party game ideas for 23 5 year olds ?

[ccfibers]

I am a dummy who allowed my oldest to invite his entire class, (22 kids) plus his cousins, to his birthday party on April 10. I have a few weeks to plan. but I need some ideas.

in total, if everyone came, there would be 23 5 year olds, one 3 year old, and one 2 year old. not as worried about the little girls (my daughter and my neice) as they will either play on their own or join in as needed, but I need to keep this party organized, or it will degrade into crazy very fast.

I have 2 rooms that the kids will be in mostly, both essentially living rooms, and not small rooms. plus the kitchen, and I am figuring that food will be in the kitchen, but that I will have to be flexible.

I have a dining room table I can pull out in one of the main rooms, but that would take up room from kid space, too...

My mom is making up paint cards for the kids- which is, poster paint on index cards that can be used like water paints with a wet paintbrush... not sure if that should be a use at party thing or a take home in goody bags thing though. I know I won't have a lot of room for all the kids to sit at once and paint.

so- ideas for activities?

the party is at 1, and I figure it will probably go for 2-3 hours.... I will need to plan for at least half hour to eat cake (cupcakes, I'm no dummy, that will be way easier), and probably about half an hour for my kid to open presents.

I could do a pinata I guess, but I would worry about that many kids and a stick swinging, plus I do not like to do tons of candy for kids- even to take home. my kids are STILL eating the candy they got from their cousin's party a few weeks back.

I coud look into getting a pin the tail game- though I might need 2 with so many kids... and maybe a small prize or prizes for the kid who gets closest to the right spot(s)?

I don't have enough chairs to do musical chairs for this may kids...

any other ideas?

by the way, my kid has chosen a thomas the tank engine theme, so anythign that goes along with that would be great.

this is the first time I am doing a party like this (its the first year one of my kids is in school) so i am a little out of my element.
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Theresa, WAHM of 3

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[dizzidaisy23]

With 23 kids, my vote is for the Quiet Game.
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Kari

WAHM to Joseph, Amelia, Tyler and Miranda

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[Shadow]

[mamamo]

freeze dancing contest? or simon says?

23 five year olds sounds like pure terror. Good luck with that...
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Nisha -- Calico Cottage Designs mama of 2 boys 1 girl a and a lab

Quote for the Day: “If you bungle raising your children, nothing else much matters in life." --Jackie Kennedy Onassis

[ccfibers]

Yeah, well, I had this breif thought that I used to teach preschool so I could hndle it. then I came to my senses, but I had already told him he could invite them all. next year, I think I may tell him something like- 5 friends, lol.
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Theresa, WAHM of 3

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[3_girls]

First of all the chance of everyone coming is almost zero. You should have between half and two thirds of the kids come that were invited. Second, I would skip presents. Have your child open gifts after the party. No 5 year old wants to sit and watch presents being opened for 30 minutes and your child probably won't make it through them all. Third, are parents staying at all or is this all you? Maybe you could talk to a few if it was meant to be a drop off party. Fourth, is there any activity that they can sit down and make. Maybe decorate a t-shirt as a party favor. A fun game might be something with a lot of balloons. They could hit and throw them around without hurting anything. Good luck! I am sure in the midst of it there will be lots of fun had by all.
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~Erica~

Mommy to Caitlyn (13), Jordyn (9), and Molly (almost 6) and our first boy, Nolan (23 months).
Married to Craig for 14 years!

[diggin]

will another adult or two be there? if so, i would make 2-3 game zones and split the group up and rotate.

in germany the most popular party game is called "topf schlagen" and it basically entails a cooking pot turned over (bottom up) with a prize under it, a wooden spoon and a blindfold. the child who is up is blind-folded and spun around while someone puts the pot somewhere away from the child. the child has to crawl and feel for the pot with the wooden spoon (have an extra spoon or two on hand, just in case ). everyone then says hot or cold until the blindfolded child finds the pot by hitting it with the wooden spoon.

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my name is bond, my name is bond. james bond, james bond
a.k.a. michi -- mama to 4 dingle dangles: jago 10, lodei 9 solen 7, my baby anoki is 6
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[Seun Designs Inc.]

Cookie decorating and the telephone game.
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Margaret

Seun Designs Inc. on Etsy

[Miasmama]

Spider:). Take yarn or string and wound it all around the house. Then give each kid one to follow.
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Kristin~~ Mama to Mia, Wyatt and Mathieu.

[Amanda0131]

hot potato, heads up 7-up, duck duck goose, look up some of the "minnute to win it games" you can make teams and go that route.......
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Mommy to Cash 4-4-08, Wife to Jacob 8-19-06

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[BB Butts Diapers]

I just had a party for my 5 year old DD this past weekend....their favs...

TAP...balloons, don't let them touch the ground

Decorating...rather than me doing all the mini cake decorating myself, I let them and it kept them busy over 45 mins. I did do a fondant covered mini cake but let them "paint" them with glitter, sprinkles, icing, play with the extra fondant (edible playdough)


Pin the Tail on the Donkey...or for you Pin Thomas on the track Simple game that is still a winner through the ages!

I did find if I handed out something small every once in awhile it kept things rolling along nicely.
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Michelle
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[Amanda0131]

For the Pinata, you can do a pull string one and put things like bouncy balls and pencils and stickers in it. From the dollar store or if you have time Oriental Trading has great deals for higher quantity like that!
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Mommy to Cash 4-4-08, Wife to Jacob 8-19-06

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[junko]

[Babycakies]

Pinata!!!
I did arts and crafts and changed every 20-25 mintues.
Playdough,.. make your own. Give them rolling pins, cookie cutters etc.etc. take a box of glad bags and divide it up when done playing and send each child home with a lump!!

Beading braclets.. some lacing and pony beads or wooden beads.

Funny hats - get pom pom and glue , those sticky shapes and make newspaper hats and let them decorate them. Use glue sticks or stickers for less mess.


We also did a decorate your own cupcake and build your own pizza (mini pizza). Course,.. we had our own bakery at the time and that made it easier and roomier
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~Melanie
- WAHM to Peanut(Dec 03), Bean(May 05) and Sprout (Apr 07).

EweWearEmS
Closed - All booked up!

[Babycakies]

Oh,.. the nice thing about a pinata - you can give the kids all a brown paper bag with their name on it and that becomes their grab bag or take home bag.
With a silly hat and a lump of playdough you are home free!!
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~Melanie
- WAHM to Peanut(Dec 03), Bean(May 05) and Sprout (Apr 07).

EweWearEmS
Closed - All booked up!