Would you throw class party in this situation?

[vinnabawl]

DC starting P1 in September.

It has a few kids from their nursery school but mostly will be a new group of children. Nobody did a big class party in our nursery. Anyone who did a party just invited a small group of kids.

I’m just wondering if it will be the same in P1. DC is a Sept birthday so if I wanted to do a class party I think I’d need to get invites out the first week of term. But I’m so torn between whether it’s worth it or not!

Is it worth the cost?!

Would you be a bit ‘argh’ to get a party invite the first week of term and would you go?!

Are whole class parties still a thing now?!

Would like to meet some other parents especially as I work FT and don’t do drop off or pick up! I was thinking of just doing a hall with bouncy castle and that sort of thing. Our local place opens bookings for September tomorrow so I need to make a decision!

If my child mentioned your child or they were friends sure my child could go

We don't attend parties of kids we have no idea who they are (well when my child was younger) if that breaks some weird 'but you must' memo we missed out so be it

I have two DC with September birthdays and for both of them I did a whole class party the year they started school. I think it's a really nice thing to do at the start of their school "journey" (sorry that sounds a bit cringe but I can't think of a better word!). Both parties were well attended and a great way for children and parents to meet each other.

Whole class parties were normal up to about yr3 with a few smaller parties here and there. I think it’s a nice way for a class to bond and have some fun together.

if you don’t mind throwing a whole class party then go for it. The teacher probably won’t mind providing you with a list of names and distributing invites.

Agreed
if anything, reception is the 1 yr it is worth it imo

Of course you don’t have to throw a big party if you don’t want to. However school classes are very different to nursery where the kids might all do different hours. It’s the same 30 (or so) kids all day every day. It’s also very easy to invite a whole class as my experience was that teachers were happy to put the invite into every drawer or bag, but not get involved when it was only a few kids. This may be different where you are.
With the cost of things it may have changed now but reception class was whole class parties almost every week! The kids loved it and we always tried to go if possible. These kids could be your child’s best friends for years and getting to know the parents even superficially is a good thing imo.
If the timing seems too early for you then wait and see, you could always have the big party next September once you know what is the done thing. My nephew’s birthday is early September and he had the big bash for his 6th birthday because sil didn’t know anyone for his 5th.

Yes, it will be whole class parties. It doesn’t matter if parents know each other. That’s the whole point of parties, getting to know each other.

For a September birthday, I’d be inclined to do the party early October. This gives people a couple weeks to settle in and get in the habit of checking bags for things like invites, otherwise they may just get completely lost in the chaos of the first few weeks of adjusting to the new routine.

My DD was invited to one the last week in September and it was a lovely chance to meet and greet other parents. Two children went together and that became the pattern, 2 or 3 kids every 6 weeks or so.There usually is a class WhatsApp group set up almost immediately so if it were me I'd post week 1 asking if anyone has a September birthday and if they were willing to do a shared party, ask to PM you. You can take it from there. I think meeting other parents is really important for later play dates etc so I'd go for it. It's hard being first.

Yes, this a great thing to do - especially as you don’t do drop offs or pick ups. You’ll meet all the parents and kids at once.

DS has a November birthday we did a whole class party in reception because we wouldn't have known who his closest friends were by the time of sending invitations. It worked well, wet got to know parents etc, however it means he has been invited bank to pretty much every party in the class, most of which haven't been whole class. So it's taken up a lot of time (had to decline a few) and cost a fortune in presents!
We've told him we won't be doing whole class every year

Agree.

I'm sure lots of parents will also be thankful of a networking event so early in term as you are!

You're right these will be his classmates for the next few years so worthwhile getting to know them and their parents.

Just be aware you may need to include siblings as it'll be short notice.

Thanks so much everyone for the advice!

I think I was wobbling as friends with older kids complain a lot about endless parties and weekends getting taken over with birthday parties. But I appreciate P1 is different and it would be a nice way to meet other kids and parents. I think I’ll go for it!!

@mindutopia that’s a good shout to wait until October and allow a bit of settling in time first!

In nursery we had no parties due to all kids doing different hours then in reception it was completely new group of parents and we got invited to a party in the first couple of weeks. We made a point of going including moving another event as we knew it would be important to network with the other parents. I would definitely go for it. Can you post invite on the class WhatsApp once set up?

We don’t host class parties & in return don’t attend them. One of best parenting decisions we’ve made. Due to work patterns one of us is present at drop off & pick ups every day. Occasionally kids have play dates at the park after school so we don’t feel they’re missing out on opportunities to see their friends outwith school. Having seen some of the messages about things on the school ‘chat’, we’re glad to keep our distance from some of the parents!

i didn’t do anything for whole class but that’s because my daughter had friends at gymnastics and nursery so we invited the children I knew she was friends with!

I think it would be nice. My daughter has just finished reception now but if she'd been invited to a party at the start of the year I'd have been thrilled as a chance to properly meet some parents. My daughter's class doesn't have a WhatsApp group and there's still some parents I've yet to even see!

Whole class party popular option for reception year. Great op to meet parents etc. Also so early on in the year, there are less likely to be friendship issues cos they won't have been together that long!

I didn’t do whole class parties, it’s a lot of effort for the few friends they make and stuck with.

It was more like a riot at these occasions with some judge parents.

I would have been delighted to be invited to an all class party in Sept of P1 - all class parties are a great way to get to know other parents.

In our class, it was everyone in P1 and then just the boys or just the girls in P2, so you could halve the numbers next year and everyone may be very grateful to you for doing so!

In my dd's reception year one child had a whole class party in the September and it was a nice way for the kids and parents to get together. We did a whole class party later in the year and tbh we probably wouldn't have done it if it hadn't been established as the "norm" for the school - you will be setting the trend!

We aren't doing a whole class party for my October born starting reception this time, but her class size is 45 so it's a no from me. She has lots of friends outside of school and at preschool and cousins who we've invited instead and if she mentions any names from school I'll send them an invite.

Class size is 30 from yr1 so I'll likely do a whole class next year

Personally I wouldn’t. Not this early in term when most of the kids won’t know each other and many parents will balk at the idea of buying a gift for a kid they don’t know. I’d just do something smaller the kids from nursery they do know and other friends from clubs/the street and family.

My DD was in Reception last year and I was really grateful to the parents of a kid with a September birthday for throwing an all class party in the village hall because it gave all the parents a chance to meet each other and have a chat while the kids ran around and played. Several of the parents there said the same thing. Especially those with kids in wraparound care who miss out on quick chats at drop off and pick up.

There have only been a couple of whole class parties so it's by no means mandatory but early in the year it was really appreciated by many of us so if you're up for it then I think it's a great idea.

Do your DC not notice they are the only ones not having parties or getting to go their friends' ones?
I'm afraid, I think that is rather sad.
Yes, it's a hassle, but it's a relatively short-lived one for a lot of pleasure for the DC.

I think for the nearly the whole of their first school year neither you or the children really know who their friends are! So we did whole class parties the first year. I’d be happy to receive an invite early in the school year as it’s a lovely chance to meet the other parents and children.

How miserable of you! Your child will be excluded from all the excited pre and post party class chatter.