4th birthday - best party ideas

[HalloHello]

It's my daughter's 4th birthday in a few weeks and we are going to have a party. Due to pandemic, we have never done a party except family and now she's at nursery, she really wants one! So now I'm nervous and overthinking 🤣
As a guest at a party, what has been the best thing at kids party? What has been provided that you thought 'ooh lovely!' Any food ideas that were good? I know kids will hardly eat! Should we provide food for adults?

She has requested a bouncy castle and a cake made of a rainbow so far so thinking we will hire a BC and a local hall! Help an overthinker out 😀

Yes to food for adults if you can afford to, it helps to break the ice and make them feel part of it rather than awkwardly sitting around the edge. We put on some bottles of beer too and soft drinks for them too. We just did a load of pizzas and had lots of happy parents!

Definitely a bouncy castle, they are always a huge hit at the parties we have been to. No games other than a quick round of pass the parcel. Some craft or sensory activities are nice for the quieter children. Food in picnic boxes that they can all sit down together to eat go down well. Hope she & you enjoy it.

Yes I was thinking pizzas! Not sure how I would warm them all though, would have to look at the amenities at the hall. I was also thinking of some alcohol too, or at least really nice coffee!

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My daughter really doesn't like games, she gets a bit embarrassed and shy so don't think we will bother with that, just bouncy castle, music and disco lights, bubble machine and glow sticks?

How long for? I think without some kind of games they may go a but wild. If she doesn’t like games maybe she would prefer a softplay party.

Sorry!! Not idea what the hell happened with my phone then!

@Duracellbunnywannabe

How long for? I think without some kind of games they may go a but wild. If she doesn’t like games maybe she would prefer a softplay party.

Probably just 12-2, don't want it to go on too long! Soft play was another idea actually, she loves it there!

Are party bags still a thing?

Party bags are very much still a thing…(& the best bit for most kids)

Bouncy castle. Pizzas with veg sticks. No need for games if bouncy castle. Cake and candles for afters then no need for pudding too. If you want to do pudding ice cream, cones and sprinkles. You don’t need to feed adults. Provide good tea and coffee and nice biscuits. Make up party bags beforehand. Make it clear whether siblings are invited or not. If any babies coming a rug/ padded mat with a few baby toys is always appreciated so the parents don’t have to hold them for hours. Rope in a child free friend to help!

I would say 1 1/2 max for a bouncy castle party including, pass the parcel. I would do 11 to 12.30 so lunch ends up at a normal ish lunch time.

Party bags are always a huge hit (and allow you to easily end the party on time and on a high note). They don’t need to be massively fancy but kids love them.

We are doing a big class party for our DDs 4th birthday. Did the same for the first DDs 4th and it was a big success, hired a church hall that had lots of toys from a toddler group they run therr, booked a bouncy castle that never turned up and turns out wasn't needed, did some party games and had music on, with loads of food for kids AND parents, coffee and pop for the parents and juice for the kids.

We did have a relative doing face painting for the last one but they can't do it this time round, and I've made mix ups instead of party bags for the kids as I spent lots of time and money on party bags the first time round and have since learnt that party bags are the enemy of most parents.

What do you put in party bags for 4 year olds in the times of not wanting too much plastic? Obviously cake but otherwise! Sorry I'm so clueless haha

NOT a piñata. Always a disaster with small children. Frankly I think you are wise to avoid any games with winners and losers, 4 year olds do not take losing well. Pass the parcel only if you are prepared to do enough layers for everyone. Yes these are important life lessons but you don't need your daughter's birthday party to be where they are learned. Bouncy castle definitely a winner.

Dd 4.5 has been to a few recently and her favourite party bag was a book and Freddo bar. The Works do the 10 for a £10 or 3 for £5. Other winners have been a cupcake, novelty pen & notepad.

Party bags
Bubbles
Stickers
Tattoos
Cake
Yo-Yo

We didn’t do party bags for my DD- 4th bday- I hate the plastic shit. I gave everyone a book (works 10 for £10) and a personalised sweet cone:
www.etsy.com/uk/listing/1151066454/rainbow-sweet-cones-party-favours-filled?gbraid=0AAAAADutTMc0GRTZmwG3HB5uqGyGvvApY&gpla=1&gao=1&&utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=shopping_uk_en_gb_e-paper_and_party_supplies-party_supplies-party_favors_and_games-party_favors&utm_custom1=k_CjwKCAiA6seQBhAfEiwAvPqu1wL6YntaFnOJ3hmyHpiLR2YyGElQ34ywrweDx1co-an5fst9Ue6NYxoCeGkQAvD_BwE_k&utm_content=go_326235648_43778235010_230350012522_aud-463075091998:pla-317749456795_m__1151066454engb_102858184&utm_custom2=326235648&gbraid=0AAAAADutTMc0GRTZmwG3HB5uqGyGvvApY&gclid=CjwKCAiA6seQBhAfEiwAvPqu1wL6YntaFnOJ3hmyHpiLR2YyGElQ34ywrweDx1co-an5fst9Ue6NYxoCeGkQAvD_BwE

If you’re doing it over lunch time yes you need food for adults-
We again just ordered pizzas, crudités and hummus, breadsticks, juice cartons and water bottles.

Party games sound such hard work, there'll be at least 20 kids there and I can't organise them all haha!
Party bag ideas great thank you, book and chocolate is lovely! So simple but effective.
One company who do bouncy castles, also have little ride on animals to hire for really good price, might be worth getting those too!
Will definitely have helpers, my parents and family will be there to help!
A lot of parents will know each other too so hopefully be a social event for them too! Don't want it to be too long. We were at a party last weekend and it was 2 hours, most people started getting ready to leave after 1.5 hours!

Best party we have been recently to had a high bouncy slide and a craft table (literally just stickers, pens and paper). The children spent an hour and a half throwing themselves down the slide quite happily with little parental intervention, or sticking stickers on paper.

The other 30 mins was spent playing with balloons and eating party food.

Food is basic. Plain cheese sandwiches. Plain ham sandwiches. Cocktail sausages, carrot batons, wotsits, doritos followed by a scoop of icecream.

Alternatively hot dogs are also very easy to do en masse.

4 is a funny age for pass the parcel, lots still don't quite get the gist so it can be a bit painful. Musical chairs swiftly followed by happy birthday + candles

Party bags are essential. Like literally the whole point of the party for some of them.
Stickers
Crappy little toys
Transfers
Sweets
costume jewellery type stuff

Make sure soft drinks are available throughout. Put a big box of biscuits out for adults to help themselves to.

2 hours is the absolute maximum for that age.

I personally don't think alcohol and kids parties mix unless you are at home with close friends. I really like a drink myself but it doesn't feel right in a village hall on a wet Saturday afternoon with school parents.

also on the party bag thing, every party I've been to recently the kids have been very happy if they have been able to take a balloon home with them

Don't do alcohol, very odd in a village hall mid afternoon and other parents will think it really strange.

Have some sort of entertainment, musical bumps, statues, pass the parcel in 4 separate groups with a small present in each layer. A bouncy castle and nothing else is a recipe for disaster, they will got too hot, go wild and injure themselves. Get one with the blow up slide /climbing stuff inside for maximum fun.

Personally I think cooking pizzas at a hall would be a nightmare. And please remember, not all kids like pizza. Do cheese/ham/jam sandwiches (some cheese/jam with no butter if any vegans), pack of Pom bears, a yo yo fruit sweet each and put cut up fruit and mini sausages on platters. Possibly some mini chocolate Swiss rolls/Kit Kats out too. Juice boxes (sugar free) and water as options for drinks.

For parents, posh biscuits, Kit Kats, tub of quality street, tea, coffee, water.

I've organised a lot of parties for my kids!

I'd avoid pizza too - several people I know either don't like cheese or are lactose intolerant or have a dairy allergy.
Sandwiches are much easier to personalise especially if you have children with dietary restrictions.
Places like Home Bargains or B&M do sticker & activity books for less than a £1 each which can be a good alternative to a book in party bags.
If you want to do a party game, pass the parcel is the easiest. Just wrap each layer with a bag of Haribo or something; if you've got 20 children that's 19 layers plus sweets plus main prize.