Know the number of participants – This is important because the NERF provider will need to know how many sets are required.  Sometimes they may be limited to the number they can provide and the part host will need to come up with some extra guns or have some of the friends bring their own. 

Referee – Depending on the age of kids, a referee may be useful.  If the kids are too young, running around and shooting each other is probably the way to go.  However, if they’re old enough, you can get a referee and free up a couple hours for yourself.  If you don’t know anyone, like a high school kid, you can usually entice other parents to switch off refereeing games for a six pack or bottle of wine.

Choose the spot – Lots of people call and ask if we know a good place to host a NERF party.  Typically, we can just point you to your nearest park or your backyard! Indoor gymnasiums are also a great location.

Games – Some parents wonder about the games they’ll play and how the rules work.  Just print off the pdf and follow the instructions.  The hardest part is just getting the kids to separate into teams. We have an awesome NERF guide on the HQ website here.

Timeframe – Kids don’t have great attention spans, so just make sure you aren’t planning the party for more than a couple of hours.  A pretty standard timeframe is 2 hours on a Saturday or Sunday starting at around noon.  You can push to 3 hours, but the early afternoon is a good time for parents and children alike.