I'm starting to plan and book DD1's 3rd birthday party. I already have a bit of knowledge of dos and don'ts but I'm nervous I'm going to commit some awful error and I'm not sure of some of the etiquette.
I'm thinking of booking the village hall and mini softplay with bouncy castle, party 1-3pm, party tea of beige and sugar with obligatory bowl of crudités, cake in a character theme of DD's choosing, balloons. I'll book the hall for an extra 1.5hrs either side of the party to set/clean up. That's the bones of it I think?
I've been caught out with food/no food for adults/kids, most noticeably the party over lunchtime that only included a buffet of various Haribo followed by cake, and at the other end a party that had a full sit-down separate buffet for the adults, so I'll include a note on the invites that a party tea will be provided for the kids.
It'll be friends from her preschool, with a few from other playgroups and friend's children.
However:
-Invites. How many weeks before should I send out the invites? I don't want it to be so far in advance people forget about it, nor so late most people already have plans.
-Party bags. I'm well aware we'll have a number of shows who didn't RSVP. I want to do bags that aren't entirely pound shop crap (although realise the kids like a bit of tat), so how do I calculate how many to make up? I don't want to waste money making up a ton of spares that aren't used, but obviously the other end of the scale is even worse! Any good suggestions of what to put in that's inexpensive but doesn't break within 2 minutes?
-With the softplay are party games necessary?
Have I missed anything helpful/crucial/obvious?
I know I'm massively over-thinking this, and I've thrown numerous successful grown-up parties, but want to get it right so DD1 has a good time as she's been banging on about her party for months already (we didn't tell her she'd have one, she's assumed based on her friends having had them. She talks most days about it, it's a huge deal to her ). I also don't want a room of small children bored of the shit party! My usual tactic of supplying copious amounts of alcohol won't help me this time.
Please or to access all these features
Please
or
to access all these features
For free parenting resources please check out the Early Years Alliance's Family Corner.
Parenting
3rd birthday party: please share your tips
3 replies
skankingpiglet · 24/04/2017 23:18
OP posts:
Please create an account
To comment on this thread you need to create a Mumsnet account.