Medieval/knight party - does this sound like fun?

[MtBikeLover]

This is only my second home party and I have really been struggling with the theme my soon to be 6yo DS picked - knights. Thanks to everyone here, I finally settled on the time, but now I am trying to find the right activities that are manageable in my house. How does this sound? If you have any other ideas or suggestions, I would LOVE to hear them!!

Party starts at 3:00

3:10-3:25 When everyone arrives start some games in the "dungeon" (my bedroom cleared out). First game - escape from the ball and chain (a black balloon tied to their ankle that they have to break). Next game, pass the key (like hot potato). As everyone gets "out", they receive a shield and are able to escape the dungeon. I am also giving them tunics to wear.

3:25-3:45 Decorate shields

3:45-4:00 Feed the knights to the dragon game (like pin the tail on the donkey). No winners or prizes - just fun.

4:00-4:15 - Go through a cardboard tunnel maze while everyone else is pushing soft foam swords in and out of slits in the maze. After they get out, they receive a sword

4:15-4:30 - Slay the dragon (daddy) to rescue the princess (barbie doll under a laundry basket)

4:30-4:45 - Look for gold coins around the house to pay for the dinner feast - everyone tries to find 10. I will make sure to hide plenty so that everyone has a chance at getting all of them.

4:45-5:15 - Feast of chicken, corn on cob, rolls, and baked french fries

5:15-5:30 - Cake

Is this too much? Not enough? Will I need more activities/crafts? Right now, I have no idea how many to expect. We sent 20 invites out and only 3 have RSVP'd so far. So there are at least 5 kids including my 2.

[emaye_to_2]

My DS who is turning six says that sounds like an awesome birthday party, and I think so too! Good luck and I hope everyone has an excellent time!!

[Viola]

That sounds like more than enough to me. I'm sure it will be great fun!

[DaughterOfKali]

That sounds like a GREAT party!!

[BellinghamCrunchie]

I want to come!!!

[eepster]

Party starts at 3:00

3:10-3:25 When everyone arrives start some games in the "dungeon" (my bedroom cleared out). First game - escape from the ball and chain (a black balloon tied to their ankle that they have to break). Next game, pass the key (like hot potato). As everyone gets "out", they receive a shield and are able to escape the dungeon. I am also giving them tunics to wear.
I think I would leave more time for this

3:25-3:45 Decorate shields

3:45-4:00 Feed the knights to the dragon game (like pin the tail on the donkey). No winners or prizes - just fun.

4:00-4:15 - Go through a cardboard tunnel maze while everyone else is pushing soft foam swords in and out of slits in the maze. After they get out, they receive a sword
I wouldn't have the people on the outside poking with swords. Many 6yo boys would get way over zealous with the poking. I would just send them through altogether, and do a proper knighting as they came out.
4:15-4:30 - Slay the dragon (daddy) to rescue the princess (barbie doll under a laundry basket)
I would again expect over zealousness, so make sure your DH is well padded
4:30-4:45 - Look for gold coins around the house to pay for the dinner feast - everyone tries to find 10. I will make sure to hide plenty so that everyone has a chance at getting all of them.

4:45-5:15 - Feast of chicken, corn on cob, rolls, and baked french fries

5:15-5:30 - Cake

Opening presents?

You have a lot going on, I think I would want to cut at least one activity out. But, If you are up for it, it all sounds like fun :.

[MtBikeLover]

Thanks everyone!

Originally Posted by eepster

do a proper knighting as they came out.

This is a great idea to do the knighting! I was going to use foam, thin swords to create a bit of an obstacle inside the tunnel - to mimic those things in bouncy houses that hang down and swing around while you are crawling. I don't think anyone would get hurt from it and it would give the kids something to do while they waited and cheered on their friends.

Originally Posted by eepster

Opening presents?

No - I'm not a fan of opening gifts at parties and neither is my son luckily. We do that after everyone has left.

[Breeder]

I think it's more than enough activities for a kid's birthday party. It sounds really fun.

I'd probably change it to pin the tail on the dragon rather than "feed the knights to the dragon" since the kids are supposed to be knights at this party, I'd avoid it in case one of them would find this frightening.

I'd also avoid the swords in the tunnel for the same reason. My DS would not enjoy going through something in which his playmates were poking things at him, regardless of the foam aspect. How about combining the tunnel with the dungeon? Once they escape the dungeon your DH sends them through the tunnel where they will be knighted by you on the other side and recieve their foam sword?

[HipGal]

It sounds like fun! My ds is having a dragon party soon, so I'm thinking along the same vein lately.

In the past, have your guests arrived on time to parties? I ask because our friends always seem to come pretty late. Like 20 minutes after the party "start" time! So if your friends are like ours, I would plan to start the organized activities a little later and have something for kids to do as they are waiting for everyone to arrive.

Maybe instead of rescueing the princess, they could grab the dragon's treasure. Then they could get some coins there and also find more later if needed. The kids may not want to give up their coins to pay for dinner, though!

P.S. Oriental Trading has "sword in the bubbles" that would be cute as favors.

[lindberg99]

You might want to reconsider the "finding coins around the house" thing. Do you really want a bunch of hyped up 6 yo boys rummaging around your house? I think I would do it outside or at least confine it to one room.

I don't think I'd put a set number on the coins for dinner. If you say 10, odds are some kid is only going to find 9 and that would not be fun!

I think a lot of kids want to see their friend open their present so you might want to stay open on that one or at least have a good explanation for why your DS isn't opening presents. Maybe at 6 they won't be that into it though.

Have fun!!

[talk de jour]

Originally Posted by lindberg99

You might want to reconsider the "finding coins around the house" thing. Do you really want a bunch of hyped up 6 yo boys rummaging around your house? I think I would do it outside or at least confine it to one room.

I don't think I'd put a set number on the coins for dinner. If you say 10, odds are some kid is only going to find 9 and that would not be fun!

I think a lot of kids want to see their friend open their present so you might want to stay open on that one or at least have a good explanation for why your DS isn't opening presents. Maybe at 6 they won't be that into it though.

Have fun!!

:

Otherwise, it sounds great! I know my nephews and little brother all would have loved it at that age. That's a huge knights/swords/dragons age.

[sapphire_chan]

1. Be willing to drop some activities if the kids want/need more time with an earlier activity.
2. I'd personally feel better with a "knight's helm" on the kid going through the tunnel.
and, most importantly,
3. Plan a party for me some time! Pweese??

It sounds like an awesome party, the kids are going to have a great time.

[MtBikeLover]

I have no idea how to do multiple quotes so please accept my apologies for not quoting each person individually. These are all great suggestions!

My son really wants to leave the foam in the tunnel, but, based on the comments, I will let each child decide if they want the kids pulling them in and out. I also love the idea of knighting them once they get out! Unfortunately, I can't connect the tunnel to the dungeon room very easily and plus, I don't want to give the kids their swords that early. And my son does have a knight helmet so I could give them that to wear. Or maybe a bike helmet to make it funny!

So they get knighted as they get out, receive their sword, and then do the rescue the princess.

Good ideas on the "coin hunt". I'll just tell them to find some to help pay for dinner and not set an exact number. I don't really have any issues with them roaming through the play areas as my house has nothing breakable that I really care about - completely child proofed!

Hipgal - thanks for the scord in the bubbles tip - I've been looking for some party favors! And on the lateness - I've been lucky that most people have been on time, but I accounted for extra time in the dungeon assuming some people would be 10 minutes late. Plus, I am making tunics for all of them so I can put them on as they get there and that will take a few minutes.

Sapphire - I love planning parties but I can't take all the credit for these ideas as I get them all from birthdaypartyideas.com and then put my own spin on them.

[Sierra]

Sounds cool, and I like the changes you chose!

Check out http://www.higgins.org/Rentals/birthdays.shtml or http://www.higgins.org/Calendar/Winter/ for some inspiration!

[Maiasaura]

I think it sounds like great fun, too, but man alive! LOTS of activities! Way too many for me, but if you can handle the pace, go for it

Last year, my ds turned 7 and he wanted a dinosaur party. We had decorate your own cookies (dino shaped, made ahead by me) as a wait-for-everyone-to-get-here activity. Some did it, some wanted to play in ds's room. I had a pinata, and one other activity, and that was all. Mostly they wanted to play with ds's toys in his room, and play outside. I also had a buffet of light chips'n'dip and things in the kitchen, for the grownups. I didn't have it at meal time; it was in between lunch and dinner.

Oh, and we did open presents. It was the first year ds and I were comfortable enough to do it in front of everyone.

Have a great time! I may steal your ideas one day!

[MtBikeLover]

Originally Posted by Maiasaura

play outside.

Oh how I wish that were an option, but since it is January in Chicago, outside is just not an option for his birthday parties. I am seriously thinking about one year doing a 1/2 birthday party so that we can have it at the park and I can just let the kids play and plan maybe one or two activities.

[Maiasaura]

well...January in Asheville, NC, is a touch and go situation. ds's birthday is the 31st. i can never plan big parties at parks like the other moms, cause it could be 20* and snowing or 70* and hot! you never know! :
so i've chanced it. i can't afford "invite-everybody" parties at the bowling alley or whatever-- i wish i could!
so ds has had small parties at my house every year. last year we lucked out and were able to have the pinata outside, and it was mild enough (don't remember exactly, but prolly 50ish?). i'm hoping this year will be about the same. he wants a pokemon party with just boys, so that should be easy enough.
i'm having a pokeball cake, printing off pokemon bingo cards from online, and having maybe one other activity. then they can eat pizza or something, and trade cards the rest of the time

[*jeanine*]

It sounds like a lot of fun! There are more activities than *I* would do, but my ds (7) isn't into a lot of organized activities like that. If *I* were going to do it, I would not have them smote DH (5 kids would be ok, but 20? Your poor dh!) - instead I would have them slay a dragon pinata to get some "treasure". And I would have "free time" for them to have sword fights with each other. That would be inevitable at my house. Other than that, it sounds awesome!!!

[marieangela]

Sounds like fun and reminds of why I am not having a party at home! My son is turning six next week and I still don't have anything planned. This will be our first party with kids invited (still don't know how many) and I can't imagine planning anything in my home. Ugh! The stress of it all for an unorganized introvert like me. My son would surely love your party. Have fun!

[Masel]

That sounds so cool!

I agree with little kids getting really excited about hitting with swords. I belong to a group that recreates the middle ages and we often talk to school and scout groups. We used to let the kids swing swords at us and some of them really had a deadly gleam in their eye and could swing really hard. (If I lived closer I'd volunteer to show some real armor.) I hope your dragon has a cup!

Call the fries "turnips" since potatoes are new world.
Corn is too but I can't think of a good substitue or even a silly name that 6 year old boys would like.

For the swords in the maze could you have it so the swords are wiggled but not pushed in and out. That might be safer. That many little boys with swords are bound to start sword fights. Make a rule about not hitting anyone in the head.

This sounds like so much fun!