19983

Football Party -8yr- PVC Field Goal

June 2009

Jennifer in Limerick, PA USA

Honorable Mention

Football Party  8 year old  I'm a big fan of backyard birthday parties, so when my son decided he wanted a Football theme for his 8th year old birthday party I was all for it.  

First, we sent out invitations that said Are you ready for some Football? on the front.   On the inside I asked everyone to wear their favorite football team's jersey or t-shirt and to RSVP to Coach Mom.  We kept tet invites down to a dozen to allow for some organized football themed games.  

I decorated the backyard with my son's favorite team's colors, black and gold, for the Steelers of course.   We had black and gold streamers and balloons, and gold table coverings with sports themed paper plates and napkins that I found at the Dollar Store.    

While we waited for everyone to arrive the kids jumped in the moon bounce.  Once everyone was there, I put on the Black Eye grease to make everyone look like real football players.   Then we took a couple of group photos of everyone and individual Heisman Trophy style pictures.  We used these pictures in our Thank You notes after the party.    

After the pictures were taken it was time for our two prize games.  I purchased Football Piggy Banks from Target for the prize. 

The first game was a throwing contest.   The kids had to throw a football through a hula hoop that I suspended from our upper deck (it could easily be held by an adult).   The child that threw the ball through the hoop from the farthest away won a prize.  It was neat to see the kids really concentrating and the other kids cheering each other on.   

Our next game was a kicking contest.   My husband made a really big (10 feet tall by 5 feet wide) football field goal from PVC pipe complete with streamer wind flags at the top.   It was really easy to make and was a hit at the party.  The kids had to kick the ball through the uprights.   The kid that could kick it threw from the farthest away won a prize.     

It was now time for lunch.  We served hot dogs and chips and of course we had Gatorade for our thirsty athletes.  I made football helmet and football shaped Jello Jigglers.   I also had a healthy selection of raw veggies and dips.  While we were eating it was time to find out the winner of our next game. 

Throughout the party the kids had to guess how many gumballs were in the empty spaghetti jar (the party was in May and I couldn't find any football candy, perhaps during football season you could find football shaped candies).  I play this game at almost every party, it's very inexpensive and lots of fun.  The kids will study the jar and sometimes even try to count what's inside.  It's amusing to hear their guesses.   The person closest to the real number wins the jar of candy/gum. 

The kids played in the moonbounce while we waited for everyone to finish eating.  Then it was time for a game of flag football.  The football field goal that my husband made came in handy during the flag football game too.  The teams were evenly divided and the field was already marked off.   We started at center field with a coin toss and then when the whistle blew the game was on.    

After the game it was time to sing Happy Birthday.  My son doesn't like cake so I made brownies and my sister decorated them with a big football design.  I also served vanilla ice cream cups with the brownies.   After that my son opened his opened presents and handed out the goodie bags. 

The goodie bags were clear plastic bags with a football motif.   Inside I put a football foul flag, whistle, football pencil, football rubber bracelet, football stickers, fruit snacks, football lollipop and other candy (no chocolate, although our weather was a beautiful 75 degrees, it could have been much hotter and I didn't want anything to melt). I got most of the goodie bag stuff from Oriental Trading. 

The party was just about wrapping up.   While the kids waited for their parents to pick them up, they played some more flag football and jumped in the moonbounce.   It was a fun and easy party.   The kids in the neighborhood are still playing with the football field goal and can't wait to find out what's in store for next year.

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