Ideas for my lads 11th birthday? Help ideas needed!

[stevedrummie]

Help?

My lad is 11 soon and I would like to do something a bit different for him and 3 of his mates?...have considered so far-Karting(only available outdoor and the weather likely to be cr~p and the cost £300+)Paintballing (too young/kids have to be over 12) Top Gear at NEC (sold out-I know I should have planned earlier!)Football (the lads support NUFC who are playing away at Chelsea-bit of a trail to get there and back in time for me to be back at work)....Any ideas welcome please??

Cheers

Steve

[rhinochopig]

stevedrummie said:

Help?

My lad is 11 soon and I would like to do something a bit different for him and 3 of his mates?...have considered so far-Karting(only available outdoor and the weather likely to be cr~p and the cost £300+)Paintballing (too young/kids have to be over 12) Top Gear at NEC (sold out-I know I should have planned earlier!)Football (the lads support NUFC who are playing away at Chelsea-bit of a trail to get there and back in time for me to be back at work)....Any ideas welcome please??

Cheers

Steve

You don't say where you're based. NUFC North East? I would suggest either diggerland or Go Ape in Dalby (a huge set of high wires above the and through the forest - great fun).

[Spokey]

Quad biking or go-karting?

[speedychrissie]

why is the only karting available outdoors? there must be an indoors track somewhere near you.

[whirligig]

That GoApe looks great Rhinochopig - just checked and there's one about half an hour away from us that I never knew even existed - cheers for that heads up! That's my lad's next b'day sorted....

[Glassman]

When your son / others say, what a great thing you've done for your boy - and his mates - will you say, "as it happens, it wasn't my idea... I went on to an online forum and..." ?

[speedy_thrills]

rhinochopig said:

diggerland

First thought I has as well , is it expensive?

[h4rvy]

Lapdancers !!!

[gatzgti]

As previously mentioned. Go-Ape is definately worth a visit. Providing of course all the kids are tall enough.

[Murdoc]

Been to go ape twice recently, excellent day out.

[ferg]

I came on this thread to suggest Go-Ape and you all agree!!!

We went to the original Go-Ape at Thetford and my 13 year old enjoyed it so much we deliberately took a week camping in North Yorks to try out the Dalby Forest course.

The zip-lines there are just awesome, right across a valley. The final one across the car-park is a bit daunting...








Don't worry too much about drizzle either, it's OK under the trees.

[stevedrummie]

Brilliant guys!...thanks very much for all your help!...it,s looking like Go Ape is favourite with my lad and his mates.
Will of course claim full credit for the idea if the boys have a great time-but if any casualties will say to their distraught parents "..well of course it wasn't my idea,I went on a forum and...."
This is a great site!

Cheers

Steve

[Munter]

Any outdoor activity for a party of 11yos where someone doesn't break a wrist/arm isn't worth doing...

[stevedrummie]

Your right munter! had thought about Quasar Quest with some of the kids using live ammo but the idea did not go down well with the other parents!
Steve

[ferg]

Just a thought Steve.
If you intend going to the Dalby Forest Go-Ape it's just over the road from the visitors centre which has a Cafe place which is really nice for that 'after activity' nosh and chat about how brilliant it was!!!

[benoli]

ferg said:

is that person just dangling there

wouldn't get me doing that

[ferg]

That's my 13 year old daughter crossing the valley on a zip-wire without holding on. She's attached to the pulley by her safety line and a second safety line caribina is clipped over the cable.
Incidentally, she has a lot less fear than me...

[speedy_thrills]

ferg said:

Incidentally, she has a lot less fear than me...

It's safe...ish.

[PeteG]

Will anyone judge me if I want to go on the GoApe courses, with a couple of mates also well over the age of 18? I figure it's a good first step towards getting over my fear of heights... or giving myself a nervous breakdown.

[ferg]

When we went to Dalby there was a girl with her boyfriend doing just that. She had a fear of heights and was making herself do it.