Food at a 3yr olds birthday party... would you...

[mankymummy]

get them (about 10 kids) to sit down around a table and eat at a specific time?

or

bring the food out and let them graze whenever they like?

Party will be from 2 to 4, what time do i produce the food?

thank you !

[brimfull]

I would get them to sit down but don't expect them all to sit there for the duration.
I would serve at 3ish,,then time fr a little play and blowing candles etc.

[traceybath]

Yeap i agree with ggirl. I did that for my DS's 3rd birthday party and they did all sit down and eat.

[AbbeyA]

I would most definitely sit them down,if they graze you will have a horrible mess. I would sit them down in the second half but, as ggirl says, be prepared for the fact that some of them won't sit there long and will want to get down and play.

[brimfull]

it's so cute to see a load of teeny ones around a table

great photo

[schneebly]

yep agree that you should sit them down - only for a short while

[mankymummy]

glad i asked now ! how i will fit 10 children around my table is another matter !

i was planning on giving them...

sandwiches
little sausages
cheese chunks
cherry toms
cucumber chunks
crisps
some biscuits
little cakes or flapjacks

does that sound ok?

thanks everyone.

[WaynettaSlob]

If you can't fit them around a table, put a picnic rug on the floor and let them have a picnic.

Food sounds right - though crisps may be too salty? Perhaps hula hoops or mini cheddars or something instead?

[mankymummy]

great ideas waynetta... thanks.

[dandycandyjellybean]

just had this on Saturday. couldn't fit 'em all round the table so we put rugs on the floor. big hit, and really saved on the clearing up. pretty much similar foods, the cucumber sticks were a surprise hit, all went, and my mate made some little individual pizzas (small scone cutter, tom puree and cheese) massive hit also. Put a bowl of fruit and a bowl of grapes on the table, several kids had a banana and pretty much all the grapes went.

[traceybath]

tyrells do 'naked crisps' so no salt - i used these.

[gladders]

hula hoops and cheddars are just as salty as any other crisps?

and mine won't eat tyrells as too crispy...

it's a party, a little salt won't hurt!

[branflake81]

Let them eat crisps!

[dilemma456]

Message withdrawn

[MerlinsBeard]

erm, if the party is 2-4 they will have laready eaten won't they? In which case you only need to provide a snack which they can just graze at

[mankymummy]

if they knew they were coming to a party surely the parents would only give them a small lunch?!

[kitsmummy]

IMO a kids party always involves party food, so i'd have only fed kids a tiny lunch

[mankymummy]

oh blimey, im getting myself in a right panic about this now...

who can help me timetable this?

its 2-4pm...

i have a friend doing a clown act (20 mins)

food

decorating party hats (that prob needs to be at beginning)

cake blowing out ceremony

which order and at what times do i do this?

i am a real novice... does it show?!

[AbbeyA]

I would have very little food because of the timing-they just won't be hungry. Put the savoury stuff out first and clear away before the sweet stuff. I would make everything bite sized. If you don't want to make it, you can find bite sized cakes in tubs in the supermarket. After you have blown out the candles I would slice up the cake and wrap in a serviette and put in a party bag-they won't be hungry and will just spread crumbs everywhere by that stage.
Just relax-they are easily pleased at that age!

[AbbeyA]

Definitely decorate the party hats first.

[mankymummy]

party hats first...

mad playing and mucking around...

food

clown

cake

...open large bottle of wine for mummy!

is that a good plan?!

[EachPeachPearMum]

All 3 yo I know love grapes! (but cut them in half)
I second pizza- don't need to do individual- just do large ones and slice them into skinny wedges.
Potato wedges?

[AbbeyA]

Save some of the wine for when it is all over!

[mankymummy]

EPPM... good idea re. grapes and am now tempted to do the pizza as everyone has said its a good idea...

Abbey... the wine is for when its over... im chucking 'em all out after the cake!!!

[ChoChoSan]

A bit of advice re. ending the party:

Often it can be quite hard to get rid of everyone at 4pm (if you want your house back ), so what you can do is start handing out the party bags at the end to show it's time to go.

BUT you should hand them out on your doorstep or at the end of your garden path so that the children pester their parents for them, then only give them out to children who have their coats on and are ready to go - tell that to the children and they will drag out any lingering parents (it's often the mums and dads that are hanging around!).

Otherwise you'll still have people round at 7pm that night!