Monday 30 January 2012

Party Games

As you will know I am planning my son's sixth birthday party and I need to draw on your experience regarding a few things.  Here are my questions:

  1. Is it true that every layer on the Pass The Parcel now has to have a treat in?  This didn't happen in my day.
  2. Is Musical Chairs too dangerous for 5/6 year olds?  It wasn't in my day.
  3. Does the party food have to be healthy?  In my day the whole point of party food was that it was unhealthy stuff otherwise where is the fun?
  4. Am I being delusional thinking that the disco man will run the party while I sit back and enjoy?
  5. Is it true that I can't be biased when judging musical bumps?  Not in so far as ensuring my children win - that would be too obvious!
  6. Do I have to feed the parents that decide to stay?  They didn't stay in my day, couldn't wait to get away in fact!
  7. Does Sleeping Lions really not exist?  I was kind of counting on this as a potential game for obvious reasons.

So thanks in advance for you illuminating answers.  Just so you are aware, I already know what I want the answers to be I just don't know what the actual answers are!

11 comments:

  1. Hi there! Here's my experience of parties:

    1. Pass the Parcel. Yes, unfortunately every layer seems to have a treat in it. This makes the horrid task of wrapping the damn thing even more unbearable. Oh, and also apparently we're supposed to fix it so every child gets to open at least one layer. When I die and go to Hell, which seems more likely with every passing year, I will probably spend Eternity wrapping an endless Pass The Parcel for a party that never comes.

    2. Musical Chairs is ace and they love it. Go for it. Just don't catch anyone's eye while you're setting it up.

    3. Healthy party food. Personally, I always provide a bowl of carrot sticks and a bowl of grapes alongside the party food. Then I sit back and enjoy the spectacle of said carrot sticks and grapes being totally ignored in favour of the sandwiches, crisps, buns and sausages on chips. Why we all feel happier when there's a bowl of untouched carrot-sticks on the table, I really can't say; but this seems to satisfy everyone.

    4. Disco Man. Disco Men come in two types: Terrifying Party Fascists and Weedy Party Pushovers. The children will quickly sense which type you have booked and adjust their behaviour accordingly. If you booked a Fascist, you'll have to console the nervous ones with sweets and cuddles as they sob inconsolably on your shoulder. If you booked a Pushover, you'll have to beat the kids off him with sticks. Either way, while Disco Man will do some work for you, you won't be able to leave him entirely to his own devices.

    5. Bias towards Musical Bumps. Regardless of how fair (or not) you are in your selection, every child there except the winner will think you rigged it. Solution: make Disco Man do it.

    6. Helicopter Parents get relive their youth by hoovering up the remains of the party food. This is probably why they're staying anyway. Nothing beats the sinful pleasure of crisps that turn your fingers orange when you eat them.

    7. Sleeping Lions exists as a theoretical construct in the head of every parent. The best you can hope for is Insanely Giggling Lions; but that's okay. As long as you haven't got Lions Eating Disco Man, you're onto a winner.

    Hope this helps...I'm looking forward to reading about the aftermath...

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    Replies
    1. I haven't laughed so much for ages! Thank you! I am considering giving the Pass The Parcel a miss altogether, I just can't be bothered with it.

      Disco Man will now be the judge and jury whether he likes it or not and we have gone for carrot and cucumber sticks - the parents can eat those.

      The aftermath will follow but I might need some recovery time!

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  2. 1. Yes. All layers must have a treat and each child must get one said treat.
    2.No way! Kids love musical chairs and it's an extra few minutes they are occupied for!
    3.Errr stick with the pizza bites, crisps, chocolate etc! Give one of two options for healthy choices-carrots perhaps?! But I can guarantee they will still be there at the end! What is the world coming to if we have to replace jelly and ice cream with fruit and raisens!
    4.Sadly the disco man will need much persuasion to do anything other than play the music and count down his time til he can get back to the pub and the footie!
    5.Totally agree with above comment!
    6.Tough one. If I stay with my son the party food makes me dribble with anticipation so I would say to keep parents happy offer a few nibbles to be polite?!
    7. Oh hell yes it exsists-best game invented if you ask me!

    Hope this helps! x

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  3. Erm....what is SLEEPING LIONS??
    As for the rest:
    1.Yes
    2.Nope
    3.No
    4.HELL YES!!
    5. Agree with above.
    6. No
    Good luck lol xxx

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  4. 1.no
    2.no
    3.no
    4.yes
    5.yes
    6.no
    7.yes

    good luck!

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  5. We had a traditional party at home type thingy on Saturday for my 5 yr old. The answer to each question is... have a glass of wine and ...what the hell.
    Highlight - get them to all dress as superheroes, then get daddy to bounce on the trampoline dressed as Darth Vader, whilst kids launch water balloons at him. They won't care about anything else if they're jacked up on sugar. You'll be a hero. Hang 'elf and safety - make some memories!

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  6. I feel your pain! I couldn't believe it when I got glared at when Grace turned 1 for not giving out party bags! I thought going to the time and effort of preparing a traditional garden party was enough - not so. I am a fool, clearly!

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  7. The fact that everyone is saying good luck is freaking me out a little! Thanks to you all though for your insights I will aim to learn from them but nothing is guaranteed.

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  8. Oh my goodness, I can't believe how things have changed. My eldest is only 2yrs so for birthdays we just do family things. But when I do hold a birthday party I won't be putting a treat in every layer of pass the parcel, my god no wonder kids expect everything these days.

    Maybe I will just stick to family days for birthdays ;o)

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    Replies
    1. I am certainly wishing we had stuck to a family day!

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Let me have your thoughts!