Children's birthday party - without food?

[AlicethroughtheSpookingGlass]

We're looking at options for a birthday party for our nearly 3 year old. One of the options I really like is an activity based one at a museum which DS has been to before and loves but it would only be the activity itself, for 80 mins. You can pay for a room for food afterwards but that would add a minimum of another £300 (!) on which we can't afford. If you were a parent would you expect a party invite to include food as well?

I wouldn't want to do an activity one if people were really disappointed/annoyed not to be fed so we'd look at another option if so. The timing would be either 10-1120 or 1100-1220.

I have only been to a few parties with him so far and they did all include a lunch option so maybe that's the best? There is a cafe at the location (a museum) and places to eat a packed lunch, and there are lots of food places nearby if that makes a difference, it's pretty central in London.

As long as you let people know so they can plan accordingly it’s fine or if there’s places to eat a packed lunch and you can afford it do some packed lunch boxes with a sandwich a snack and drink.

Don't do the 11-12:20 one, as that is over lunch time. Just book yhe earlier one and tell people it ends at 11:20, so lunch won't be provided.

As an aside, how many friends does a 3 year old have that food would add up to £300?!

If there is space to eat a packed lunch then the obvious answer is to feed them there. You can buy cardboard lunch boxes a bit like the ones for happy meals. Put in a sandwich, small bag of crisps and drink. Then do a cake or cupcakes and sing happy birthday.
If you do decide not to do food, make it very clear on the invites and pick the earlier time so everyone can get home for lunch.

Yeah agree. As long as you let people know it’ll be fine. Go with 10-11:20 instead of 11-12:20 though.

Can you take snack bags? I’ve done similar for kids parties - wouldn’t cost a lot and you could give it to them either after and just sit in a communal area or with / as part of party bags so food is covered?

Say cake and drink after so people know their child won't be fed

Or equally if places for picnic /cafe then do lunch boxes with Sarnie cut grapes crisps cucumber biscuit

I would do the individual cardboard lunch boxes, I certainly wouldn't pay £300 for some party food in a separate room, but I wouldn't feel comfortable not providing any food either. We used the boxes a few times for parties away from home (we did a bushcraft one in a woodland where they worked really well). I put in a couple of small filled rolls, crisps, iced biscuit, babybel, cherry tomatoes, mini brownie and cupcake. And a drink.

I haven't been to a birthday party without food (some have been a party buffet, others just afew snacks) but this sounds like a different sort of party anyway, and also a shorter one.

I think if you book the earlier slot, you would be fine.If the activity is based in one room, can you afford to maybe lay afew snacks out if the museum allow?

If you could do the earlier one I’d do that and specify on the invitation no food provided. If you can only get the other slot, is there room in your budget for maybe Pizza Hut and a few pizzas there up to the value of maybe £50-£60 depending on how many mouths to feed etc.

I would expect a birthday cake (they don't eat the rest anyway!).

But are you sure you want to manage a bunch of 2 and 3 year olds in a museum? Will they be contained?! It was bad enough in a soft play, if I recall.

Can you do a picnic afterwards, in a park or museum grounds? Weather permitting of course. Otherwise plan it so it's not over lunch/tea time and just hand out a little bag of treats to take home at the end.

Thank you everyone! I thought the earlier slot would be better as would be easier for people to have time to stay exploring the rest of the museum or head home or go on into London, etc.

I do promise he does not have some mad social circle, quite the opposite! It's just the cost of an additional room afterwards is a flat £220 without any food, so even if only a few kids came (which may be likely!) that's the main cost... I don't know if it's just the museum would rather people didn't do that so try and put people off.

If they have a packed lunch area, could you make up food boxes for all the kids and go their after the activity.

Thankfully it's a contained room. I would absolutely age about fifty years if I tried to contain them all myself....

That's an idea. I might also ask a few nursery friends - that's who would mainly be coming - how they'd feel. We'd definitely bring a cake.

I've never been to a kids party where there hasn't been food.

If I was invited to a kids party that was 10-11ish I wouldn't expect food. Go for that timing and I think you'll be grand. I'd also love a party that early because it doesn't eat into the rest of the day.

£300 is a little to spend in a 3 yr olds birthday party.

Will your 3 yr old really appreciate that?.

But go for the earlier session and then there will be less expectations of good.