Soph the vet Posted September 20, 2008 Share Posted September 20, 2008 My ds is turning 8 and having 5 friends over for a party this weekend. So far we are planning an obstacle course, tug-o-war, water balloon battle, and they will assemble his 500 army guys in some kind of historic battle scene that I can photograph and send with thank-yous. I have helmets, dog tags, face paint and "rifles" for each kid. Any fun games your dc have played that would go along with this theme? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tutor Posted September 20, 2008 Share Posted September 20, 2008 We always do some form of pin the tail on the donkey at birthday parties. Maybe you could make up a poster of a soldier and some ribbons or medals that have to be pinned on his uniform. In the past, we've done: -Pin the beak on the duck -pin the ball in the soccer goal -pin spiderman on the spiderweb -pin the carrot on the snowman -pin the tail on the dinosaur The kids love the specificity of the game to the theme. I don't know the layout of where the party is or the time, but could you play capture the flag or flashlight tag? You could also have a Simon Says type game using "bugle calls". Have, say, five different calls that you play on the "bugle" (you could use a kazoo) and have an action assigned to each call (attention, salute, at-ease, about face, forward march, halt, or whatever) and the kids have to try to remember what the calls mean and follow the commands properly. Sounds like a great party! Have fun! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Starr Posted September 20, 2008 Share Posted September 20, 2008 You can find directions on line for mini marshmallow guns made with pvc pipe. You blow the marshmallows through the gun. This was great fun for our 12 and 13 year olds. (Don't do this inside!!! Cancel if weather is intolerable! :) ) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kanga Posted September 20, 2008 Share Posted September 20, 2008 I think you have planned a great party! My dh found water balloons that look like hand grenades when filled with water at Walmart. My dc love the adaptation of pin the tail. For a Star Wars bday party they made a pin the head on Jengo Fett. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AndyJoy Posted September 20, 2008 Share Posted September 20, 2008 I love coming up with birthday theme stuff! Here are my ideas. Take a photo of each child in a uniform jacket/hat standing next to an American flag like soldiers do when they enlist have an "army crawl" relay Divide into two teams. Put 2 sets of jackets, boots, hats, dog-tags, pants, etc. at one end of the yard and have a relay. The first child must put on the pants, then run back, and take them off. Then second child must put on the pants, run down and put on the boots, and run back. He then takes off the boots and pants, which the third child puts on and then runs down and adds the jacket, etc. until the final child is fully dressed. Serve food on cafeteria-style trays. Check Wal-mart or your dollar store for these. Label the serving table as "Mess Hall" in stencil font use stencil font to label other areas of the house such as the restroom (Latrine), bedrooms (barracks), etc. my Dollar Tree has army themed pencils, noisemakers, cups, banners, etc. right now make or buy camoflauge bandanas as party favors play capture the flag have each child clip a clothespin to their clothes. If they forget to say "Yes ma'am/sir" or "no ma'am/sir" to any superior officer (adult), the child who catches them gets to take a clothespin from them. The child with the most clothespins at the end gets a prize. have them draw and/or write pictures/cards and save them to mail to soldiers in combat or wounded (lots of links online for where to send) play musical chairs with military/Americana songs Play "salute tag" (like freeze tag). Anyone who is caught must stand at attention saluting until someone tags them while saying "at ease" address everyone as "private LastName" visit your local Army recruiter and see what he might give you in terms of posters, pencils, stickers, lanyards, etc. These are off the top of my head--I may add more ideas later! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AndyJoy Posted September 20, 2008 Share Posted September 20, 2008 Buy an MRE at an Army/Navy surplus store and let the kids taste what soldiers eat in combat! you can usually get uniforms at thrifts stores (for the dressing relay) play "Drill Sergeant Says" instead of "Simon Says" (if you have a family friend who is in the army, it might be fun to invite him to come in uniform and lead this, talk to the kids, and maybe even sign autographs!) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
keptwoman Posted September 20, 2008 Share Posted September 20, 2008 I have no ideas but I LOVE the theme! I've been angsting over DS 9's party and this is perfect for him!! Thanks so much I'm subscribing to this thread :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Soph the vet Posted September 20, 2008 Author Share Posted September 20, 2008 Thanks for all the great ideas! I'll keep checking in to see what else gets posted. Does anyone know about some kind of "rescue the injured soldier" game where they carry eachother on a beach towel? What are the rules or goals? I spent an hour yesterday constructing our cardboard tunnel and the night before that to make a wooden balance beam for the obstacle course. The kids are having great fun with them already! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NorthwestMom Posted September 20, 2008 Share Posted September 20, 2008 We did a rescue the injured soldier with 2 teams. Each team had to wrap a roll of bandages (toilet paper) around their soldier, then load him onto a beach towel and bring him to safety. When the team crossed the line, they were each given a roll of Life Savers as a prize. The other popular game we did was giving each kid a balsa plane to assemble, and then having them try to land their plane on the Aircraft Carrier by throwing it from our deck onto a picnic table several feet away. It was pretty hard and some kids stuck with it a long time. Have fun! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mom2legomaniacs Posted September 20, 2008 Share Posted September 20, 2008 Not a game, but a craft. We did parachutes made out of plastic grocery bags and launched them from the top of the fort. That was hit! It was 5 years ago so I don't recall the link. But you could google and likely find some. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TraciWA Posted September 20, 2008 Share Posted September 20, 2008 This is what I could come up with. Hope it's helpful.:001_smile: Parachute men dropped from a stairwell at a target. Mess kitchen type lunch. Sometimes if you contact your local recruitment office you can get freebies to give out as prizes. Camo make up on the face. Silly string fight in the back yard. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tap Posted September 20, 2008 Share Posted September 20, 2008 You have been given great ideas and I don't have anything to add in that way. I would however like to offer a suggestion that you make sure to talk to the parents of each child invited and make sure they know your theme. With the current war and many children being affected by it, with families who are currently deployed or the political views of the family, they may choose to not attend. We also have friends who are very, anti-gun and while the party theme would be OK they would not like a toy rifle to come home. I love your idea and think it could be very fun, but I know of one family in particular who recently lost a family member in Iraq, who would be emotionally stung to walk into an Army party. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Soph the vet Posted September 21, 2008 Author Share Posted September 21, 2008 You have been given great ideas and I don't have anything to add in that way. I would however like to offer a suggestion that you make sure to talk to the parents of each child invited and make sure they know your theme. With the current war and many children being affected by it, with families who are currently deployed or the political views of the family, they may choose to not attend. We also have friends who are very, anti-gun and while the party theme would be OK they would not like a toy rifle to come home. I love your idea and think it could be very fun, but I know of one family in particular who recently lost a family member in Iraq, who would be emotionally stung to walk into an Army party. We do know all the families really well (they are all in our homeschool co-op and one other best friend) and they all know the theme. I did clue them in when we invited them just for the reasons you have pointed out. I will also just say that we are studying from the Civil War through the present this year so there are a lot of wars to learn, remember, and discuss. My dc are well aware that war is hell, literally. We do not glorify it in our home. We do have military family members and my ds loves his plastic army guys, that is why we picked the theme this year. Thanks for all the great suggestions! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TXMomof4 Posted September 21, 2008 Share Posted September 21, 2008 You can find directions on line for mini marshmallow guns made with pvc pipe. You blow the marshmallows through the gun. This was great fun for our 12 and 13 year olds. (Don't do this inside!!! Cancel if weather is intolerable! :) ) Love, love, love marshmallow guns! That would be a FUN party favor too. (And cheap!) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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