When you’re planning to throw a boy’s birthday party, it’s understandable to feel, shall we say, a bit nervous? Images of slightly too energetic ball games, smashed windows and dirty footprints on pale carpets might come to mind!

The key is to keep your guests, and the birthday boy, well and truly occupied. Here are a few tips to help you with damage control and have the best boy’s birthday bash ever.

Know that location means everything

A group of boys often means a lot of running, a whole heap of tackling and random objects projecting through space. Meaning – you’ll need a lot of it. If you don’t have a big front or back yard, opt for a public park or a beach with toilets, picnic tables and a wide-open grassy area.  

Choose an engaging theme

Themes have the power to make or break a party, especially when you pick those associated with games and activities.

For example, a Harry Potter theme may suit younger primary school boys, so they can dress as their favourite wizard, swirl their wands over garden frogs and put spells on each other to do silly things.

If you have that large yard, a camping party theme is great for older boys, especially if it’s a sleep-over and they can assemble their own tents.

You can also consider costume parties along the lines of super heroes, sporting greats and scary movie characters. Raid your local costume shop for theme-appropriate decorations, or create the vibe with balloons, table cloths and banners in suitable colours.

Keep the catering simple

For the most part, boys love simple food and there’s no need to spend hours slaving away in the kitchen. A hot dog cart is a fun solution. The boys will absolutely love lining up for one of their favourite, saucy foods, and there are plenty of different relishes available to keep things interesting.

Drinks are as easy as a fridge or eskies stocked with soft drink cans and juice bottles, so guests can help themselves and you don’t need to supply cups. Get creative for dessert, with bowls of jelly spliced with chocolate frogs or lollies such as snakes and zoo animals to complement the all-important birthday cake.

Don’t run out of activities

Chances are that once the party is in full swing, boys will occupy themselves with sports, running around and general fun. However, just to be sure, plan a few activities so they’re fully occupied. Games are your first port of call, with anything from a slip ‘n’ slide to cricket pitches and soccer nets.

Place random objects around the venue, to keep active limbs busy. Soccer balls, decks of cards, fun board games, yo-yos, boogie boards and building sets encourage interaction and play. For the little ones, pass the parcel and pin the tail on the donkey never go out of style.

Lastly, go into the event knowing that things will probably get messy, loud and outrageously funny. Once you accept that, you’re well on your way to throwing the best boy’s birthday bash ever!