Best children's party you have been to

[Tootytata]

Or maybe that should say "your kids have been to"!

My son's 5th birthday is in November. I've never planned a birthday party before so I'm doing some research. So far we have been invited to:

• soft play centre
• someone's house where they had a party bus (kids played inside the bus)
• someone's house where they hired a children's entertainer
• someone's house where they hired a bouncy castle
• treasure hunting and roasting marshmallows in the woods

What's the best (or different) kids parties that you have been to? Just trying to get some ideas 💡

A play at someone's house.

Ohio - a play with actors?! What play was it?

Laser tag was the best I've been too. I even joined in lol.

At our local park
Mum made a picnic/cake and brought some balls to play with and there was no fuss, no mess, no stress and the kids absolutely loved it

I did a silent disco for my teen one year inour garden. That was fun

The feedback from my eldest child (6).

Soft play - boring. This is because the majority of parties last year were in soft play so this might not apply to you.
House party including games - dull.
House party with entertainer - okay but I don't think the children appreciated the entertainer as much as the parents hoped.
Garden party - a big garden where the host had lots of play equipment and bikes, carts and so on was the 'best party ever'.

For four and five year olds I'd be inclined to take the easiest option that suits you. They aren't yet bored of parties and will be happy to play together.

football party in the park

massive paddling pool party where the pool exploded

games bus - about 20 screens and the little darlings shot the place up

laser quest paint ball thing

the Artillery museum and some squaddies square bashed them !

bonfire party

Any party that states dc can be dropped off!

get an animal man to come over and show you all his weird and wonderful creatures - they love that

Pristinecondition - what's a silent disco?! Sounds interesting.

The best ones of my DC have been activity ones. Trampoline park, climbing wall gym, army boot camp in the mountains (they hiked, made a campfire, cooked a fish and shot an air gun at a target). All of those would be older than 5 yrs though, I can't even remember what my DC did for their 5th birthdays, probably soft play.

Just checked laser quest and minimum age is 7

The one when I could pick ds up afterwards instead of staying

Best one we've been to for a 5th birthday was a paint splatter party - kids made and got to take their own works of art home at the end. Neon lights, music, games and lots of mess. My DS loved it and his artwork is proudly displayed in his bedroom.

For DDs 6th we had an inflatable session in the pool, followed by cake, ice cream and softplay. (I was the softplay manager, and got a special rate on pool(which was community run anyway) . I'm aware this party sounds excessive but cost less than £100 including the food)

For her 8th we had BBQ, camping in the garden, then a picnic in the park with massive paddling pool.

Test of their parties are usually craft and games at home. They have attended quite a few like that, odd bouncy castle etc. Their group of friends don't seem to go into massive expensive parties.

Beach bonfire party - Lots of X's made with damp flour on sand and metal spades to take home. Dug up a chest with sweets.
Sausages in buns with ketchup marshmellows on sticks and cake.
Easily the best party.

Whole class party at a hall: party child's Mum and older sibling did party games and parachute games. Party tea was already prepared in boxes with a handle that had a colouring picture on, so when they had eaten enough they could get out the crayons from the box and get crafty.
I think they then had some party bag bits in a bowl and the children could choose a couple to put in their box to take home with cake.
I seem to remember my DC loved it and it was commented on at school gate that everyone's DC had said it was a great party; quite rare for parties to be talked about but this was the only home-organised one that year I think so it had the novelty factor.

Anything that serves drink and nibbles for the parents. Have been to some and so hot but no access to even water.

Kids will have fun whatever it is.

a treasure hunt in a country park.
by a mile.
it was: playground for about an hour until everyone had arrived. then the treasure hunt. then cake.
inside the treasure chest where the party bags so after cake was the big reveal opening the chest.

We've been to

A farm party
A hall with some entertainers
A tubing party
A treasure hunt party
Bouncy castle party
Play bus party
Then normal soft play

Best one was tubing and then hall with entertainers

We've also done

Zoo party
Soft play and disco
Hall party

Best feedback was zoo party

Last year for my DD 5th we hired a hall, invited the whole class and hired a disco that did 2hours of party games with them. Everyone joined in and they were great at keeping the kids entertained.

We also did boxes for food it wa sso much simpler.

My sons this year is at our local Wildlife and Wetlands centre. We had a choice of pond dipping, den building or arts and craft sessions. Ds has chosen den-building. We also get access to the reserve for the rest of the day, use of the facilities and all cost goes towards nature conservation at the site - which he loves.

We have also been to a nerf party, where all invitees were separated into 2 teams and just had nerf battles inside a massive obstactle course. Was great!

The one where they handed me a glass of prosecco the minute we walked through the door

We had loads of house parties. No structure. Kids could bounce on the trampoline, play with scooters, we set up the back room with the Xbox, easy level minecraft , so kids could drop in and out when they wanted! Water balloons, food set on kitchen side , so they could eat when they wanted . Even made play dough, which we set on a table outside ( this is a massive hit for all ages). We did the cake near the end . Kids had a ball just chatting to each other, vegging and relaxing.

I've spent the last year doing 5 year old reception parties. Best one was local village hall, a bajillion balloons, and an entertainer chap (who was like someone's grandad) and did old fashioned games/dancing/fart noises. Kids had a ball and still talk about it.

Anything fancier is a waste of money. They just want to run around like headless chickens.

Also, catering - squash, sandwich and biscuits. Nothing fancy. Kids think it's brill and there's no left overs to tidy.

We enjoyed one arranged through the wildlife trust. Kids get two activities with an education officer, room has to be set up by host, but it's cordoned off so no random llkids turn up. They get fed (provided by host), and then go home.