Help! Ds broke his arm, need to re-plan his bday party for Sunday

[LynnS6]

Ds is turning 11 next Monday. We had his birthday party scheduled for Sunday late afternoon. He and 4 of his friends were going to go to Sky High Sports, which is a really cool trampoline place, jump for an hour, then go have pizza.

And then this afternoon, he tripped over a friend while playing basketball, and fell on his outstretched arm. He's got a small fracture ('buckle fracture'). Sky High Sports is definitely out (as is the rest of his spring basketball season and the hours he spends outside playing basketball/baseball).

What can we do with 4-5 boys ages 10-12 at a 5 pm on a Sunday? It obviously can't be swimming, sports or anything actively. And hopefully it doesn't involve my TV/basement. (It would take me 3 days to get the basement in a state to host anyone, and I don't have those three days this week.)

[zebra15]

Can you take them TO a movie?  My DS is 11 and wants to see the new 'Pirates' movie this weekend (PG probably for language or something but its a claymation type thing).  You can take them out for pizza, DS still likes Chuck E Cheese on occasion and even w/a broken arm you kiddo should be ok there.

FWIW- a broken arm doesn't mean 'sit around and do nothing' anymore.  I see kids with broken - well darn near everything' these days and they seem to manage to keep right on going, cast/brace/ whatever.  There is no slowing most kids down.  While I agree that an hour of trampoline isn't a good idea and the place probably wouldn't let him in with a cast, I doubt a broken arm is going to keep him from playing outside for 6-8 weeks.

[mtiger]

Do you have a minor league baseball team anywhere locally? Tickets are usually quite reasonable ($10ish), and you may still be able to get some sort of deal including tickets and food for them. I know one of our local stadiums provides a hot dog, chips and a drink for kids this season - free!

[34me]

Even if you don't feel comfortable at the trampoline place it could still be an active birthday - laser tag, bowling if it's the non dominant hand, etc. my son broke his thumb in 2 places two weeks ago while playing ice hockey. He's in a bright orange cast from the tip of his thumb to his mid arm. It was formed around his lacrosse stick and he has continued to play HS lacrosse and hockey. I can see why b-ball would be out but a lot of other things aren't anymore.

Google "cast cooler", it's the coolest thing since sliced bread. If my ds wasn't getting his changed out next week we would have one.

[TiredX2]

Video Game arcade type place?  Movie?  Mini-golf?

I hope your DS is feeling better soon!

[LynnS6]

Sigh, it's his dominant hand. They just put a cast on and he'll be in it for 4-6 weeks. I think once the swelling goes down he'll be OK, I just don't know what it's going to be like for Sunday. Right now he can't even hold a pencil or zip anything up.

I'm leaning toward a movie + pizza. If I knew that he'd be able to use his hand, mini golf would be awesome.

I wonder how he'd feel about postponing his party?

[Super~Single~Mama]

Originally Posted by LynnS6 

Sigh, it's his dominant hand. They just put a cast on and he'll be in it for 4-6 weeks. I think once the swelling goes down he'll be OK, I just don't know what it's going to be like for Sunday. Right now he can't even hold a pencil or zip anything up.

I'm leaning toward a movie + pizza. If I knew that he'd be able to use his hand, mini golf would be awesome.

I wonder how he'd feel about postponing his party?

Ask him? The sooner you ask him, the more likely you are to come up with a solution that allows you to change it around, especially if you have a reservation at the trampoline place.

Pizza and a movie would be great, and maybe you can save the trampoline place for another occasion?

[LynnS6]

I will ask as soon as I get home from work. He's back at school, and I can't imagine the school being thrilled with me calling him with questions about the birthday party!

[LuckyMommaToo]

My sympathies to you! DS cracked his elbow a week before his seventh birthday, which was scheduled at a big indoor play place. His cast was on his non-dominant arm, at least, but it was shoulder to fingers. Surprisingly, My Gym didn't care about his cast, so we just did his party there anyway. I'm sure the ortho wouldn't have approved, but it was fine. I just had to remind him not to whack other kids with it!

Glad everyone has had such great suggestions for alternatives. I would say go ahead with it if there's anything that appeals to your DS, especially if it will be full-on summer where you are when he's cast-free. It may be harder to get the boys together by then.

Good luck!
-e

p.s. Perhaps you could promise him a playdate at Sky High sometime this summer with his one or two best buddies?

[earthgirl]

Could you do a hike somewhere with a scavenger hunt or something? 

Sorry about your DS's arm. My daughter broker her arm last year and that's just not fun.

[LynnS6]

Originally Posted by zebra15 

Can you take them TO a movie?  My DS is 11 and wants to see the new 'Pirates' movie this weekend (PG probably for language or something but its a claymation type thing).  You can take them out for pizza, DS still likes Chuck E Cheese on occasion and even w/a broken arm you kiddo should be ok there.

FWIW- a broken arm doesn't mean 'sit around and do nothing' anymore.  I see kids with broken - well darn near everything' these days and they seem to manage to keep right on going, cast/brace/ whatever.  There is no slowing most kids down.  While I agree that an hour of trampoline isn't a good idea and the place probably wouldn't let him in with a cast, I doubt a broken arm is going to keep him from playing outside for 6-8 weeks.

Thanks for the recommendation! We are going to see the new Pirates movie in 3D. Good compromise.

The cast is on for 4-6 weeks .It still hurts enough that he doesn't really want to play outside. I'm hoping that he'll be willing to try using the hand in a week or so.

[TiredX2]

Originally Posted by LynnS6 

Thanks for the recommendation! We are going to see the new Pirates movie in 3D. Good compromise.

The cast is on for 4-6 weeks .It still hurts enough that he doesn't really want to play outside. I'm hoping that he'll be willing to try using the hand in a week or so.

I hope he had a great time and his arm is feeling better soon!