Children’s parties

[MysticReg]

I’d like some advice. We are planning a party for DS’s 4th. What has been most/least successful at ones you’ve hosted or attended? I think hiring an entertainer is probably out of our budget, but possibly a bouncy castle. We also might hire a space at a nearby child-friendly museum. What timings work best? Over lunch? We’d provide plenty of food. What entertainment should there be, if not an entertainer or bouncy castle? Crafting? Take toys?

Hello - funnily enough we hosted DS's 4th birthday at home yesterday so may not be quite what you are after but will tell you what we did in case in helps. We had 7 children ages 3-8, plus our 2. There would have been a few more but DS woke up with chicken pox yesterday!

We did 3-5pm. Lots of balloons and bubble machine on arrival. Decorate your own party hat, suggested by a friend - I bought plain coloured ones and lots of stickers, sticky gel stones etc. Then pin the tail on the donkey, musical statues. Party food, traditional stuff probably took up at least 30 mins, some bits for adults too, then pass the parcel, birthday cake, party bags and then home. It was a lovely afternoon!

I've been to loads of 4th birthday party with my 2dd and soft play works best. Games get a mixed reception. They are free to run around. Simple and effective!

I've been to a few at people's homes and it's hard to get a party atmosphere, plus they don't all engage in games. Parents all stay at that age. Entertainers again are wasted on a lot of them at that age.

All ime of course!

I did at home for 4th birthday - about 15 kids. I would save your money for the school reception all class party. especially if nursery friends are all off to different schools.

we did the decorate your own hat and games etc. but mostly they just ran around playing. Although DD is summer born so we also had the pool and sprinklers out in the garden.

Keep games short and simple. If they’re games where someone is out, get 3 or 3 children out at the same time, otherwise they lose interest. Pass the parcel have fewer layers than children (or more) don’t try and time it to one each, nightmare to sort out!

Games like keeping a balloon up in the air, pin the tail on the donkey, or more ‘dances’ like the conga and the hokey cokey.

My fave party slot is Sunday 3-5pm. It doesn't interfere with my Sunday plans, they get a nice party tea and get to bed at a sensible time.
Don't make it longer than 2 hours. Stick to simple party games. Bouncy castles can turn them a bit feral. Party bags are mandatory.

Two hours is what I’d be aiming for. Decorating party hats is a great idea, we’ll definitely do that.

Party bags - I’d maybe do a book, bubbles, couple of toys and maybe cake and/or little chocolate or something?

What timings are best or worst? I always prefer earlier but sometimes seem to be in the minority.

We did predominantly home-based parties for DD which were fine (though she always hated pass-the-parcel!). 3-5pm, either Saturday or Sunday.

Games, tattoos, maybe a craft and birthday tea, bit of a disco (you can get a cheap disco light from Argos). Oh, we did once have a face painter, she was great.

Party Pieces is great for decorations and party bags, they're not expensive.

We did our daughter's 4th recently. We hired a hall and had lots of toys for the kids to play with plus ball pit, balloons and some craft stuff (colouring, snow globes) - they just entertained themselves playing with the toys mostly but we did do pass the parcel. Our daughter doesn't engage with entertainers and ends up running round wildly. She enjoys soft play parties too.

I think book or toys would be fine, don’t think it necessarily needs both

If you do take toys trawl eBay or marketplaces for cheap bundles. Train tracks, cars, kitchens, dolls, Lego etc. and you can flog them on after so you won't be too out of pocket. Definitely don't take your child's own toys unless you want tears