My dd will be turning 9 in a few weeks and she's decided that she wants to have a small party/gathering/whatever you want to call it with a few friends. I have no idea what to do for this party since I'm sure cake, ice cream, and pin-the-tail-on-the-donkey don't fly with this age group. She wants to invite 5 kids (3 girls, 2 boys), so it can't be something slanted towards one particular sex.

Help! Does anyone have any good ideas? I'm desperate!

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"I learned the hard way that they all say things you want to hear." ~ Sara Bareilles

I hope it's not an over-nighter?!!! Better keep them Nyquil laced jello shots handy!

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"Go on, get outside, get the stink blown off ya!!"

Hmm...well, with both boys and girls it probably will be tough to come up with something that will work with both sexes. I'd probably consider taking them all to a movie and go back to the house for cake/ice cream. Or maybe something like mini golf, lazer tag, bowling etc

One year I got the kids face paint, games for little toys like musical chairs with the music they like, water ballons (if it's nice out and need a change of clothes unless at the end). This year 12 kids are going to lazer tag, batting cages, and arcade games in one place.

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No overnighter!!! Dd wants to invite both boys AND girls!!! I'm definitely not into unisex sleepovers!!!

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"I learned the hard way that they all say things you want to hear." ~ Sara Bareilles

putt putt and come back to your house and make pita pizzas( pizza on pita bread....all kids we have had here for parties wolf them down)..and rent a movie or borrow some from the library( or if you have a good selection...one of your own dvd's)...homemade lemonade and ice....works here for us...

Are there any indoor pools around you? My ds went to a coed swimming party a couple of weeks ago and they all had a blast. It was at a place that teaches swimming lessons that lets you do parties there on the weekends. They swam for an hour and a half and then had cake and ice cream. They thought it was very cool to go swimming in February.

Kids this age like games but not "baby" games like pin the tail on the donkey. They like action games. Think survivor or if they watch Endurance on Discovery kids. Have a survivor/Endurance party and have them participate in challenges. Have 2 person teams or 3 person teams. Obstacle course, chairs, boxes, rope tied around the dining room table legs, etc. then a cardboard puzzle at the end. Have a scavenger hunt. Give them maps and plant 4-5 clues with puzzle pieces, the first team to figure out the clues and find all the puzzle pieces and assemble the puzzle are the winners. Of course, this will work much better if it is nice outside and if you have a lot of room. Have a gross eating contest with mud pudding,(chocolate pudding, oreos and gummy worms), Eyeballs(peeled grapes), and other "gross" foods. Or you could just use the mudd pudding as the cake to keep up the Survivor/Endurance theme. Keep it simple and have at least 3 activities/challenges.

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"He that is of the opinion money will do everything may well be suspected of doing everything for money."
Benjamin Franklin

What kind of places are around you that rent out to birthday parties? Try an indoor pool, does a hotel have a water park near you, any place that has go carts, Pump it Up type of place, etc.

I'll be dealing with the same challenge here shortly! I am slanting toward bowling with pizza. This will be the first party with just a few kids instead of the huge ones we've had in the past, so I am a bit nervous about limiting the invites to a select few...