My eldest is 10 in a couple of weeks and we were going to take her and some [girl] pals to our local go-karting place. But they're not really offering much – 15 mins on the track for £13.00 each, no races, just going round and round for 15 mins and that's your lot. Not impressed.

So, apart from them going to the cinema and then a meal, anybody got a good/different idea of what to offer her?

pony rides at local stable?

pony rides at local stable?

She and one friend already ride. If they all went for a lesson it would be based on the least capable rider – which would mean walking in circles for 30 mins. She's already said that wouldn't be fun.

I did pottery painting once on a hen weekend – older crowd obviously but there were loads of female children in there seemed to be having a great time. Sounds lame I know but was surprisingly fun.

Pottery is a good one but they've done that one to death 🙁 Bleedin kids….. 😉

your local climbing centre? something like this: http://manchesterclimbingcentre.com/childrens-parties/birthday-parties/

Taxidermy?

Ice skating?

Are you sure its not you who wants to do the go karting?

we've done:

pony riding (need to be younger)
disco (can invite loads)
ice skating (difficult getting them all there)
climbing (a good one)
pottery (boring)
hire the local pool (can invite loads and suprisingly cheap)
as above but water walking
photo shoot (expensive but they loved it)
massive sleepovers (**** hate them)

We nearly did cwmcarn uplilft party but it was a bit hard logisticly speaking

She's surprisingly keen to go karting 🙂

She's already been to (and therefore not very keen on repeating):
ice skating (might be able to repeat)
climbing
pottery
hire the local pool
massive sleepovers
disco
cinema/meal (best bet for a repeat)
bowling

I could just offer her the DSi upgrade that she's after instead of a party but I think we're a bit late for that.

A friend of MrsP's got in touch with a local conservation group and arranged a bug hunt for the kids – a few hours in the woods with someone who knew what they were looking for/at. The kids loved it.

Check the local Yellow Pages for themed entertainers. We got a Dr Who themed party for our son a couple of years ago with full sized Dalek.

Failing that there' always cinema and pizza.

Just had another thought. Is there an artificial ski slope anywhere near you?

Forgot to add to the 'been there' list – indoor skiing at Chill Factor in Manchester.
Bleedin 'eck….. how come they get to do all this stuff? They're off to see the X factor tour in April (target age!) as well.

Cinema and pizza top of the list at the moment (always top of my list anyway).

How about an old fashioned – part around the house with games and such!

It's all I ever got, . . snif!

My daughter's 12 this time. Wish I'd done something girlie and aimed at young children for her 10th Birthday ( Princess party dresses, jelly and ice cream) because now she's at high school she's acting like she's 18! This year she's having a spa day with some friends and a meal. I'm allowed to go along, but not allowed to hang out with them or even sit with them for the meal! There's me thinking I was a pretty cool young Mum, but no 🙁

I'm allowed to go along, but not allowed to hang out with them or even sit with them for the meal!

who is the parent and who is the child in this situation?! i would be telling them to pay for the meal if they dont want you there.

(disclaimer – i dont have 12 year old children so i dont know what its like – end of disclaimer)

My 10yr old daughter, last Nov, had a group of mates and went swimming (slides etc) then came back to our house for pizza, DVD, make-up and girlie giggling! Most successful!

My daughter's 11th was at the Arial Xtreme in Knowsley by the safari park. That went down well

And there she learned to spell aerial properly…..

Guess I just know how she feels, I would have been much the same had my Mum wanted to come along with me and my mates. I don't really understand, as all her friends think I'm pretty cool, but she finds me quite embarrassing! Maybe it's my dancing/ singing/ terrible jokes. I don't know. As far as Mum's go I think I'm pretty hip (lol, I've just proven her point haven't I?!)

Depends where you live, but skiing, snowboarding or tobogganing at an indoor ski slope can be fun.

cinema/meal (best bet for a repeat)

You've answered your own question.

What about indoor sky diving??? Kid you not. It's next to the chill factore
http://www.airkix.com/default.asp?css=1

Skydiving?

Great idea but £15.00/minute 😯

Bloody hell! Never looked at the prices, nor will I again if they're that much….