Party outdoors

[chelseamorning]

Just wanted to get your opinion on this please.

DS's 6th birthday party, towards the end of Oct, will be at home this year. We're trying to keep the numbers around 15ish (boys and girls). The theme will be knights and princesses, or something like that. We've never had a kids party at home before so we're a bit nervous!

We're planning on putting our large 6 man tent (with extension) up in the garden as a base for the party. We'll decorate it in side appropriately! We're hoping to do the games/food in there as our house isn't really big enough for 15 excitable kids, and our garden is a decent size. We have a large garden trampoline and a climbing frame.

Party games to include:

• pass the parcel type thing
  
• treasure hunt in the garden for chocolates
  
• burst the balloons to find X inside and the winner gets a prize
  

etc

So, the question is, if the weather is wet, is it still possible/appropriate to have the party in the tent outside? If the invitation states to wear outdoor clothing etc, do you think it's still okay to hold it outside?

[chelseamorning]

Bump

[BoysBoysBoysAndMe]

I'd say yes.

Ds1's party on the 20th and were hiring a covered bouncy castle.

Just be prepared to have towels/pizza/hot sausage rolls/hot chocolate if its freezing or very wet.

Last year we got a glorious sunny day so I'm hoping for the same this year too! Fingers crossed for us both

Good luck

[CointreauVersial]

DS has a November birthday and had several outdoor parties, because we lived in a small cottage on a large common!

Lots of messy outdoor games (apple bobbing, doughnuts on strings, balloon games, such as tying a balloon to each child's ankle on a short piece of string, the winner being the last one with an intact balloon).

Barbequed sausages to eat.

We asked parents to bring changes of clothes, but most of the boys didn't bother - they were quite happy.

Once the parents showed up and it got dark we did a few fireworks (being early November).

I think, if you have a tent, you'll be fine if there's a little rain, but if there is an absolute deluge you may need to have a couple of DVDs on standby and bring them indoors.....

[3duracellbunnies]

We had to abandon our outside party, although the invitees were younger, as there was the end of a hurricane going through, it was v wet and windy. I would say under normal conditions fine, but do be prepared to have it inside if needed, i.e. Don't let the invite list creep too far. For knights we got foam swords and I made hobby horses with 1m pipe insulation and a stuffed felt head. We have relay races with them where they have to pick something up, or you can get them jousting. Also can throw some dragons in, so 'what's the time mr dragon' etc.

Hope you have lots of fun!

[headfairy]

I think if you're prepared it's ok... we did a party for ds in a local park mid September and had glorious weather. A week later his friend had a party in their garden complete with treasure hunt and it absolutely peed down. The kids all had boots and coats on and warmed up afterwards with hot chocolate, but it did involve some rapid plan changing!