To ask reception parents how may parties they’ve been to?

I had a friend always moaning ‘another bloody party this weekend’ - I told her to just say no! Think yourself lucky op. 4 across the year sounds right imo.

Invited to 5 full class in total, but only attended 2 and won't do our own. I know one or two other parties that haven't been full class as well, so probably over half the class has already had their birthday (small class too)
My older DC had multiple parties in the same weekend as they started during COVID and once restrictions were properly lifted all the parents booked a full class party. Think we were only one of 2/3 in the class that didn't.

Absolutely loads. Reception classes of 30 for my dds. Lots of girls parties and 2/3 boys parties I think it’s disproportionate

7 or 8. They all went to preschool together though, so I’m not sure if that makes
a difference.

My DC’s school is about a third from African or Caribbean backgrounds, a third Muslim, and a third European/British. In general, it’s only the European/British that hold birthday parties for school friends. If you then divide a class of 30 by sex, that leaves about five children of the same sex who might give parties in a whole school year. Never any whole class parties.

Interesting! My experience with my older DC and now with my 5YO has definitely been all the kids have a whole of class party. Then with my eldest the smaller groups started in Y3 and now in Y4 she’s only had 1 invite so far this year because her close friends are all summer babies.

I agree with those saying it likely follows a trend and kids will expect a party if everyone else has one but if it’s less of a thing at your school and their friends haven’t had them then they’re less likely to ask.

Reception we had what seemed like constant parties, but I think some of that was DS' birthday is very early in the school year and we had a whole class party because we just didn't know who his friends would be at that stage, so you then get lots of reciprocal invitations, about half were whole class the rest about 15 children. I'd say about 15 parties in Y1 and now he's in Y2 10-12 of the children he's closest to, parties now tend to be an activity for a dozen children or fewer, things like cinema, bowling, laser tag etc.
Class size started at 30 now I think 27

To add it's a very mixed catchment 38% FSM, and ethnically and socio-economically diverse

In reception some people might have had nursery and out of school friend at parties instead, especially the earlier birthdays when the kids hadn't really made friends yet.

Around 8 but a few have been combined parties of two children. 3 more in the diary. Class of 30 though.

In a similar class size and parties aren’t as common as I thought they would be, although there is the occasional party I know my kid isn’t invited to.

But winter birthdays are expensive - when a basic soft play party is coming in at £400 (without cake and extras), I suspect people are cutting back

Have been to 8, or 9 if you include my son's. We have 5 more in the diary for next few months. Two form entry. Very diverse and mixed school (London) so not sure ethnicity comes into it, but it is an affluent area so expect it's as families can afford the circa £500 for a class party!

You don’t have to invite everyone in the class if you don’t want to. It only takes one parent to stop doing it and everyone with breathe a sigh of relief and stop doing it too. Just tell your child to pick 3-5 friends.

It's when you have two children both in the early years of primary that this tends to happen I think. We have a party today, two next weekend and one the weekend after. We haven't been to one for a few weeks though.

We went to 2 in reception. None so far in year 1. We do however live in a very deprived area- 70% of her class are on free school meals.. We also didn't do one for her birthday (we were 200 miles away with dad in hospital, promised to do something when school returned in September and dad died- I didn't feel up to it!!)

DD’s reception class had about 40 kids split into two classes. I’d say we we did (or were invited to) at least 20 parties across the whole year, so about half of the kids. These were mainly whole year parties where all kids were invited. I remember one weekend there was three!

My DD didn’t go to many parties throughout primary school. In Reception there was only one all-class party, it just wasn’t the done thing at DDs school, thank goodness! DD only ever wanted 2 friends at her birthday party so we went and did an activity such as go- karting. I really wouldn’t worry about the number of birthday parties they do/don’t go to. DD wasn’t bothered and as I worked full time I preferred to keep our weekends for us to spend out time together.

It's interesting people saying they will wait til year 1 to hold parties. Working with that year group, the norm seems to be bringing in sweets or cake to hand out at school. Only a handful have brought in invites for staff to give out (and that is only around 8 children which may be split between the two classes of 30). Children don't seem to mention parties either so I don't think it's the case parents do the inviting outside of school.
I think it's interesting that the cost of living has been mentioned as this could be a big factor. A few years ago the deal at a trampoline park near me was for 8 children, included trampoline socks, slushy drink for less than £100. It's now £120 for 6 children, bottle of water and socks are extra. The obvious solution is to book not as a party, but then if wanting a private room (for food after) you cannot book that that without the party booking.

Think we’ve had 7 so far this year, but she’s in a class of 26.

We tend to have gluts, so had four in a row in Feb, only one in March but I remember a lot in July for school nursery.

Think if there aren’t many parties kids are less likely to ask for one. I’m only doing one for our DD this year because I assumed she didn’t want one last year but as so many others had one, she wanted one. But this will be it for big parties, we will move to friends or smaller groups as the years go on.

Good point, I should have said 'do you know how the birthdays fall?' as we also had birthday months on the wall in Reception, hence how I knew!