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Childens party- please give me your tips! I’m terrified!

87 replies

Crayzeefrog · 06/03/2022 19:30

So DD is going to be 4 soon and I’ve invited 15 kids to our house for a party. Parents will be staying (god knows where we are going to seat all of these people)

Please please please give me your best tips for kids food/adult food/games/party bags/prizes/getting people to leave etc

Last year we were in lockdown so I haven’t thrown her a proper party before and everyone else seems to have gone for soft play parties (for a very good reason it seems!). I feel out of my depth.

OP posts:
DockOTheBay · 06/03/2022 22:40

I'm doing a party for my 5 year old although our house isn't that big so only 6 friends and a drop off.

We are going to play pass the parcel, music statues/bumps, pin the tail on the unicorn. Otherwise I'm just putting toys out and balloons that they can bat around, plus a craft table and temporary tattoos/facepaint which I'll do myself.

Drinks are individual fruit shoots, labelled with sharpie so they know which is theirs.
Food: pizza, chicken nuggets, fruit and veg sticks, quavers

Party bags: bouncy ball, foam glider, temporary tattoos, mini smarties box, cupcake (rather than a slice of big cake, easier to put in a bag)
Party bag is the best bit for many kids!!

DockOTheBay · 06/03/2022 22:41

Oh I'm also putting pictures of unicorns up in the house and they're going to do a unicorn hunt

aliloandabanana · 06/03/2022 23:27

Start off with craft, using kits from Baker Ross or similar to make something they can wear or wave around - keeps them busy whilst you're waiting for everyone to arrive, as they can just start as they come in.

Do some lively games and then have food - sandwiches, crisps, party rings and buns, then do the cake. Then some more games - maybe quieter ones first, like sleeping lions. If the weather's good , finish off with a treasure hunt in the garden to find sweets. Get them to queue up to collect a party bag, to make it obvious it's time to go.

Make sure you have some prizes but just go for simple things like bouncy balls, rubbers, novelties and hand them out yourself rather than letting them choose.

Remember that you'll have to cut the cake and wrap it to go in party bags - if you can have a second cake to cut up in advance that helps!

I wouldn't put out toys as someone has suggested - you want them to join in, not to be playing with stuff.

Have a running order and include more games than you need. Get everything you need for the games together well in advance so you're not having to search for things as people arrive.

Keep it short - 1.5 hours is plenty at that age.

BlackeyedSusan · 06/03/2022 23:38

Party bags: sweets
Crayons
Fancy pencil (multipack of shiny/patterned ones)
Small colouring book that come in packs of 8 or so. (If they still do.them)

Go to the pound shop/home bargains and look for suitable stuff.

BlackeyedSusan · 06/03/2022 23:40

Or colouring book and pack of crayons.

Or sticker book

Stickers go down well too.

BlackeyedSusan · 06/03/2022 23:44

Games. Musical statues. No one is out. Best 3 statues gets a sticker. Repeat till all kids have got a sticker.

Ring a ring a roses
Sleeping bunnies song if you know it.

Any action songs you know from nursery.

mila5star · 06/03/2022 23:46

Kids love a Piñata

Onceuponatimethen · 07/03/2022 06:41

Lots of great ideas here op - my kids love going to house parties like this!

hawkinspawkins · 07/03/2022 07:15

In your house?

😩

Is it too late to hire a space? Hall?

BaileysBreakfast · 07/03/2022 07:25

Prosecco and nibbles for the parents. I’ve often had to steal food from the children as I’ve been hungry at parties Blush

Picopartyyy · 14/03/2022 19:08

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DobbyTheHouseElk · 14/03/2022 19:16

Flap the fish, the kids love it.

Two teams.

Two paper A4 size cut out fish.
Two magazines or newspapers

Each team lines up and you have to flap the fish with the magazine creating air to the end of the room and back, then it’s the next persons go. First team to finish wins.

I had this as a back up game, but they loved it. Very exciting and used up loads of time.

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