeping kids from begging and pleading for everything they can get, IMHO.

 

[hops&dreams]

DD is 8, and she did an ice skating party. Next year, she wants a roller skating party. We've been to many 8 yr birthday parties at the roller rink (Sam is turning 8 - come and skate to celebrate... too easy to rhyme!)- at least 3 this year alone. At our local owned roller rink (it's old school, locally owned), it's only $75 for up to 10 kids, including skate rental and pizza or hot dogs, drinks, and popsicle. Each add'l kid is only $6.50.

Another inexpensive party we did for DD was for her 7th, we did it at the Fire Station. The kids all got a tour of the firehouse, had a half hour to climb all over one of the fire trucks, and got a lesson in fire safety. The kids had a BLAST. They got to try on the fireman gear (pants, jackets, helmet/masks) and see how heavy it is. They got to sit in the drivers seat of the fire truck - what kid doesn't want to do that?!? Everything to do with the fire-house was free - we used their training room for the party and we just got pizzas for the kids, brought cupcakes, and fed the firefighters on duty as a thank you.

Another cool, fun, unisex, relatively easy one would be a Wii Tournament party. You can pick a game our a couple of games on the Wii - bowling, golf, tennis, Mario cart - and then crown the winners. Heck, I'm 32 and I'd have fun at a party like that!!! DD wants to do this this summer with her friends.

Hope those ideas get your mind going!

 

[Juliet25]

Do you have a Cici's Pizza? It's not fancy, but it's pretty affordable to rent their party room and buy everyone a buffet. We got it for two hours and brought rolls of quarters for the kids to use in the arcade. Between eating, playing games, eating cake and ice cream, and opening presents, the time went fast.

The total, including decorations, quarters, and goody bags, came to around $200.

 

[Pesky]

First off, consider this for the future -- one kid gets a big party and one a small. As yours are twins, I would cycle on and off years for a big party and a small one (movie one).

But for now, maybe make the sacrifice a bit more tangible for them. For example, lay out their choices with the things they will be giving up as a consequence.

1. Movie and pizza with a 8 friends (4 each), plus, at WDW, MNSSHP and pirate firework cruise, 2 character meals, 1 souvenir pin each, 1 souvenir tshirt each, 1 stuffed plush each.

2. Party at park for 25 friends plus at WDW, MNSSHP, 1 character meal, 1 souvenir pin each, 1 souvenir tshirt each.

3. Renting a bounce house at your home or inflatable pool w/ slide (those are pretty cool, BTW) with 20 friends plus at WDW, MNSSHP, 1 souvenir pin each, 1 souvenir tshirt each.

4. Home pirate themed party with inflatable bounce house and home-made treasure hunt (I still remember my brother's around that age) with 20 friends plus, at WDW, 1 souvenir pin, 1 souvenir tshirt, 1 stuffed plush.

You get the drift. Keep the options in your price range and the consequences (loss of WDW perks) realistic and what you intend to stick to (like if you plan on going to MNSSHP regardless, keep that in all). That way they can quickly see exactly what they are giving up in fall for a party now. GL!

 

[riley2008]

My son is turning 9 this year and he wants a messy party. We'll do it outside in our yard, June would be perfect for you. Tell all the guest to wear old clothes that can be destroyed! Have a sprinkler going and chalk/bubbles for the kids to play with anytime. Do games like an egg toss, eating small donuts from a string dripped in chocolate sauce etc. Make up some slime (corn starch mixed with water, add some food coloring if you want), let the kids have a slime fight or use it to pour on kids when they get out at games! Break them up into two teams, give each team 6 different colors of large Crayola washable paints (although after being on their clothes for hours and baked in by the sun, the washable becomes debatable), and brushes and have them paint each other in a contest to see which team looks the best. Beware, when my kids and their friends do this they cover their entire faces, hair, everything is painted, and it's the highlight of the day!!! Make worms and dirt, chocolate pudding, crushed oreos, and gummy worms, have them eat it without using their hands! Get a small plastic pool, fill with water and liquid dish soap, give the kids a hula hoop to make giant bubbles around themselves. Give them marshmallows and mix food coloring and milk to make food "paint", let them paint the marshmallows. When it's cake time, instead of cutting it and passing out plates and forks, have them all gather round and yell dig in, everyone eats with their hands! Make a separate small cake for the parents to enjoy normally Make sure to have plenty of cheap water guns around and a bucket of water to fill them, add food coloring for more fun! Throw in some water balloons and it will be the best birthday your kids ever had

Does sound like fun - and yes, MESSY. Your DS will have fun, I'm sure!

 

[tripplanner2]

I am in a very similar boat. DD is turing 8 and her birthday is in June. Each year kids can't make it because they are so busy. This year she has a ton of kids on her list, like you more than 20. I offered the home party but she was not into it. She decided that she wants to go into NYC with her family and go to a museum. Then on a different day I will take her 2 best friends to the movies and lunch. I think a decent sacrifice. Orginially she wanted to go to Build a Bear and then for ice cream.

 

[dismom301930]

My DD is turning 8 in late May. My DDs prefer themed parties at home to parties at outside places. (Lots more work for me, but it is much cheaper and they say they enjoy them more!) This year my daughter chose candy as her theme! I think this theme would work well for both boys and girls. Some of the games we are doing include candy bingo, a candyland themed relay race, and blind taste test of jellybeans. The girls will also be making candy necklaces. The party will end with a candy buffet where they will fill their own goody bags to take home. There are countless games you can play (almost any party game could be adapted to a candy theme) and kids love candy! There are also tons of great ideas online. I purchased most of my candy after Easter, but you could buy candy in bulk so it wouldn't be that expensive. Other than the candy, I have very few other expenses. Good luck!

 

[ckoncurat]

What weve done in the past few years: bowling, ice skating, swimming, movie party (at home and at the movies), museum, playgrounds, chuckie cheese.

At home parties: Luau, carnival, fiesta, jungle, PJ party (not a sleepover), pirate.