7 Year Old Birthday

Why not ask her?
My 6 and 8 yr olds picked their celebrations this year. I gave them a couple of options that I thought were suitable, and they chose for themselves.
Take the stress out of it.

I'm a big believer in making memories with kids, not in giving expensive gifts or throwing massive parties for the entire school, which seems to be an unfortunate trend.

You want her to look back on her birthdays, family vacations, and so on as memory-making events. I'd go for bowling since she loves it (some places have special things like doing it in dim light while everyone wears glow necklaces and so forth), or for Aladdin (I grew up on Long Island when schools had money for field trips, and we saw plays all the time - glorious!). Seeing a real musical, learning how to sit in a theater and take in the whole live experience vs. watching it on a screen - all priceless!

Skip the tablet. She's 7. For electronics, I think kids need to learn to put in some of their own money (chores, dog walking, allowance, whatever) so they value it more and don't see it as something you'll just replace if they break it.

I'm a big believer in giving them "experiences". My husband and I were just discussing that we have no idea what we gave the kids for their birthdays but we remember every detail of vacations....just a thought.

Ask her what she wants. It's HER birthday!

For many years my oldest was undecided about where to have her birthday party and who to invite so we gave her the option to see a Broadway show instead. I can tell you she remembers every one of her trips to Broadway and they are now cherished memories. The birthday parties to the skating rinks, movie theatres etc. are all but forgotten.

I think you should ask your daughter. She is old enough to have an opinion. And no one online knows her well enough to know if she loves musical theatre so much that she would forgo a party with her friends, or if she would be really disappointed to miss out on friend-time for a show or other gift.

I've found on son remembers experiences much longer than he remembers gifts. A gift just tends to get lost in the general shuffle, but an experience that we can all talk about, he really seems to enjoy.

If she goes to Aladdin or gets a tablet she won't get a party? I would do the party. I think every child deserves a party. Save the tablet or the play for Christmas. Birthday parties not only create wonderful memories for your child, but they are a great opportunity for you as parents to observe you child's friends in a group setting and see the dynamics in the group. I am talking about a party where her friends are invited, not one of those affairs where every kid in school is invited. Of course, ask your daughter if she would like a party.

My son did a bowling party for his 7th and he loved it. One of his friends told him he was going to have a bowling party for his next bday b/c it was so much fun. I think experiences are always nicer than actual gifts so I saw bowling or the play.

Oh, do the bowling thing! It would be so much fun for your daughter and her friends.

I think the idea of making memories is wonderful. When I was 8, my friend invited me to a firehouse-pizza-place birthday party. I still remember loving it, and I'll be 46 next month. :)

What does SHE want to do and what can you afford to do?

I like the experience gifts, however around age 7 is when a lot of children are having parties at bowling, skating, etc. I'd ask for her input and then go from there with my decision.

My daughter did a bowling birthday party last year! (age 6). All the parents came too and we ordered pizza. It was a lot of fun. I think I agree with others...ask your daughter which she prefers to do this year to celebrate. Happy birthday!

I think bowling party for birthday.

Aladdin can be a great mother-daughter day any time - Aladdin and tea at American Girl Store, ice cream at Serendipity 3, etc...can make a day of it. (Mentioning NYC spots because I live in NYC too.)

ETA: Of course ask her! Just giving some food for thought!

well, what does she want?
she gets a party regardless, right? if it ends up being aladdin or the tablet, the family will still have cake and celebration?
a 7 year old is plenty old enough to have a say.
khairete
S.

I would ask her. The bowling party sounds like a lot of fun and it is not in your home = no clean up. How long will Aladdin be on Broadway? If it is after the holidays on break then go. How responsible is your daughter? That would be the answer to the tablet. Or do you want to start a trend that every year you go see a play with a few friends. My DIL does this with her nieces each year (there are 6 at the present time) and they see Disney.

Whatever you do, she will be happy with it. Happy birthday to your daughter. Do take many pictures for good memories as they grow so fast and are gone before you know it.

the other S.

Take the family bowling AND do one of the other options. Bowling is what...$20 or less for the whole family? She loves it. Invite a couple of other kids, still less than $30.Still have plenty of money for a gift. It doesn't have to be a tablet either. That can come as a reward for something special later on this year, maybe Christmas?

I'd probably do Aladdin as a family activity and not for a birthday at all.

So it's party or Aladdin or tablet (or big gift)?

What would she like do you think? My kids at that age were very specific about wanting to have a party. But one of my kids by age 9 no longer wanted parties - said he'd rather have big Lego sets.

At that age, I think my kids would have loved the bowling alley party. We had a bowling party for one of our kids at that age and it was a big hit. Fairly inexpensive and lots of kids could come and it was one of our easiest.

My youngest went to a friend's bowling party last year around same age - and had great time.

For big gift item ideas - does she need a bike? Scooter? Music playing machine with microphone? Big Lego sets (some of those cost a fortune) .. depends what she's into.

Oh my daughter would love the Aladdin on Broadway! We took my daughter to Disney on Ice and it was an amazing experience. Set aside money for souvenirs though, it can get expensive (if they have any at the Aladdin show). Ask her what she would like to do! Take tons of pics no matter what so she can look back on them all.