This year I am throwing my boyfriend's son's birthday party. The theme is going to be pirates as per his request. He's turning 11, and all the ideas that I have seen on the iternet, either by reading or watching videos, are all for little kids.
This is the first time that my boyfriend and I have ever done a party and we want it to be special. His mom has always done his parties before and we feel that he deserves better

{Last years party: was put on at our local bowling ally (think small town). During the party most of the adults spent the majority of the time in the bar gambling. Or some of them would bowl. Bowiling isn't something that any of the kids really wanted to do and it didn't keep them entertained so once they spent all their quarters on the arcade games they were bored.They is always alcohol at that side of the family's birthday parties, no matter who there for. And to top things off his mom was angry with him for not having fun; he was not misbehaving at all, he was just sitting at tables talking with adults.}

So needless to say I want to give him something better and make it more child-focussed than that. I will specifacally write on his mom's family's invititations not to bring any booze.
He has had ice cream cake for every birthday as far as anyone can remember. which he likes, but his dad and I were hoping to do something different for him if possible. He hates cake so that and cupcakes are out of the question. I would really like to make it go along with the theme. And I would prefer to buy it, I am not expirienced enough in the kitchen to be responsible for a birthday dessert. If it comes down to doing icecream cake I will drive 20min to the next town and get it from there, not at DQ like all the years before.
Food is another thing I'm stumped on. I've thought about maybe a sandwich platter from Subway, but any ideas you may have there would be appreciated.
Entertainment! What should I do at an 11 year old's party? Most kids will be about his age, a couple younger.

As far a location goes we hope to do it out at our house, we live out of town a bit and have 17 acres of high desert (thing sage brush and juniper trees). We may not do it at home though because we've seen a couple baby rattle snakes this summer. If not at home we will try for the park, if weather permits. Otherwise I will have it at a pizza place in that other town I was talking about.

Thank you so much for looking into this and any suggestions. Tips are welcome to since this is our first party to do.

If you can, go to Chicago's Ed Debevics Restaurant. It's LITERALLY the funniest restaurant you'll ever walk into. The staff dance on the countertops, they sing goofy versions of Happy Birthday, they'll make rude(in a humorous way)comments. I mean, if you want to be entertained while you dine, then this place I totally recommend. Have Fun. Not saying you HAVE to, it's like you said, just an Idea.
Mike

I'm seriously going to go out on a limb here and guess that they're not anywhere near Chicago based on this from their post:


As far a location goes we hope to do it out at our house, we live out of town a bit and have 17 acres of high desert (thing sage brush and juniper trees). We may not do it at home though because we've seen a couple baby rattle snakes this summer.

I don't think there is much desert and rattle snakes near Chicago. Aside from that, did you even read this? They are looking for an idea for a kids party. Who is going to take a bunch of kids to a place like that?

To the OP...

Do you have a Chuck E Cheese near you? Sometimes you can get a decent deal for parties from them and I haven't seen a kid yet that doesn't like that place... though I hate it. Lol.

We here in Chicago have siphoned water off Lake Michigan so the desert has disappeared, and we moved all the rattlesnakes to Nevada.

I like the Chuck E. Cheese idea. There is a huge variety of things to do, good pizza, and private rooms for parties. You can bring your own cake and favors, etc. or nowadays the restaurant might supply that stuff (for a price) to save you work.

We here in Chicago have siphoned water off Lake Michigan so the desert has disappeared, and we moved all the rattlesnakes to Nevada.

I like the Chuck E. Cheese idea. There is a huge variety of things to do, good pizza, and private rooms for parties. You can bring your own cake and favors, etc., or nowadays the restaurant might supply that stuff (for a price) to save you work.

Super great idea, but we live in a crappy small town (don't tell anyone I said that :) no we don't have anything like that, and the closest thing to that is a 30-50 min drive away and most people attending would rather not go that far, us included. Central Oregon...

What about a potluck? Would other guests contribute salads and desserts and you provide the stuff for sandwiches and the birthday cake?

Check out this site and all the links to the right. Adapt to fit an older child.

The Pirate Party by Birthday Party Ideas. (http://www.birthdaypartyideas.com/html/the_pirate_party.html)

Add a treasure hunt and a pin-the-sword-on-the-pirate game, maybe some races (three-legged race, ping-pong-ball-in-a-spoon race, etc.). If other adults are wiling to help, have it set up like a carnival with ports of call or enemy ship locations or something piratey as various stations for the games.