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Children's parties

(54 Posts)
Gorki Wed 13-Mar-13 23:02:15

We are organising an "old-fashioned" birthday party for our twin grandchildren in May.They will be 6 and there will be both boys and girls present.Does anyone remember any of the games we or our children used to play? There are the obvious:musical chairs,statues and bumps,dead lions and pin the tail on the donkey but what about any others? Hopefully some could be outdoor games.And what about food? What did we like to eat apart from sausages and cheese and pineapple on sticks and jelly and ice-cream?Any thoughts on the subject would be most welcome.

catwoman Thu 14-Mar-13 15:14:27

The 'Bone' wont break came after the dog wants a bone & the person who was the bone got heavy pats on their back as you chant The bone wont break!!! Have fun X

Gorki Thu 14-Mar-13 15:24:52

Very funnny Orca!
Perhaps we'll leave that line out catwoman!!Did you invent it?

Butty Thu 14-Mar-13 15:48:55

Plenty of time to make a Pinata here. Remember doing one for my boys - lots of fun.

or you could buy one.

Gorki Thu 14-Mar-13 15:58:48

Sorry Butty but what is a Pinata?

wisewoman Thu 14-Mar-13 16:22:17

The game where you roll a ball between legs is played in teams. Front person holds ball and rolls it between legs of all the team (in a row) and the person in the back catches it and then runs up to front. Do the same over and over until original front person back. They hold up the ball and shout "done". First team finished are the winners. Does that make sense??? confused

Butty Thu 14-Mar-13 16:27:40

Gorki - If you click on the (not very) blue word 'here' on my previous post, it'll take you to the link.

Movedalot Thu 14-Mar-13 16:31:43

No catw has remembered the end of the game. They only pat which shouldn't hurt.

numberplease Thu 14-Mar-13 16:35:46

Poor pussy.
Everyone sits around in a circle. The one who is "pussy" goes round on hands and knees, going up to people and going "Miaow". You have to stroke pussy`s head, and say "Poor pussy", but without laughing. If you laugh, you`re the next Pussy.

Then there`s Postman`s Knock.

Orca Thu 14-Mar-13 19:04:05

A favourite with mine was Little Willy.

Hunt Thu 14-Mar-13 19:37:13

All these posts and no one has mentioned Blancmange.Ours was made in a mould shaped like a rabbit and served on a plate with chopped-up green jelly round the rabbit for grass.

merlotgran Thu 14-Mar-13 19:56:41

Gorki, Kick the can is similar to hide and seek but not so boring for those waiting to be found. You place a tin can or small bucket in the middle of the lawn, someone is 'it' and does the usual counting while the others hide. The object (for the hider) is to wait until the seeker is distracted by looking for someone else then sneak or dash back to the can and kick it (shouting KICK THE CAN) - then you are safe. If the seeker sees you he/she has to race back to the can and kick it before you do - then you are out. The game ends when all the hiders have either made it back to the can or been beaten to it. grin

LullyDully Thu 14-Mar-13 20:38:38

Twiglets and iced gems lovely. Both quite horrible now i should imagine but used to love them.

You could also do retro goodie bags .....can't remember if we had them, don't think we did.. didn't you just get a balloon and a slice of cake? Fine by me.

GCh get some awful rubbish in them and they cost quite a bit.

A fort cake sounds good too I remember them.

My mother once made a cake iced in green, as it was my brother's favourite colour. One dear little boy said green meant POISON so no one would eat it. My mother was mortified.

Gorki Thu 14-Mar-13 20:55:22

Poor Pussy and Kick the Can will definitely be on my list.
Orca what is Little Willy?Sounds rude !
Thanks Butty.Now I know what a pinata is.
Blancmange is good Hunt,especially chocolate.
Thanks wisewoman.A bit like your balloon game.

Gorki Thu 14-Mar-13 21:07:07

LullyDully I can imagine how your mother felt.All that effort !
I shall have to think about the party bags to take home.As you say,a lot of them now are filled with expensive rubbish.Has anyone got any thoughts on this score?

Hunt Fri 15-Mar-13 09:23:47

Just remembered a wartime party when my Mum made BANANA sandwiches. And before you say,''No bananas in the war'' I'll let you into a secret. The sandwiches were made with mashed parsnip with banana essence added. Everyone thought they were marvellous!

Elegran Fri 15-Mar-13 09:35:36

Our wartime children's parties (in army married quarters) were improved no end by having a friend in the cookhouse. He had a sideline in iced birthday cakes. No-one liked to ask where he sourced his ingredients.

annodomini Fri 15-Mar-13 09:47:35

Hunt, your mother and mine must have been reading the same practical hints. I well remember the parsnip banana sandwiches - and what a revelation the real things were at the end of the war!
LullyDully, my wedding cake was decorated in very pale green icing. I don't know why this happened because I didn't order it. The reception was outdoors in brilliant tropical sunshine, so perhaps they did it to avoid dazzling the guests with pure white icing! It didn't poison anyone.

Galen Fri 15-Mar-13 10:24:02

I loved banana sandwiches, haven't thought of them for years! How many calories do you reckon in one?

LullyDully Fri 15-Mar-13 10:27:25

Of course not Annodomini! Tropical wedding sounds good.

Remember a fort cake at a boy's party when I was 5. It was covered in very soft butter icing and obviously took at lot of love and work. I brushed past it and smudged the tableau. I was mortified . The mother went mad and screamed for the criminal to own up. I was so frightened I kept quiet and licked my hand surreptitiously.

It has stayed with me and think this is one of the few times I have owned up to the offence!! hmm

annodomini Fri 15-Mar-13 10:44:30

My DS is a bit of a whizz at theme cakes for his sons' parties. The first one was a pirate ship with soft butter icing. The party was held in the pleasure garden at Blenheim Palace where the kids could run wild - within reason - and the cake was left in the car until it was time for its ceremonial entrance. By the time DS got to it, it was in danger of collapsing in the sun that was warming the car up to oven temperature. It was still just about recognisable as a pirate ship when it reached the table - and tasted just as good as ever.
Just as well little brother's birthday is in December.

Movedalot Fri 15-Mar-13 11:16:29

Can you still get Artic Roll? It was in a play we saw last night! Ice-cream floats, lemonade with a scoop of ice-cream in. Lots of ideas for cakes for boys, hedgehogs, football, someone has already said fort, farm, cowboys, I've done them all.

Can I come, it sound fun? Perhaps we should hae a GN retro party?

LullyDully Fri 15-Mar-13 11:42:53

yes, i am just in the mood so long as I get a balloon.

Pamaga Fri 15-Mar-13 11:55:15

Don't make the mistake of serving little sausages, cheese, pineapple cubes etc speared with cocktail sticks if you are also providing straws with the party drinks. I did this at a 5-year old boy's birthday party and they had great fun using the straws as pea (or in this case cocktail stick) shooters! Amazing no one pierced their eye with one!

Gorki Fri 15-Mar-13 12:07:28

Thanks for all these great ideas and anecdotes.I am reading them all with great interest.I love banana sandwiches and also baked bean ones.I tried peanut butter and jam the other day but found it revolting.Thanks for the warning about cocktail sticks and straws.I would not have thought of that one.No ideas about the party bags yet?

Movedalot Fri 15-Mar-13 12:34:13

They also use the cocktail sticks to make holes in disposable cups!