Have your kids ever been to a boring birthday party? Have all parties been fun regardless of where?

[Anonymous]

I just went to a home party last night where there were no activities planned and 6 or 7 second grade boys had a blast running around like maniacs for two hours. The one girl was bored out of her mind. I think the boys would have been bored if they had been expected to stand around waiting to take turns with games. I think the girl might have liked some structured stuff, though.

I think if you have some planned stuff but are flexible about what the kids do that will be best. The only "boring" party my son ever attended was one where the kids were expected to spend 45 minutes sitting quietly at a table working on a cat craft. He proclaimed that it was "worse than school".

[Anonymous]

I have a boy, and we did his seventh and eighth birthday party at home. I just remember lots of shouting, running around, and loud crashes. No one wanted to play the backup games. Kids had a blast. For one if them, there was a girl there, and she was less hapoy, but mostly because she was the bossy type and the boys didn't want to do everything she said. So we gave her the Nerf gun, and the problem went away.

[Anonymous]

My kids were bored at a rec center party recently. Parents went all out with decorations but there was nothing for kids to do besides some coloring pages. Pictures of cake were great though.

Another party my kid was bored at was home party with only baby toys. It was a kindergarten party but toy room was full of baby toys. No entertainment. No activities. Just food. I think just having food is not enough for a party. We always get entertainment.

[Anonymous]

I threw an "Experiments" theme b-day party for my then 7 year old DS. We invited Eric Energy people. We had some fun experiments planned, incl. one with loud noises. Little did I know one kid was terrified of noise and completely lost his shit. He was crying for nearly an hour, didn't want any food, any cake, I tried to redirect him to a quieter room with toys and books, and he was just crying non-stop. When his mom came to pick him up, he complained loudly to her her and she proceeded to scold me! that we should not scare kids like that. Other parents were ticked at her reaction. Let's just say DS is no longer friends with that boy, he felt that we catered to a cry-baby.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I threw an "Experiments" theme b-day party for my then 7 year old DS. We invited Eric Energy people. We had some fun experiments planned, incl. one with loud noises. Little did I know one kid was terrified of noise and completely lost his shit. He was crying for nearly an hour, didn't want any food, any cake, I tried to redirect him to a quieter room with toys and books, and he was just crying non-stop. When his mom came to pick him up, he complained loudly to her her and she proceeded to scold me! that we should not scare kids like that. Other parents were ticked at her reaction. Let's just say DS is no longer friends with that boy, he felt that we catered to a cry-baby.

Oh my gosh please have a little more emphaty for that kid. Some kids are VERY sensitive to loud noises. You shouldn't encourage your son to call him a cry baby.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I threw an "Experiments" theme b-day party for my then 7 year old DS. We invited Eric Energy people. We had some fun experiments planned, incl. one with loud noises. Little did I know one kid was terrified of noise and completely lost his shit. He was crying for nearly an hour, didn't want any food, any cake, I tried to redirect him to a quieter room with toys and books, and he was just crying non-stop. When his mom came to pick him up, he complained loudly to her her and she proceeded to scold me! that we should not scare kids like that. Other parents were ticked at her reaction. Let's just say DS is no longer friends with that boy, he felt that we catered to a cry-baby.

Oh my gosh please have a little more emphaty for that kid. Some kids are VERY sensitive to loud noises. You shouldn't encourage your son to call him a cry baby.

We did say in the invitation that some experiments might have loud noises. We tried to redirect him many times, no luck. If his mother knew he was that sensitive, she should've stayed. Instead, I spent almost the entire birthday catering to a child I barely knew.

[Anonymous]

Np here seconding the call for empathy.

No, op, we've never been to a boring party. Home ones have been really great, even though some kids just want to run around or okay with their existing toys rather than organized games.

Home ones have generally been more fun for parents, too, generally because they've been more like regular parties, like bbqs or picnics.

[Anonymous]

let them blow bubbles if they're bored.

[Anonymous]

I have boys. I found that they prefer more active play:

Nerf or squirt guns vs. pin the tail on the donkey

Bounce house or slip and slide vs. musical chairs

Balloon stomp vs party craft

Pinata vs make your own pizza

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I have boys. I found that they prefer more active play:

Nerf or squirt guns vs. pin the tail on the donkey

Bounce house or slip and slide vs. musical chairs

Balloon stomp vs party craft

Pinata vs make your own pizza

i.e., short attentio span vs long attention span

[Anonymous]

My boys enjoy just about any party. There have been a few at their cousins where they didn't know any kids and the activities were more tailored to girls where they were not as engaged, but they still had fun.

We do mostly home parties and they've been well received.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My kids love birthday parties wherever. They just want to be with friends.

+1

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I threw an "Experiments" theme b-day party for my then 7 year old DS. We invited Eric Energy people. We had some fun experiments planned, incl. one with loud noises. Little did I know one kid was terrified of noise and completely lost his shit. He was crying for nearly an hour, didn't want any food, any cake, I tried to redirect him to a quieter room with toys and books, and he was just crying non-stop. When his mom came to pick him up, he complained loudly to her her and she proceeded to scold me! that we should not scare kids like that. Other parents were ticked at her reaction. Let's just say DS is no longer friends with that boy, he felt that we catered to a cry-baby.

I actually find it hard to believe you're genuinely a parent.

[Anonymous]

But PP is right that if she gave a warning on the invitation that there may be loud noises, and the child is sensitive, then the parent should have stayed with him. This way a lot of her hosting energies were tied up with dealing unexpectedly with this overly sensitive child.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:How many kids, OP? Any theme to the party? Boys, girls, or both? I think games will still be fun for that age. Keep things moving. Have a craft or art project if you need to slow things down a bit.

This.
Some kids like a simple craft to do, in case they want something quiet.
My son's sixth year party was at a park with 5 friends and old fashioned party games. they LOVED it. egg races on a spoon, pin the tail on the donkey, musical chairs, pass the package, etc. the key is having a couple options for those ones who might want to do a craft instead, and time to just run around as well.

Have fun!