A true experience for tough and brave children is the knight’s party that can be celebrated on any lawn. It is simple and cheap and at the same time packed with excitement, action, challenge and variety. In short; the ideal children’s party for cool, active children!

Supplies

• strong strings
• hole puncher
• scissors
• staple bar
• cardboard boxes
• insulation foil for behind a radiator. Each child requires 60 cm of foil with a height of 25 centimeters.
• bamboo sticks of 60 cm and 40 cm
• pipe insulation; 50 cm per child
• red-white ribbon
• possibly two hobbyhorses

To craft

The children will make the following:

• a helmet: This is made from the insulation foil. It is useful to cut the pieces to the correct size in advance. The children can cut out an oval recess where their eyes will be located where they can look through and where their nose will also fit through. This is exactly in the middle of the foil. The foil is stapled to the back at the correct size for each child. Staple it in several places, as it can be pulled off quite easily.
• a sword: The pipe insulation serves as a sword. It is best to cut this to size yourself before the party starts.
• a shield: Cut square pieces from the boxes of at least 35 by 45 cm. Draw the shape of a shield on it with a thick marker. The children can cut this out themselves. Once it has been cut out, the children use the hole punch in the middle of both sides of the cardboard to make two holes. Thread a string of about 25 cm through this and tie it to the correct size so that the arm can pass through. The loop held by hand may be slightly smaller.
• Bow and arrow: A bow can be made with 60 cm sticks and a string of about 80 cm. Children who cannot yet tighten the string themselves will need some help. Wrap the end of the string tightly around the bamboo stick so that the string does not come loose when the bow is in use. Cut a slit in the 40 cm sticks yourself. These serve as an arrow.

Preparation

• Make sure that all necessary shapes have been drawn and pre-cut.
• Attach a bow with some arrows.
• Create a knight-like atmosphere in your home. For example, close the curtains and place candles on high shelves or turn on an oil lamp or table lamp.
• You play the experienced knight who trains the children to become a real knight!

This is how you start the party. For example, eat the cakes in the half-dark. Hide the presents and let the birthday boy or girl look for them in the dark with a flashlight. Tension at its best!

The knight’s festival

Come in yourself, adorned with a pile of swords and a bow with arrows. Put on a deep knightly voice and tell the children you are coming to teach them how to be a real knight! Before they become a knight, they must first show that they can make their tools well, because anyone who cannot use knight’s tools will not become a good knight! Then all the knight accessories are made. Praise the children who do their best as real knights!

The aptitude test

Now that the children have their knight accessories, they must learn to use them properly. Therefore, they must pass an aptitude test! This takes place outside on a lawn.Here the children first learn that they must stand neatly and quietly next to each other when you REST in place! shouts. The children must stand straight with their sword raised at their sides. You can use this at any time when the children need to quiet down again or when another activity starts.

Archery

We start with archery. Place the red-white ribbon 3 meters away from the children. First have the children take a kind of oath. This could be something like this: Do you promise that you will never, ever shoot anyone as befits worthy knights? Not even your mother? Or think of something else fun to keep your attention.First shoot an arrow yourself and explain in detail how to do this. The children are then allowed to shoot a few times to practice. After this comes the test. Who can shoot over the white line? If necessary, move the line further away to determine the winner. You can also make a rose from cardboard for the children to shoot at. However, experience shows that it requires some practice before children can shoot an arrow well.

Sword fighting

After this, sword fighting is practiced. The children should stand proudly with one hand on their side and the sword pointed forward. This way they walk forward in a controlled manner. The children can practice two by two. Give them tips here and there so that they don’t just strike like crazy, but actually start sword fighting. Whoever feels the point of the sword against them is the loser and falls to the ground

Knight Tournament

Now follows a real knight’s tournament. Two knights each stand at the end of the red and white ribbon. They shouldn’t be on the same side. It is nice if you use two hobbyhorses. The children sit on the hobby horse and have to push each other off the horse with their swords. They run towards each other and thrust their swords across the ribbon at each other.In practice, no child falls from his hobby horse, but that is fun. This way all children win! At the end a battle can be had between all children against yourself. Of course the kids win. It’s also fun to drop dead before the children reach you. They will then walk back and cheer. At that moment you still attack them!

Knighthood

At the end of the tournament, all children have completed their aptitude test. That’s why all children are knighted. Make this a fun and funny event too. Have the children sit on their knees and tap them on the shoulder with your own sword. Congratulate them on achieving this wonderful result. Give them a nice knight’s ribbon to take home and the party is complete!