Football Training Camp -7yr- Kicking & Passing

INVITATIONS:  I cut little footballs out of cardboard boxes and drew laces on  one side to make it look like a football and wrote all the party info on the other side.  You are invited to a football training camp to celebrate (insert name) 's 7th birthday.  Camp Location: (address)  Camp Time:  Camp Date and Gear(we asked the kids to wear Viking(MN) colors or Viking shirts if they had one.  It made for some nice pictures and added to the fun. 

DECORATIONS:  Used Viking colors.  Found football stuff at the party store.  Had purple metallic fringe at the entry way purple/gold balloons and white streamers.  My husband also stuffed a shirt and pants with news paper attached a soccer ball for the head and put a helmet over the soccer ball to look like a football player.  He hung up the "dummy" near the window.  The kids loved it. 

GAMES:  We had a big sheet of paper that I wrote Go Team Go on.  When the kids arrived we had them sign their "autograph" and color the poster while waiting for everyone to come.  Later on we took a "team photo" with everyone around the sign.   We also had Viking tatoos  and a black grease stick for under their eyes.  Both were a  BIG hit.    After everyone arrived I handed out "scorecards" I had made for everyone.  It had their rookie name and a list of football moves they had to complete to become a "professional". 

1. Kicking- we put painters tape on one wall in the shape of a goal post and had the kids try to kick an inflatable football we found at the party store between the posts. 

2.  Passing- my husband hung a hula hoop between a door frame and had the kids try to throw it through the hoop.  Very important to have an adult catching on the other side. :)

3. Tackling- my husband used velcro to hang the hula hoop so he switched the hoop out and attached a stuffed duffel bag and had the kids run and "tackle" the bag.  We put an old futon mattress on the other side of the door so they could fall on the mattress. 

4.  Team Challenge- I asked around before the party and borrowed 2 sets of football pants 2 shoulder pads 2 big jerseys and 2 helmets.  Divided into 2 teams and had a dress up relay(although I didn't call it dress up:))  Each person had to dress carry the football take a picture by the dummy get past the blocker(hanging duffel bag) and run around a path then pass off to the next person and undress.  It was fun because the boys really got into it and were really helping each other out with the football equipment. 

5. Photo Op

6.  Running in Uniform off their scorecards. 

Then it was professional ceremony time.  We passed out dollar footballs to everyone who had a full scorecard.(everyone). 

CAKE- my BIL made a football cake.  Used a roaster pan for the main shape and some smaller can pans to arrange it into a football shape.  We had water but some of the kids were saying athlete drink gatorade.  That might have been a nice touch.  

FAVORS- I love doing a treasure hunt for these every year.  I pretended someone took the bags and left a clue instead.  They had to read the clues which led them to different places in the house and eventually found the bags.  It's fun to see them all working together.  The clues this year had a football theme.  Had Viking pencils sports stickers sport notebooks and candy in addition to the football.  My son decorated brown paper bags with markers and glitter.  He drew footballs and wrote their names and NFL on them. 

It was a good party for 10 energetic boys inside the house.  Too cold to go outside most of the time in January in MN!  They only thing I didn't have that I wish I would have had was a whistle.   Hope some people might find some good ideas here.  I have really appreciated this site."