WE JUST HAD THE VERY BEST ARMY BIRTHDAY PARTY FOR MY SIX YEAR OLD EVER, AT LEAST WE THINK SO, THANKS TO THIS WEB SITE!! SO I HAVE TO SHARE OUR IDEAS WITH OTHER PARENTS!! WE KNOW THIS TIME OF YEAR (JANUARY) IS A HARD TIME OF YEAR TO HAVE BIG PARTIES SO I GOT ON THIS WEB SITE FOR INDOOR ARMY PARTY IDEAS!! AND THIS IS WHAT WE CAME UP WITH... WE HAD ACCESS TO THE LOCAL ARMORY BECAUSE MY HUSBAND IS AN E-7 IN THE ARMY NATIONAL GUARD SO THAT IS WHERE WE HAD THE PARTY. SO I REALLY DIDN'T HAVE TO DO MUCH DECORATING. THE PLACE HAD A LIFE SIZED TANK SIMULATOR INSIDE ON THE DRILL FLOOR!! WE GOT THE CAKE FROM THE LOCAL GROCERY STORE WITH CAMO ICING AND ARMY TOYS ON IT. CAMO TABLE COVERING FOR THE CAKE AND PRESENT TABLES AND USED KYLE'S LARGE ARMY TOYS FOR THE CENTER PIECES. MY HUSBAND HUNG A HUGE CAMO NET FROM THE CEILING AND WE PLACES ALL THE TABLES AND CHAIRS UNDER IT TO EAT. THEN WE COVERED TABLES WITH BROWN PLASTIC GARBAGE BAGES CUTTTING THE BOTTOM OFF AND CUT OPEN TO LAY FLAT. THEN RAN CAMO STREAMERS DOWN THE CENTER. THEN WE USED DESERT CAMO COLORED AND GREEN BALLOONS TO DECORATE. WE ALSO GOT THE CAMO HAPPY BITHDAY SIGN. WE STARTED OUT ORDERING ARMY HELMETS FROM ORENTIAL TRADER AND DOGS TAGS FROM BIRTHDAY DIRECT.  I WANTED TO KEEP COST DOWN SO I MADE THE INVITATION ON MY COMPUTER THAT READ... YOU HAVE BEEN RECRUTED!!  YOU MUST REPORT TO BOOT CAMP! WEAR YOU CAMO GEAR (IF YOU HAVE ANY). BE PREPARED FOR FOOD FUN AND ARMY GAMES. CHOW WILL BE SERVED IN THE MESS HALL. OUR MISSION IS TO CELEBRATE KYLE'S 6TH BIRTHDAY. REPORT TO THE "LOCAL" ARMORY AT 1400-1700 (2:00-5:00). NOW FOR THE PARTY.. WHEN EACH KID ARRIVED WE CAMO PAINTED(WALMART HUNTING DEPARTMENT) THEIR FACES AND GAVE THEM DOG TAGS (WHICH HELPED ALOT KNOWING EACH KID NAME)(WE  INVITED 32 KIDS IN WHICH 27 SHOWED UP)AND THEIR HELMETS (MOST KIDS DID WEAR CAMO CLOTHES). THEN WE TOOK A POLORIOD PHOTO OF EACH KID WITH THE BIRTHDAY BOY SALUTING, WHICH THEY TOOK HOME WITH THEM TO REMEMBER HIM AND THE PARTY. WHILE WE WERE WAITING FOR EVERYONE TO ARRIVE WE PLAYED "SERGEANT SAYS" (SIMON SAYS). ONCE EVERYONE WAS THERE WE STARTED THE GAMES... 1ST WE DID AN OBSTICLE COURSE WHICH INCLUDED TWO TEAMS OF... A BALANCE BEAM (2 CEMENT BLOCKS AND A BOARD) THEN THEY HAD TO CRAWL THROUGH A REFRIG. BOX (FROM THE LOCAL SEARS). THEN I LAYED DOWN 4 HOOLA HOOPS ( FROM DOLLAR STORE) TIED TOGETHER LIKE TIRES AND THEN THEY HAD TO GO THROUGH A SMALLER BOX THEN PICK UP A BALLOON PUT IT BETWEEN THEIR KNEES AND RUN BACK TO THE START. WE LET THEM GO THROUGH AT LEAST 2 TIMES. EVERYONE GOT A PRIZE (SMALL CANDY BAR). THEN OFF TO THE NEXT STATION (MARCHING, HUT 2,3,4) WHICH WAS THE AIRPLANE THROW. THAT INCLUDES 2 HOLA HOOPS AND 2 STYROPHONE AIRPLANES. TWO ROWS EACH KID HAD TO THROW THE AIRPLANE THROUGH THE HOLA HOOP. EACH HAD 2 PRACTICE THEN WHO EVER DIDN'T GET IT THROUGH SAT OUT UNTIL WE HAD THE LAST 6 WIN A PRIZE(LITTLE ARMY MEN FROM THE DOLLAR STORE). THEN MARCH TO THE NEXT STATION.  THE NEXT GAME WAS THE PARATROOPER DROP. AGAIN WITH TWO LINES EACH KID GOT A LITTLE PARATROOPER GUY(FROM WALMART AND THE DOLLAR STORE)(JUST A HINT DO NOT GIVE THE KIDS THEIR GUYS UNTIL IT IS THEIR TURN CAUSE THEY WERE GETTING THEM TANGLED WHILE WAITING IN LINE )THEN EACH KID STOOD ON THE TABLE (WITH HELP) AND DROP THE PARATROOPER INTO A BUCKET (HARDER THAN IT SOUNDS).IF THEY GOT IT  INTO THE BUCKET THEY WIN A PRIZE. BY NOW THEY WERE GETTING HUNGRY SO WE LINED UP IN THE CHOW LINE. WE SERVED HOT DOGS AND KRAFT MAC AND CHEESE, CHIPS AND LITTLE HUGS JUICE DRINKS.(MOST KIDS FAVORITES) WE DID USE CAMO NAPKINS FOR CAKE BUT TO SAVE MONEY WE USED PLAIN WHITE PLATES AND FLATWARE. (WITH THAT MANY KIDS PLUS FAMILY WE HAD ALMOST 50 PEOPLE WE HAD TO CUT COSTS SOMEWHERE) AFTER CHOW WE WERE OFF TO THE NEXT GAME... BEFORE EVERYONE STARTED TO ARRIVE WE HID 100 LITTLE PLASTIC ARMY MEN AROUND THE ARMORY 50 GREEN AND 50 BROWN THINKING WE WERE GOING TO DO THIS IN TEAMS BUT IT ENDED UP BEING EVERY MAN FOR THEMSELVES SO IT WAS JUST FIND AS MANY AS YOU CAN. AND THE TOP 6 GOT A PRIZE. THAT WAS FUN CAUSE WHILE PLAYING THE OTHER GAMES SOME OF THE KIDS HAD ALREADY FOUND SOME OF THE ARMY MEN SO THEY WERE REAL EXCITED TO START THIS GAME. THEN OFF TO OPEN GIFTS. WE TRIED TO HAVE EVERY KID GIVE KYLE THEIR PRESENT ONE AT A TIME AND HELP HIM OPEN IT BUT THAT ONLY WORKED FOR ABOUT THE FIRST 6 KIDS THEN WE JUST LET THEN GO FOR IT. THEN LAST WE GOT A PINATA.. I WANTED TO GET THE TANK ONE BUT IT WAS $16 TO BUY ALMOST $15 TO SHIP AND THEN I STILL HAD TO BUY ANOTHER $10 WORTH OF CANDY TO FILL IT SO I WENT TO WALMART AND GOT THE INCREDIBLE HULK ONE (IT WAS A GREEN MAN CLOSE ENOUGH) BY THIS TIME IT WAS 4:30 SO WITH HALF HOUR TO SPARE WE LET THEM DO THE OBSTICLE COURSE AND RUN AROUND WHILE WE CLEANED UP. WHEN THE PARENTS CAME EACH KID GOT A PENCIL, AN ARMY POSTER,AND LOOT BAG,(DONATED FROM THE ARMY RECRUTER) FILLED WITH LITTLE ARMY MEN, RUBBER BALL,CANDY, AND THEIR PICTURE. SO AM SURE THIS WILL BE A PARTY NEVER TO BE FORGOTTEN!! WE PULLED IT OFF WITH NO COMBAT AND NO CASULITIES!! BUT I MUST MENTION I DID HAVE LOTS OF HELP!! THANKS TO THIS SITE, I THINK I USED EVERY IDEA I COULD EXCEPT THE WATER IDEAS SINCE IT IS JANUARY AND INDOORS!