Do you do a party every year

Go with something easy at this age, we did 5 friends over for a pyjama party themed party - just wacked some films on for them, they all came in their pj's and I made pizza, nachos, popcorn and picnmix. Happy kids, happy daughter, very easy on me and my wallet! My son is a bit older and took a few friends bowling and for pizza. They each had 1 huge party once, with all the class, bouncy castle etc but I just did it once, it costs a lot and the reality is they're only friends with 5 or 6 kids so you're basically just feeding loads of children they don't even play with at school.... I wouldn't say do nothing, but don't pressure yourself to do anything too amazing, go to pizza hut with her best friends, have a few children over for games and cake, or take a small group for a picnic at the park- there's lots of easy options

My 3 daughters had a party every year, we would go to the local soft play and it would be so easy as the venue done all the food and drink, only a week between 2 of their birthdays, they’d still have separate parties, we did this from the age of 2 when at toddler group and then at pre school right up till their 11th birthday. 12 onwards they’d go to the cinema with friends

I do , my son is 11 this year I do a crazy party in the garden - games , water balloons , bouncy castle they all love it . I save money by buying cheap food and supermarket birthday cake .

We did one every year but it was usually after school on the day of their birthday with their closest friends.
Basically, a play date with party food and cake.
The dc and friends always enjoyed it. I remember one particular one where they literally didn't stop screaming with excitement for the whole 3 hrs.

We have a similar aged child and have not yet done a birthday party for him.

We tend to do a grand day out to a new place for each birthday, and cake/dinner with close family or friends.

I had thought about doing a party this year, but had a second child just over a month before, so next year is the first one i think we will do. He has only just started to get excited about birthdays and parties.

Nope! One big class party and after that it’s either a few friends or nothing (august baby- last yr she got her room decorated instead). But tbh a few friends doing an older activity is just as expensive as a class party in a hall imo.

We do one every year, but they don't have to be big expensive affairs. Some friends over, a few party games, some homemade playdoh, some sandwiches and fairy cakes for tea isn't a huge expense.

My kid only had 3 parties ....from age 5 onwards we took him on a birthday holiday to centre parcs or dinseyland etc. I give him the option now of a party or holiday and he always picks holiday so ...I never feel bad.

My kids are 17 and 18 now but we did big parties for the first year in reception with the whole class. After that just small things, maybe 5 or 6 friends. We’ve done bowling, make up parties, pizza parties at home. For their 5th birthdays they had build a bear parties. Definitely have had a few years of just family at home too.

Nope. Especially not in early years when they don't have a clue what's going on and don't ask for a party.

DC1 is about to turn 6.
She's having a party for her 6th birthday because she's consistently asked for one even though I tried to put her off lol.
For 5th birthday we went away for a weekend and visited friends and took a day trip to a theme park.
For 4th birthday she had a party, again cos she asked for one.
3rd birthday we took her and her cousin on a day trip to a farm.
2nd birthday was lockdown so did nowt.
1st birthday we took her to a free local festival and met some family there and had a cake.

DC2 is 2. He was unwell on both his 1st and 2nd birthdays so we did nothing, although did go to his DGPs house for a takeaway belated birthday lunch both times with some family. If he's not unwell on his 3rd birthday we are planning a day trip to an aquarium.

We only do family get togethers for kids parties. They choose a day out with 1-2 friends for theor birthday. I have only done 1 proper class party and that is a climbing wall one when they turn 11, as it is the last one with all their primary school friends.

You don't need to do a party for every year. I done one for my son's first and will be doing one for his 5th as he will have just started proper school as he is a September baby, thought would be a great way to meet the parents and kids he will grow up with. Once they get to 6 I think they are old enough to choose if you give options. My friend asked her daughter what she wanted to do, and they went to centre parcs for a long weekend instead of an expensive party. Another friend of mine also asks her children if they want a party or a day out with one of two friends and they have always choosen the day out option. So when my son is 6 I will ask him what he wants to do.

My youngest GC wants a party every year, so my DD has done soft play/bounce. The eldest (9) always wanted city breaks. We all chip in. This year it's the class trip and they are late back, my DD is made up, they are having a UK seaside break for what it would have cost. A lot of the parents have done just the 5th birthday class party.

No. Dd had a party at 1, 4, 8 and recently at 11 because it’s her last year at school.

Ds hasn’t actually had a party yet….which looks really bad but we’ve promised him a party for his 11th too

We’ve made a bit of a rod for our back with parties as my dd has had a party everywhere but we’re not doing one this year as we’re getting both of the dc’s christened a couple weeks later, so there’s been lots of tears and why’s but she understands now that she’ll be getting a big party a couple weeks later and she can have a friend around on her birthday to play and get McDonald’s.

My eldest is a winter baby and hall hire, food, entertainment etc etc just got too much this year so I've told her she won't be having one for her next birthday but said in the 6 weeks holidays she can have a few friends sleep over or stay really late (depends what they and their parents are comfortable with). I'll get frozen pizza, face masks, nail varnish etc etc should cost no more than £60 all in.
We will also host family on her actual birthday as we always do.

My youngest is 2 so doesn't have friends yet lol. I'm sure things will change as they both get older.

Point is don't feel guilty for doing what you have to do. EVERYTHING is crazy expensive... Add it all together and its just too much 😞

No, my now 15 yo had a small pizza party when she was 7. Thats it. We didn't have the money to be throwing parties. We've had family over for cake though.

We tend to go out for a nice meal at their choice of restaurant. Have also has sleepovers here and there but a birthday party every year really isn't necessary.

You aren’t being unreasonable if that’s your choice but they aren’t little for long so I would just do one anyway doesn’t have to be massive.

No, DD's first party was at age 7.

I grew up with a party every year, sometimes two. It's nice, but not strictly necessary.

Smaller parties started to be a thing at our school from Year 1.
Anything from Ninja Warrior, gymnastics / dance / roller skates parties. Sometimes 6-8 friends. Sometimes 10-15 kids (all the girls or all the boys)
So I think you have very few years of class parties left.

Now we're at the "day out" - take a friend to a musical / dinner treat - stage.

We had a v small family party when ds was 1 then a small family party at 2 plus he then had a separate little party with his baby friends too.
Over the years, ds then had a couple of church hall parties with a magician and games, a soft play party, a bowling party, an organised Nerf type party, a scooter party and a couple of cinema/pizza parties. The number of attendees never went beyond 12. The last organised party we did was in year 6 when I took ds and 2 friends to our nearest seaside towns and we went to the arcade, pizza, rides and so on. So we did have a party every year until ds started secondary. They can be expensive (sometimes) but worth it as our son, at 18 still fondly remembers them all. Plus, i know we wouldn't continue parties after ds turned 11. Also they don't all have to be huge or massively expensive.

Yes. Up until covid (ie up until 6th and 8th birthdays) it was at our house, ~10 children with a theme for activities/games/cake. Luckily they're summer birthdays and so we could generally use the garden although I do remember one year when we hired a small bouncy castle that got rather wet...

Since covid they've wanted more activity based parties (trampoline park, later tag type things) but I miss the at home ones :-(

We've done one every year since they started nursery. Before that it would be a family day out. It's expensive and a headache organising it, we are doing whole class parties as that's common at this age. But we can absorb the cost and it takes us off the hook for play dates for a while.

Not done one yet for our 4 year old. Days out and a nice dinner with cake afterwards. I suspect he'll want one sooner or later but has always hated other children's parties and not joined in, never gone on the bouncy castle etc so haven't seen the point yet.