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Original poster

Paying to attend child's party?

550 replies

arachnidpearl · 01/02/2022 11:15

Would welcome views on this.

My DS has been invited to a child's party on Sunday. It's at an activity place with a climbing wall then food afterwards. Accepted invitation weeks ago, have bought card and gift etc.

We've been sent a message yesterday from birthday child's parent last night which says that all children under 8 must be supervised by an adult each, which is ok with me I don't mind staying (would rather not, but it's not the end of the world) but that in order to stay and supervise we have to buy a full price adults ticket, which costs £25!

Is this usual? It seems a bit of a cheek to me!

OP posts:
Aussiegirl88 · 02/02/2022 20:00

Im in Australia but we have these types of places I've never paid more than $5 spectators fee.
25£ that would cost me almost $50 that here would be enough to take my 2 kids, my husband and I spectator and still have change.
We even have dedicated rock climbing gyms you can go too for $7.
Either it's not a paid party, your paying for your DC or they have misunderstood the fee. There is no way a place could charge that much for someone not even using stuff. Ridiculous

fatchilli123 · 02/02/2022 20:03

There was a post saying all but the birthday child under 8

Poppitt58 · 02/02/2022 20:15

Maybe price is only if you also want to climb but it is free just to supervise?

For insurance purposes, to supervise at most proper climbing walls (ie not activity centres eg clipnclimb) you need to be a fully inducted climber. Induction is usually charged for and can be anywhere from £10-20

The main issue sounds like it’s the fact the kids are under 8. Over 8 parties usually have a climbing session led by the wall instructors, and parents can just drop off or sit in the cafe etc.

Mumof32017 · 02/02/2022 20:18

Wow screw that! I told my 4 year he could choose 3 friends to ask to go to flip out for his birthday. I paid for the child and adult tickets, 2 parents offered to pay for their own but I would have felt really cheeky as we invited them.

Notanewusertool · 02/02/2022 20:21

So they've booked a party aimed at over 8s and then realised lots of the guests are still 7. I assume they have a provision for kids under 8 to come along with supervision, so that if there is a
younger sibling or something, they can accommodate them. I assume they never normally get parties where most of the guests are under 8 because that is clearly madness. At this point the party parents should admit they fucked up big time, and invite all the kids to their home instead for jelly, ice cream and party games.

BlueMongoose · 02/02/2022 20:23

@arachnidpearl

Would welcome views on this.

My DS has been invited to a child's party on Sunday. It's at an activity place with a climbing wall then food afterwards. Accepted invitation weeks ago, have bought card and gift etc.

We've been sent a message yesterday from birthday child's parent last night which says that all children under 8 must be supervised by an adult each, which is ok with me I don't mind staying (would rather not, but it's not the end of the world) but that in order to stay and supervise we have to buy a full price adults ticket, which costs £25!

Is this usual? It seems a bit of a cheek to me!

That's a horrible thing for the parent to do, apart from it being ridiculously expensive, some kids' parents won't be able to afford it.
Mynameisnew · 02/02/2022 20:32

I don't think she can be cross with you. You can't do it because you're pregnant, the fee is secondary.

The fee by the way will see them fail to get many more party bookings. This will all be reviewed on Google or day out with the kids and so who is going to want to pay an additional 250£ for ten parents to attend their child's party. No-one.

For what it's worth, I've just been to such a party in the North West and party mum paid for the kids, but the supervising adults were free.

Was your place in Yorkshire? This week I've been comparing activity prices in the North West with those in Yorkshire as I'm staying locally in yorkshire with the children and things seem more expensive here.

They'll be out of business before long.

Mepop · 02/02/2022 20:33

Never heard of this. My DD had a climbing party for her 7th birthday a few years ago and has also been to many. It was no extra cost for parents to stay though most decided against it. The place provided food afterwards and was fully staffed.

Vloggamamma · 02/02/2022 20:35

@PeekabooAtTheZoo

I don't think the mum is a CF or a bitch or the other things she's been called by some on this thread. She probably thought the venue had reasonable, sensible terms and is now lashing out at the wrong people because her poor kid's birthday is ruined. I'd be heartbroken if I'd tried to organise a party for my little ones and it had gone so wrong that confirmed attendees now cancelled.
In fairness though she is a CF. When OP texted saying she can’t go since she’s 7 months pregnant and venue won’t allow, why did she counter with “can’t his Dad bring him, .I’ve paid for his place and my son will be disappointed “ . Sorry, the woman is 7 months pregnant, if the Dad was an option she would have said. That was cheeky IMHO
LethargeMarg · 02/02/2022 20:46

@FlickyCrumble

If it’s a swim party all under 8s need 121 supervision by an over 16 that is in the water with them. Can you just pay an adult swim ticket?
The swimming parties I've been to and hosted parents swimming to make the ratios have never been charged Also farm parties where it states an adult needs to stay at young ages - no charge as a guest
Poppitt58 · 02/02/2022 20:47

They'll be out of business before long.

Climbing walls don’t make their main money on parties involving kids under 7 so they’re very likely to survive this situation!

Most climbing walls (not kids activity centres eg clipnclimb) don’t run sessions for under 8s due to insurance. Usually, under 8s need to be accompanied by a fully inducted adult. Over 8s can join a party with a climbing instructor, parents are not required.

If the climbing wall didn’t make the age issue clear at the time of booking they’re very unreasonable. I think it’s more likely however, that the parents hadn’t considered that their child turning 8 would have lots of 7 year old friends.

Merryoldgoat · 02/02/2022 20:49

I just had a party for my son on the weekend - it was £20 quid a child and we had 14 kids invited. We had to have a few adult supervisors who I paid for.

Two children were unwell so couldn’t come. Cost of doing business.

I just can’t fathom the idea that you wouldn’t pay all costs for a child’s party.

JonSnowIsALoser · 02/02/2022 20:58

I've heard of "Stay and Play", but that's the first "Stay and Pay" party I've come across!

I guess that's how the venue make their money. I wouldn't go, though I do pity the poor birthday child.

villainousbroodmare · 02/02/2022 21:05

The birthday mum had an opportunity here to say its ok I'll supervise your 7 year old as my 8 year doesn't need supervision.

Exactly.

Mumof32017 · 02/02/2022 21:08

There’s over 20 pages to comb through, what did the venue say? I need to know how this ended 😂

Mynameisnew · 02/02/2022 21:11

@Poppitt58

They'll be out of business before long.

Climbing walls don’t make their main money on parties involving kids under 7 so they’re very likely to survive this situation!

Most climbing walls (not kids activity centres eg clipnclimb) don’t run sessions for under 8s due to insurance. Usually, under 8s need to be accompanied by a fully inducted adult. Over 8s can join a party with a climbing instructor, parents are not required.

If the climbing wall didn’t make the age issue clear at the time of booking they’re very unreasonable. I think it’s more likely however, that the parents hadn’t considered that their child turning 8 would have lots of 7 year old friends.

No, I agree but if word gets around that a wall is totally unreasonable, families will stay away and it will get a bad reputation.

If they are trying to charge an extra 25 quid per attendee, it rather does sound as though they're trying to make their main money here!

browneyes77 · 02/02/2022 21:12

@arachnidpearl

Ok so I've rung the venue.

I am not allowed to be a supervising adult on account of being pregnant, I am not allowed in the vicinity of the climbing wall at all, just the cafe etc. But, all children under 8 must be supervised 1-1 and to enter the climbing area all adults must have a ticket (which is £25!)

So I cannot take DS anyway, the only option I've got is if I can get a grandparent or my sister to take him. But I will have to pay £25 for them to do so!

I queried the cost for adults on account of it being a party and they said they offer the option where the party bookers can pay for the supervising adults... or not. So I assume these parents have decided not!!

Sounds to me like the parents clearly knew about the additional £25 cost at the point of booking and decided that they didn’t want to pay that much. And that rather than tell parents up front when they invited people, they’d wait until the last minute, after they’d invited everyone, in the hope that people would be less likely to back out, if they’d already told their children they could go and gone out and brought cards and gifts Hmm
marpelier · 02/02/2022 21:17

I think mum needs to salvage the situation by offering to take at least 2 children with herself and husband. Plus her 8yo that's 3. Maybe a couple of other parents have agreed to come as well, so that would be 5. She could then ask the parents who pulled out of the climbing to bring their children to meet afterwards at a nearby park for cake and drinks and a run around. Birthday boy gets to see all the invitees, and get his presents and basically gets 2 parties!

WTAFhappened123 · 02/02/2022 21:22

Mega cheeky… Dear CF parent we Can’t come (?sore throat don’t want to risk it), then save present for next child’s bday DC is invited to where you dont have to shell out to attend

JacquelineCarlyle · 02/02/2022 21:24

Well done for saying no Op, it's ridiculous you would have to pay at all, never mind £25!

Poppitt58 · 02/02/2022 21:36

No, I agree but if word gets around that a wall is totally unreasonable, families will stay away and it will get a bad reputation.

If they are trying to charge an extra 25 quid per attendee, it rather does sound as though they're trying to make their main money here!

The £25 is unlikely to be an extra fee for attending. Climbing definitely doesn’t cost that much,

It’s most likely a 1 off induction fee+entry. Inductions are a service climbing walls provide so people can learn to use the wall correctly and safely, and supervise others. Without this, the climber and their child would not be covered under the wall’s insurance.

I genuinely don’t think it’ll be the case of the wall forgetting to tell the mum the age issue. I think party mum has forgotten half the kids would still be 7 and then tried to salvage the situation.

BellePeppa · 02/02/2022 21:38

That would be a bit of a shock to me to have to pay that but if everyone withdrew I’d feel really sorry for the birthday child when no one turns up. I find it hard to believe you’d be charged when you’re not actually participating.

April506 · 02/02/2022 21:46

Please let us know what the venue say.
We used to have parties at play centres for five year old upwards and never needed adults to attend although they could if they wanted...it was only the children that we had to pay for!

ArchibaldsDaddy · 02/02/2022 21:47

My money is on there not being a charge for supervision…

If there is, it’s a bit naughty of the parents organising.

HaveringWavering · 02/02/2022 21:51

@ArchibaldsDaddy

My money is on there not being a charge for supervision…

If there is, it’s a bit naughty of the parents organising.

Read OP’s updates. There is, she called the venue to check.