Birthday Party idea for a 7-year old boy?

[Anonymous]

I can't really spend a lot of money on it, but he wants a REAL birthday party. He is very much into sports: soccer, hockey, basketball.
Could you please help me with some ideas?
PS. We live in Falls Church.

[Anonymous]

Upton Hill Regional Park has inexpensive group rates for miniature golf, and the batting cages are pretty inexpensive, too. Or, can you reserve a pavilion in a Falls Church park and have the kids play sports/games outside (I know we can reserve pavilions in Arlington for parties)?

[Anonymous]

There's a bowling alley in City of FC. I think Bowl America. All the karate studios do bday parties.

[Anonymous]

OP here: thank you so much for your responses!

[Anonymous]

A fun idea for a sporty boy is a mini-olympics. Opening ceremony, a few games. closing ceremony. The games can be cooperative. Everyone wins.

[Anonymous]

At that age my son wanted to invite a lot of kids, so one year we had a baseball party in the park. We hired a couple of teens who were ballplayers to help and the kids just played ball. For invitations we used a photo of DS in his Os shirt and cap (this was pre-Nats) and made it look like a baseball card. We cooked hot dogs for lunch an had a cake from Giant decorated with a basball motif. For favors we gave baseball cards and cracker jacks. We also had the boys decorate plain white tees to make their own "jerseys" with their favorite team and player's names on them. It wasn't too hot, but it was July, so we also had super-soakers on hand to hose them down -- which they loved. A really fun party. The next year we had capture the flag and flashlight tag, with a pizza dinner. Hired the same teen boys to help. DS is now a teen and has been a hired helper for several b'day parties in the n-hood and those teen helpers we had for his party just graduated from college!