**Clare**-bowling

egpitt22

How did the 5 year olds do bowling?  There's a place right near our house that offers a nice bday package, but I wasn't sure how that age would do.  We took Jake bowling once and he did enjoy it, I just wasn't sure how it would go over in a party setting. 

northhillsbride

Well, overall I think the kids had fun. They placed 4 kids per lane and we set up their names on the electronic boards and all. The parents were very proactive in helping their kids bowl, too, so that helped.

I would say after an hour, though, they started to get bored. And that's why I would recommend that you do not utilize balloons in your party decorations. (At least any the grubby little hands to reach!) They ended up chasing each other around bopping balloons off each other. DH started confiscating and popping them.

We brought in pizza, a veggie tray and chips/drinks for food. It was very relaxed overall; well, when the kids weren't chasing each other anyway!

ETA: I should add that I took Gavin and Conall bowling about a month before to see if they liked it. Gavin got to pick where to have his party (from like 3 options) and he chose this - which was the most cost effective, too!

MandyMilller

I've been to a few bowling parties. Like Clare said, they seem to have fun for one game, then they are wandering around looking at the vending machines. Some of them will bowl another round after lunch, others turn it over to their parents and just hang out. I'd consider it for this age, but I'd keep it to 2 hrs. And I'd make sure they will put the blow up things in the gutters and provide some of those cheater ramps for the kids to use!

egpitt22

Thanks for the feedback!  1 game seems like more than enough to supervise, and bumpers are a must!