Inside activities for 15 boys ages 7 and 8

[AllisonR]

DS is having a birthday in October, and chances are it will be freezing cold or rainy. If the weather is nice enough to go out to the playground or play baseball, we will. But we also need some inside activities. Please help! These are the boys from his class. Last year with 15 of them, the house was a war zone after they left. I don't expect spotless, but I'd like to be able to survive it, kwim?

[Imakcerka]

i don't know... but you're an awesome mom in my book!

[NZJMama]

I would try to plan the party to last just a couple hours. Enough time for some free play, games, cake and presents. We just had a Harry Potter party for my son and used dry ice for potions. They were seriously entertained with that for a good 20 minutes or more. We also did a scavenger hunt and they were really into that too. I would plan some type of craft for them to do as part of the party. I'm sure you can google party games and get tons of ideas. Have fun, you're a brave Mama.

[Justmee]

Very popular here is a game "Pass the Parcel"

You wrap a small prize in the midde (after the game you can then give everyone the prize, that's what I do).

Wrap it in a lot of layers of paper. Between each layer put a directions (hop on one foot, sing Happy Birthday, say something nice about the person next to you, etc). Sit the boys in a circle, play music, when the music stops the person holding the packgage unwraps a layer and follows the instructions on the paper. You can also put a little treat in each layer of newspaper, whatever you prefer.

Another good game is musical statues / freeze dance.

Happy Birthday. Three of my kids are born in Feb, I know all about planning indoor parties. I will be looking back on this thread in a few years when my "baby" is 7 or 8, lol.

[AllisonR]

Originally Posted by RachelEve14 

Very popular here is a game "Pass the Parcel"

You wrap a small prize in the midde (after the game you can then give everyone the prize, that's what I do).

Wrap it in a lot of layers of paper. Between each layer put a directions (hop on one foot, sing Happy Birthday, say something nice about the person next to you, etc). Sit the boys in a circle, play music, when the music stops the person holding the packgage unwraps a layer and follows the instructions on the paper. You can also put a little treat in each layer of newspaper, whatever you prefer.

This is a really cute idea. My DD is turning 5 in november, I think I will keep this in mind for her party. 

Really hoping I think of something better for the 8 yo boys crowd. A lot of his classmates play soccer, but he isn't into that. 

[LuckyMommaToo]

You are a braver woman than me! I would only be able to handle that kind of party if it was pretty structured. So I'd have a sit-down activity ready for boys as they arrived (like a craft kind of thing), then go on to scavenger hunt, then who-can-keep-their-balloon-in-the-air-the-longest, then pass the parcel, then Simon Says.... you get the idea.

This site:

http://www.birthdaypartyideas.com/

has lots of amazing suggestions that can be adapted for any theme.

Good luck!
-e

[ollyoxenfree]

This is why we often held birthday parties in party rooms at movie theatres or indoor gyms or the skating rink. We've done "Amazing Race" parties in the local park, but in later spring so the weather was more predictable. The race activity took up most of the party, then we had cake and everyone went home. You could probably adapt it for inside obstacles/challenges if you have enough room.  

 

There's a local company that brings reptiles or insects to your home for a mini-lecture/petting zoo kind of thing. If you have something similar, it's a good option if you have enough space for everyone to see the presenter and the animals (and no objections on an animal rights basis).

[FarmerBeth]

This will sound nuts, but oh well.  Did you consider low key, collegiate style wrestling like turn the turtle, arm wrestling and Indian leg wrestling.  My 7 year old son and his friends do nothing but, and many an afternoon spent waiting turns to play baseball, a turn on the soccer field, etc, has been spent this way.  If there's no stand up wrestling I could see this working indoors.