Organising a child's party in a park - help please!

[sonichedgehog82]

My DD will be 4 in August and we are just looking into organising a party - the first one she'll have had. She's excited as she's been to a number of 4th birthday parties so far this year from kids at nursery.

I'm clueless as she's our eldest and wanted to ask if anyone can help with a few possibly obvious / silly questions!

As it will be summer we want to hold it in the park (as opposed to a soft play). We are fortunate enough to live by one of the royal parks in London where you can hold a gathering so long as it's no more than 30 people.

My questions are:

• it's only me, DH and DC with no grandparents or family to help set up the area with balloons, party food etc or run party games. Am I taking too much on? I'm struggling to work out the logistics of getting it all set up, carrying everything there and clearing away whilst looking after DC.
• I was wondering whether any companies this service?
• alternatively we have 2 lovely babysitters are are early years carers from the nursery - do you think we could offer them the opportunity to help us run the party for a decent fee or is that insulting?
• what other things and ideas should we factor in to arranging a kids party in a park? (Other than weather contingency plan of course).

Thank you!

Where I live we are really lucky to have 2 big parks, one has an cafe with a big inside space but am sure they’d do an external party and the other has a hub cafe where they regularly put out toys but also have bouncy castles for hire.

I’d look into this option. Both these places are near toilets and both are near a car park or car parking in stretch and one is also close to a big family friendly pub with a garden in case people want that option.

We did this for DNephew who was 5 last year basically bring fold up chairs for adults, lots of picnic food and outdoor games.

The party we had for DNephew, no covered marquee, not near toilets but was 3 mins away from their flat so could go there. We did I think the floor is lava game and other games. We did decamp to DNephews school fair afterwards (on same day) and then to cinema/pizza express which is where cake was done.

I think you need to listen to those with older kids and lots of party experience. If it’s wet a lot of people will drop out on the day if you can’t have gazebos as a wet weather plan. Being huddled under a tree on damp grass in the rain doesn’t spell birthday fun. It often rains a lot in August (more than June/July). You’ll also find many people aren’t around. Most kids we know with August birthdays do them the last week of the summer term or the first week of September.

If you do go ahead with it, then you need to think about seating for everyone (if it has rained and the grass is wet it’ll come through normal picnic blankets). Also please don’t do balloons which will all get played with then popped/lost leaving plastic waste in the park.

Please also take your rubbish with you rather than piling it on/near a full bin, and don’t bring big speakers and play loud music while others are trying to quietly enjoy the green space.

It’s a nice idea in theory if it’s gloriously sunny, less so if it’s a typical British summer damp and chilly day. Book a hall!

I'm also curious as to what plan B is, especially as marquees / gazebos aren't an option.

In terms of setting up logistics - we packed as much as we could into large boxes with handles to minimise number of individual things to carry. We were lucky to be able to park only a couple minutes walk from the party area so I stayed with our child while my husband fetched everything. We then gave our child a bubble wand to amuse themselves while we got on with setting everything up. But as I said in earlier post, this was possible because we were in enclosed area.

In terms of tables - our area had three picnic tables in it already. If it hadn't, we'd have taken our camping tables. Packing everything away/clearing up actually took longer than setting up. Remember lots of bin bags!

In terms of if it had rained - the area had a wooden covered area in addition to our gazebo. I put on invites to come with waterproofs and sunscreen - to show that we'd go ahead whatever the weather.

some considerations for me would be

Is there a toilet nearby?
If it’s a particularly nice day I don’t think you can ‘reserve’ tables in a public park and these are likely to be busy. You’ll probably need your own seating/table options and remember to account for parents who want to stay at that young age. (No idea how you do that? Big folding table? You could ask you guests to bring their own picnic blankets or portable chairs).
Extra help would be good. Not unreasonable to ask the nursery workers.
Alternative poor weather option- can you relocate to your house if needed?

We had a party in the park last year in October as it was what DD wanted to do for her party. It drizzled but didn't put anybody off who'd said they were coming. I took a whistle and told them all if they heard me blow it they had to come back and get a sweet out of a bucket I had. We didn't lose anybody, the kids had a whale of a time. We had hot chocolate in flasks in case we got cold. The worst bit was my shoe decided to start leaking so I had one wet foot for the morning 😆

@sonichedgehog82 most of my dcs parties were in Regents Park from the age of 2 in July and August. One benefit of having a summer birthday is they don’t t have to be very big as lots of kids away! Our parties were 10am parties so we could get a good spot before anyone else did.

I usually only had one helper. I bought a trundle on wheels, big plastic trug, backpack and managed to fit everything in those really. A small folding table for cakes and drinks. If a picnic table handy, all the better. A disposable tablecloth for it with table clips to stop it blowing away. I always took a birthday cake but perhaps cupcakes easier. Sandwiches, cake pops, crisps, fruit. Individual drink cartons bottles- mark with their names.

balloons and bunting in trees. Pass the parcel, musical cushions, hide and seek, treasure hunt. For 5th birthday hires Sharkey and George. They were fantastic and a lot less work for me! When older hired pedaloes in the pond , also good. And has someone in there with waders to keep an eye.

I don’t think we ever had to cancel one due to weather. May not have been blazing sunshine but perfectly manageable.

My sister had her wedding in Finsbury park and it was the most beautiful and special occasion. They didn't have a contingency plan.

In terms of logistics, if there's really noone who can help you set up then I think one parent needs to stay with the kids and the other sets up the party area. I wouldn't worry too much about water, I'd assume most kids would bring their water bottle?

we used to fill boxes to make a ready filled picnic for each child. each box had a juice, sandwich, Pom bears a cake etc, whatever you like. So easy and they loved having their own boxes.

You sound well organised.
Have all food completely ready to serve (or readily ordered and fetched)
Plan games with few props.
A couple of Pass the Parcels with music on phone.
Statues.
Follow the Leader
Aiming a ball at a target
Passing or kicking a ball.
Naming Flowers
It's great that parents will be there.
They can take their own child to the toilet, and watch for escapees.
Some parks have under cover gathering points so you might like to get there early and save one.
Kids make their own fun. It will be great.

I wouldn't bother with a table. Have some blankets to put down. When you get replies, ask what sandwich choice the child would prefer (give 2 or 3) and drink (a couple of flavours of juice/fruit shoot, or water) and any allergies. Then get some boxes (search party lunch boxes on Amazon). Before the party, make up the boxes - sandwich, couple of nibbles (mini egg/sausage roll), crisps, drink, chocolate bar, individually wrapped hand wipe. Name each box. That way you don't need the space for open food and nothing is open to flies, dogs, or other kids joining in.

Think about what games you will play. We've done this and it worked fine - have some ball games and chasing games that can be done in a relative small area so there is less chance of the kids disappearing. You might find that other kids joined in the games, but that's probably fine if they're following type games. (Try to avoid games that need much stuff, that way there's nothing to get lost and no problem if other kids join in.)

Put on the invites that the parents MUST STAY. (I think they would at that age, but be certain, that way the parents do the general making sure the kids don't run off, toilet runs, and attending to their child if they are sick or hurt.) Have drinks for the parents and maybe a snack, but not a meal unless you want to.

Honestly we did a steam train ride with a walk in the woods and picnic in the middle for 3rd BD and it was great!

@stclair this all sounds good! With Sharkey and George were you paying £2k + though?! Seems expensive for a party in the park! A soft play hire here (zone 2) with picnic is about £300...

Yikes! No it wouldn’t have been that much. We are talking 10 years ago though. I remember there were about 20 kids at that one so very worth having paid entertainment though!

Having done many of these types of parties I’d say:

Less is more. A picnic blanket in the park with some snacks and fruit is better than trying (badly) to recreate a church hall in the middle of Regent’s Park and lug half your house across the grass.

Avoid mealtimes - there are so many fussy kids at that age - and just do snacks and cake.

If you can set yourself up near a playground that’s the entertainment dealt with, and it’ll be easier for guests to find you. Bring along a football and some bubble wands for the kids. I wouldn’t be planning games for this age.

Word invites with the expectation that parents will stay.

I'd get one of those folding trestle style tables and buy a paper childrens tablecloth then weight it down on each corner, theyre pretty light to carry...
Definitely ask the childcare workers, we had our nanny at my sons party and she was such a pro, did the work of ten parents!
Top tips:
Amazon! They have everything, including my favourite thing which is a pre wrapped pass the parcel - no painful wrapping the night before!
Buy pre packaged food and check for allergies, the parents can then check the labels for gluten, allergies, vegie etc - plus less waste/you can take leftovers home
Less is more, kids are so excited to be at the party and with their friends
Give a going home time, and have small party bags to mark The End otherwise people never leave!
Don't forget parents, some olives and prosecco win many brownie points

It'll be great, they'll love it and you'll smash it :-)

Keep it simple

Prepare individual picnic boxes

My main worry would be risk of a child wandering off

My dd years ago was invited to a 4th birthday party in a park...it was an absolute disaster. Mainly because the parents hosting it had the personality of a damp piece of kitchen roll. Basically there was no distinction between a kid who was there for the party and a kid who was just playing in the park. The parents served food from a picnic table...but didn't indicate a place for the kids to eat together so kids were dotted around the park on various benches. Parents made no effort to bring the guests together... because it was a nursery party very few parents knew each other or knew which kids were part of it. The parents laid on no party games. It was total shite.

• you may have to book the park - the the table or something. You do in my city. Just FYI!
• totally offer the babysitters if you want to.

sounds fun!

I’ve done park parties for 4/5 year olds. You don’t need to change location for the weather. Just make clear the venue won’t be changing and people need to wear appropriate clothing.

I always arranged four party games - a sack race, an egg and spoon race, hide and seek and an e-scavenger hunt. (For the last, do an early walk around and take photos of interesting items, and then upload them all to the party WhatsApp group. At the party, send a group of kids and an adult off to find the photographed items, and ask for photos evidence. Prize for the quickest group to find them all.) Do a game when everyone arrived to pull the group together and use the others when kids need ‘bringing back in’ to more structured play.

Ive been to a bunch of park parties like this rangingfrom people ordering a pjzza to the park, parents doing some sports activities, a simple bring your own picnic, hiring a kids science entertainer, hosting a foostball match. I think just do it however you like. As little or as much as you feel comfortable with. Asking nursery staff could be good but honestly with 4 year olds people dont drop off, they will be staying with their kids. I think get a load of bubble wands, think of a few games like pass the parcel and maybe an egg and spoon race. Make it clear the party is a set time, so 2 hours so that you arent stuck hosting until the sun goes down. You can do mini lunch boxes,you can order them on amazon the cardboard ones. Put a sandwich, drink, snack in each so you dont have sandwiches sitting there in the sun and for the adults bring a few of those grown up tapas things you get from the supermarket with the chorizo and cheese etc so you can just rip the plastic off and lay them out. Bring an ice box with a couple of prosecco and grown up drinks. Id go for ease, especially in a park. Remember black bags for rubbish. I would spend money on an entertainer rather than nursery staff. If you can get someone to host the party games thats always good, they will gather the kids and keep them engaged. Make it clear its not a drop off and go and also say that siblings are welcome, especially in a park you will get a better turn out and eont have to be worried about losing someones kid.

We did this for our little one’s birthday this year, he just turned 4 also.

I’m wondering if you may be talking about the exact place we did it, bushy park?

We did have both our mums but they were late so not much help 😂 we didn’t go all out, just told everyone to bring their own picnic and set up an area with blankets and chairs etc.

We took some garden games but mostly the kids just ran around playing football or just their own little games and we took some of them over to the park after they’d eaten.

I found it pretty stress free, my only worry was parking as it gets so busy but everyone managed it just about, even if they did have to hunt spaces out 😬😂

I didn't read the whole thread so apologies if I repeat anything.

I did a party in the local park for DS at that age... just a simple picnic near the playground.

All I did was get a few picnic blankets, filled a happy meal style boxes with a sandwich 2x drink (it was a hot day) crisps some sweets and a Mr kipping single wrapped cake.

As toy I added thouse polystyrene planes.
DC loved the planes (you can also get dinosaurs, unicorns, ...) that and the nearby playground kept them happy.
Make sure you take some extra food & drink & planes ...
Honestly, at age 4 all they want to do is run around.

That's the sort of thing I am talking about...

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If it is a large park make sure everyone knows how to find you (they may not be familiar with the park). Attended a work get together in a large park once and half the time was taken up calling back and forth ‘we are on the left side of the lake’, ‘I can’t see you’, ‘maybe there is more than one lake’ etc

This is very standard for summer born kids in London. Just treat it like a picnic at this age. Parents will stay so you don't need to supervise loads of kids. I've been to a few where I've been friends with the parents so met them at the edge of the park where they have driven/ bused/ taxied with the bags and helped them carry to the picnic area. Could anyone do that to help?

Otherwise, take balls/ bubble wands etc or park yourselves near a playground so the kids can go off and play. Usually these type of parties don't have a lot of party games, other than pass the parcel, although you could do some. Decorations I would keep to a minimum- the main thing is having some balloons/ bunting in a near by tree (also good for shade) so friends can find you easily