5 year old party at home

[PrincessMirrorBelle]

Against my better judgement I've got 8-10 kids coming to our small house. I'm a lone parent (widowed ), quite shy myself and would have preferred to book soft play but don't have the budget sadly. In fact I'd have preferred not to have a party at all but when I gently suggested that my dd (who is very outgoing and sociable, not like me at all) was heartbroken so here I am.

I'm not a natural party organiser by any means and I'm dreading it! I don't feel confident leading games at all and am wondering whether I therefore need to book an entertainer? Please help me structure the party, suggest activities and reassure me it won't be a disaster :(

To add, dd not girlie at all and more than half the guests are boys so not fairies/princesses etc.

What would your daughter like to do for her party at home? She might have the best ideas.

Activities…pizza making is a good one, easy and they get to eat it! Party games…how many squares of chocolate can you cut off a chocolate bar (and eat) with a knife and fork wearing oven gloves, a hat and a scarf (or maybe that is too 1990s) …pass the parcel with lots of presents/sweets in the interim layers…

How long are they with you?

You could have a food making activity, then party games whilst it is all cooking and then eating and birthday cake…couple of hours done….

Sorry…just reread and saw you would rather not lead games…could you recruit a friend or family member to take the lead perhaps.

Thank you, sorry to sound dense but how would pizza activity actually work? Buy the bases and get them to do tomato sauce/cheese veggies etc?

It's 2 hours

Yes I'm really softly spoken and lacking in authority, I know it sounds a bit feeble but I just cannot see a group of kids listening to me

My 5 year old has just been to a party at someone's house. It was nice weather so they played in the garden, then came in to play pass the parcel, musical statues, dancing competition. She blew up lots of balloons so they were chasing the balloons. Then sat down for some food. It was a fab party!

The pizza idea is good. The time will go quickly with the food as well so you wouldn’t need many games. Pass the parcel fun and simple. Do you have a garden? I had a party at home for 6 year olds and we did stuff like space hopper races outside. We also had a disco light. They’ll be happy just hanging out for some of the time.

OP
pizza and icecream and jelly IMO
NB: Check for allergies - ask as so many kids have various and multiple allegies

They will spread the tomato sauce on and just put whatever toppings they like, you could get it all ready beforehand

i Know you are not confident but they will want to play the games if you suggest it. Or you could do a treasure hunt that’s already set up so they just get on with it?

Football, running races, balloons or bubbles outside in the garden.

Lego making.

Decorate your own cupcake.

You need an entry activity because they'll arrive in dribs and drabs. I would get party bags in a plain colour, a big pile of cheap stickers and stickers with letters on so they can put their names on the bag. I would have a few games like musical statues, sleeping lions etc up your sleeve on top of pizza making. Party should be 1.5hrs and not a second longer

I have never organise entertainment for a home party. Once there are a few of them together, they will entertain them fine. I do agree that something interactive with food always goes down well. We have done pizza, decorate a cup cake and magic wands (bread sticks with melted chocolate and sprinkles) before.

We did this and it went like this:
30 minutes - craft activity - baker and Ross sets at the best, boys liked it too and we had colour your own bag in
Piñata
musical statues - prizes for all
toilet paper game involving covering an adult in it (although also could he a child) to make the best mummy/dress/outfit
food - didn’t take that long in retrospect
Some playing in the garden - pin the tail, pass the parcel and it was done.
Kids will listen to you more than you expect (it’s your own that don’t in my experience)

Also have some ground rules with your DC about kids all staying in lounge/kitchen and not upstairs so you can supervise

Yep to pizzas and also do ice cream factory… a couple of scoops of ice cream in a bowl each and they decorate with all the toppings.
Do games that don’t need a loud voice. Pass the parcel is good…they need to listen for the music stopping. You won’t need to keep their attention.
Have a dance competition…they need to bust out their best moves and you hand out prizes (mini size chocolate bars or packs of haribo…they can all win one! Or those mini plastic medals you can get to go in party bags…5 year olds love a medal!)

Thank you. Like the pinata idea. There's one child who is dairy allergic and another egg allergic unfortunately so I have to be mindful of that. Pass the parcel I could cope with. We do have a garden. Will some free play work or will that just result in a riot?

10 seems a lot for a party in a house.

However, if you were to pay for an entertainer, it will negate the saving you make by not booking the soft play.

Who have you asked to help you ? Would they be willing to do some games and activities whilst you sort the food / check people are okay going to the toilet etc?

@NewName24 I don't have anyone to ask to help me, I don't have any family and my best friend is mentally unwell at the moment and I couldn't depend on her to help. It still seems to be the norm that most parents stay but I don't particularly know them.

See them I go back to thinking I need an entertainer, if only for my own sanity.

I would find an entertainer for an hour if i could possibly afford it. Half an hour of a craft activity, an hour of entertainment, half an hour of eating.

Maybe you could ask in your local Facebook group for a magician or something?

This sort of thing would be a nightmare for me too op. Free play in the garden could either be great or a disaster. I would have activities planned.

They will listen to you, you're the grown up! Don't worry about an entertainer. Hide the thimble (or any small object) you start, they close their eyes and whoever finds it gets to hide it. Outside is good if it's fine. Pass the parcel. Dead lions. What's the time Mr wolf. Small prizes from Hobbycraft or the pound shop. Some simple craft? Make a list of games. They'll love it!

I am a low effort party planner. I booked a face painter for my DDs which went down well. Did pizzas and snacks/hung up a piñata stuffed with sweets and let them bash it and otherwise just left them play with her toys and in the garden. Didn't do any games.

The free play - most of them did their own thing! There was no fighting or anything

Hello OP, Here is an outline party that you might like. Just to start you thinking.
Do you know all these children by sight and name? If not consider getting some cheap card name badges and label each child as they arrive.
Starter activity. Guess the gift. They will probably bring your child presents. Allow up to 3 children to guess what is in the parcel before it is opened. make sure everyone has at least one guess (You can also list who gave what so you can text thank you messages.)
A game. Five year olds do not 'get' loosing so some thing like Farmers in his den or Simon says work well Go outside if the weather is OK.
Pizza making. You supply, small pizza bases, tomato sauce, cocktail sausages, pineapple, cheese and anything else you like as a topping. Cover you table with a plastic cloth and let each child make their own pizza. It's a messy job! Bake the pizzas on clean paper eg. greaseproof with the child's name written beside each one. They look different cooked and this saves arguments.
Back outside for a few more games while the pizza cooks, musical bumps or statues works well or shrinking islands where they all have to stand on a piece of newspaper which you make smaller from time to time by folding it up.
When the food is ready sit them down to eat add salad of choice to the pizza
Birthday cake for afters, can be a simple sponge as long as it has candles. Watch out for allergies. To finish, play 'pass the party bag. Like pass the parcel but use a party bag. When the music stops the child holding it keeps the bag and leaves the circle to collect coats etc. When everyone had a bag and their belongings wave them off with their carer
Now go and give yourself a pat on the back and a nice cup of tea, it's too early for wine. Have fun and PM me if you need more ideas.