How to have $100 > pandemic friendly birthday party for soon to be 10 YOG

[carameltooth]

hello all, possibly my first post, long time lurker

I am requesting ideas and brainstorming for a pandemic friendly birthday party for my daughter who is turning 10.

Some things to consider:

-needs to cost less than $100

- for 3-4 kids

- most likely needs to be outside, however, early March is a notorious time for all types of weather in Georgia

- hopefully they would not have to wear a mask the entire time

We have been racking our brain thinking about how to make this one special as she heads into double digits.  Any inspiration would be helpful,  thanks so much!!


-

[mozar]

Magic show
Scavenger hunt
A piņata
Craft party

[seemsright]

See if anyone you know has a projector and a switch. Have the switch go to the projector and have video games go to the wall of the garage (or other big wall) make a bunch of snacks. Think popcorn, chips, pizza, etc.. Hang all of the decorations. Make this a big deal. Have sparklers on the cake as candles. Play the best preteen music ever. My 10 year old loves Ava Max. Add a disco ball and party lights and you have it made.

We did DD's 10 year birthday at a disk golf course and made the fanciest picnic we could and we at out of the bed of our truck. She had a blast. Then we made her fav dinner of salmon and rice and went to the fancy grocery store and got bakery treats and sips (drinks) and she loved it.

[draco44]

Ninja or American Ninja Warrior theme? Incorporates masks into the party theme, encourages outdoor play running around a backyard or park.

[slappy]

What have you done in the past? What does she like? Are you including food/cake in that $100?

[ender]

Among Us?

[NonprofitER]

+1 on the projector idea. If you can borrow a projector and screen from someone (or rent cheaply), this would be an easy way to go.

We actually invested in both (screen/projector, less than $150 total) early in the pandemic and we've been able to have our DD (11yo) host friends safely several times for "outdoor movie night and s'mores" with a DIY fire pit. We have also set up the Nintendo Switch to project and have the girls play Mario Kart, etc. We just recently had neighbors spontaneously come watch the Super Bowl in our backyard also (and enticed the kids with smores - because now we've become known as "the s'mores house"). We've probably used the projector/screen 10x since last April - so its been worth it for us. 

When it gets dark out, the kids also all like to grab flashlights and run around the back yard playing "ghosts in the graveyard" (or other versions of nighttime tag). Cost = free. Someone once gave us something called "Rocket Copters" which are light up slingshot type things that the kids also love to use after dark outside. I think they're on Amazon for less than $20.

[Spiffy]

We had a "glow in the dark" party one year. I just bought a bunch of glow necklaces and sticks, fairy wands (star on top of glow stick) and let them run around in the back yard after dark. It was a November birthday in Texas, so it wasn't too cold and it gets dark early enough for a kids party to start after dark. I was going to plan some elaborate games, but remembered from other kids parties that they tend to make up something themselves, so I didn't bother. I was right and they had a blast. You can get glow stuff at the dollar store or order in bulk from Oriental Trading Company.

[Christof]

Meetings with more than person outside your own house hold are not allowed here, even if you are outside and at a safe distance. So we did a Zoom party for our 8-year-old in January.

We packed little bags with a few candies, some toys, a little book, juice, fruit, muffin and some play material. I delivered them to each guest (distancing and with a mask, obviously). We did a two hour party for which we signed up for one month to paid Zoom. During the party we played games like Dance freeze with a disco ball in our background, a memory game where we would hide one of the items previously laid out while disabling the camera, shared our favorite songs from YouTube, told some jokes, played guessing a number, and many other games. Oh, and guests were asked to wear the favorite carnival costume, even though it was a few weeks early. Everyone enjoyed it.

Starting was a little bit slow as it was new for everyone. But the kids soon warmed up.

[20957]

We're just doing a come-and-go playground "party" for my soon-to-be 7 year old. Something like 10 kids invited but I imagine there will only be 3 or 4 there at a time, and some will say no. It's a lightly used playground but it has cool equipment and a grassy field to run in. Snacks, juice boxes, and cupcakes on a picnic table. I will start Mother May I or Mr Fox Mr Fox if the kids need it, and I'll dump some sidewalk chalk on the walkway and put some balls around. I figure they will be pretty thrilled just to see each other so anything else will be overkill. Our yard is too small to run or have more than two kids at a proper distance, plus the I have to handle bathroom requests. Normally I would do a pinata but that's a close-up activity.

[carameltooth]

Thanks so much for all of your suggestions guys!  These are great and got some wonderful jumping off points.

[Car Jack]

Honestly........have a Zoom party.  There is zero chance I'd bring together a bunch of plague encrusted spreaders into my house.  The only person we've allowed in our house is my father in law and even then, we all wear masks and stay 6 feet away.  We know way too many people who used to be friends or parents of friends who wanted to share their love and as a result, they're now dead.