<p>I am planning my d’s high school graduation party. We are expecting about 30, pretty much all girls. It will be a mix from school and crew team.</p>
<p>We have a large yard and will put up a tent. Menu is still TBD. D has asked for a flying saucer cake.</p>
<p>I want to have a few things available for the girls to entertain themselves if so inclined. I thought karaoke might be fun - can anyone recommend a suitable machine and how best to get the music? Has anyone tried bocce with this age group?</p>
<p>They are big Settlers of Catan fans, will go to ComicCon this weekend, very bright kids. (This is the group that decorated gingerbread houses for my d’s surprise 16th birthday party.)</p>
<p>I like bocce but that game is hit or miss at that kind of event. I would ask your daughter if she thinks her friends would play it. Good luck.</p>
<p>Combination of menu and activities could include buying a firepit and roasting marshmellows/smores.</p>
<p>Volleyball is always fun.</p>
<p>We filled a pinata (in the shape of the school mascot) with college must-haves and childhood nostalgia items: from toothbrushes to action figures. It was a huge hit, and such fun to watch a bunch of 18-year-olds regressing to their 6-year-old selves.</p>
<p>Our party (for three guys) was a family affair. When the adults arrived, we gave everyone an index card and asked them to write down a mistake they made in college that they would not recommend repeating. Later in the party, each senior read one of the cards out loud. It was a hoot.</p>
<p>I’m a not a party gimmick person, and one of my co-host moms suggested both of these things. I was skeptical, but I’d do them again. After the mistake-reading, which I really thought would bomb but was a highlight, one girl came up to me and said it was the best graduation party ever. I wouldn’t recommend too many planned activities, though. Everyone just enjoyed hanging out and talking.</p>
<p>We catered the food from Whole Foods, but we also had a lemonade “stand” and a hot dog vendor–a real one (we live in the city).</p>
<p>For my niece’s HS grad party 2 years ago, her other uncle (i.e. not my H) made a great slip 'n slide in the back yard – laid down a long piece of heavy-duty plastic, squirted liquid soap all down it, and had a hose of constantly running water running down the length of the plastic. This party was in July, and it was really hot & humid. Her brother (our nephew) graduates this year, and they’re already talking about the slip 'n slide.</p>
<p>I want to go to geezermom’s party.</p>
<p>^^ Seems like yesterday, but now they’re all almost seniors–again.</p>
<p>I don’t know where you live, but in the midwest and on the east coast (only mentioning areas I am familiar with), bags (aka, bagg-o, cornhole) are big games. If the girls haven’t been exposed to it yet, it might be fun to get a set and let them experiment.</p>
<p>If, as a freshman, they show up at a party and look like they know how to throw a bag, it will impress the boys!</p>
<p><a href=“http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cornhole[/url]”>http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cornhole</a></p>
<p>My daughter says that at most of the parties she went to last year, they played Apples to Apples. It’s fun, easy, lots of laughs and not a team game, anyone can play.</p>
<p>There’s a game called Ladder Ball that’s become pretty popular at outdoor parties around here. Available at Modells or online…always a hit, very easy to put together and play, and probably more ‘girl friendly’ than bocce or horseshoes. It’s already been requested for S1’s college grad party next month.</p>
<p>teri, that’s funny that you posted that because I grew up playing that game… had my own set as a kid. Never knew anyone else who did till recently.</p>
<p>Around here Kubb is popular. My daughter even took it to college and her summer job.
[Kubb</a> - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia](<a href=“http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kubb]Kubb”>Kubb - Wikipedia)</p>
<p>Rock Band is a good one too … guitar, drums, mic, etc … maybe you can borrow one.</p>
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<p>We are having a combined party for D and her friend and this sure would go over well. geezermom - what kind of stuff did you use for the pinata - especially, the college must-haves?</p>
<p>We have at least 90 people coming at this point, probably many more. I was going to have a local band play but unfortunately some of the members are out of town. I think with that many people I am not going to do any activities. I know last year one girl had a photo booth. It was great fun for all the kids attending to make silly pictures with their friends. We were thinking of renting a snowcone or cotton candy machine but not sure. We already have a cornhole game and some stand-up video arcade games that are always a hit.</p>
<p>arisamp–This is a real test of my memory. We went to the Dollar Store and let our imaginations run wild: toothbrushes, mini-rubber duckies, erasers, clothespins, little action figures, hairbands, etc. We probably had 10 or 15 different things.</p>
<p>We had the usual outdoor games but big hit was laser tag. Had them come to the house and the kids (30 0f them) had a great time.</p>
<p>geezermom - thanks! Had a good laugh reading your PM too.</p>
<p>We are having two parties - one for family and friends and a combined party for just her school friends. D has asked if we could rent a popcorn/cotton candy machine - I was planning on getting that for just the family party. But perhaps I could rent it again for the friend party as well. Need to go figure out how much these rentals cost!</p>
<p>As a younger person, Kan Jam is really popular on my campus - it’s a frisbee lawn game. As for board games (sorta), Mad Gab and Taboo are both really fun to play with a group of people and result in a lot of laughs. I also second Apples to Apples. Having some loose frisbees and hula hoops around might not hurt either.</p>