Hosting 4th birthday party - what would be better?

[littleoldme3]

Hoping to throw a birthday party for DS this year. First ever one and we’ve only ever been to one so have nothing really to compare to 🙈

Thinking a hall with bouncy castle, face painting (maybe?), maybe some crafts out to do and some food.

Can anyone help me with timings? It would be last weekend in October. Is morning/afternoon better? Like 10-12 or 2-4? I’m assuming 2 hours would be about average for a party?
Or do I do 11-1pm and do a bigger food offering as a proper lunch?

Im leaning towards 10-12 as it leaves the rest of the day free for family plans etc? DH thinks over a mealtime is best!

Anything else I should consider?

What’s your DSs best time of day? When does he get hungry?

Most party goers will expect that a party will contain enough party food to count as a meal (even if it’s 2-4!).

Two hours is pretty normal. If we’re doing a party at home we sometimes end up carrying on playing with the best friend though, so we don’t plan other things on the same day.

I usually do late morning rather than afternoon so they don’t bug me all day about when the party is starting but I have time on the day to prepare things.

Also, are you encouraging parents to stay or to drop and leave? It’s a good way to get to know parents better if they stay, but the children mix better on their own.

Good luck!

2-4 then you've got time to set it up. Depending on numbers plate up or box up a little stash for each child instead of platters..it's likely to produce less waste. Check which parents are staying or going and have something for them..just nice biscuits and coffee is fine. Do a few extra party bags in case of uninvited siblings.

I would say 90mins is plenty at that age.

You may wish to consider delaying a big party until 5 and starting school.

At age 4 make it a stay party. 4 is too young to drop and go imo (as is 5 for most children) unless only a few and they already know you.

Timing depends on day and schedule, wg if weekday, will older siblings need collecting from school, if Sat will older siblings have football/dance etc?

All sounds good. Definitely do party food even if it's 10-12. Activities first then food/cake cutting for the last half hour. You could compromise and do 10:30-12.30 and have food at 12. Although in all honesty most kids are starving all the time and wouldn't bat an eyelid at lunch at 11.30.

Based on my DC, I'd say 2-4 is pretty typical (families often have hobbies on weekends mornings for older DC, or church), usually hot food (either nuggets and chips type stuff or some get a pizza delivery). The bouncy castle will be plenty to keep them occupied, some people so face painting too but not everyone.

Don't forget to ask about allergies!

10-12 or 11-1 so the children can have lunch at the party. I think 2-4 is a strange time. Young children will want an earlier party.

Keep it simple would be my advice, they won't notice the small details we invariably spend hours thinking about!

Morning parties are always better attended here, I'd go for 10-12- an hour for bouncy castle (always a winner) and playing and then an hour for buffet/cake/people to start leaving. Put some balloons out and some music and a disco light if you have one and although you can do structured games, most of the times they'll have a blast without them! I wouldn't bother with face painting, most of the time they don't want to take time away from what they're doing to sit still and it's just an extra thing to sort out.

Food wise regardless of time so some sandwiches (ham and then cheese usually covers most), crisps, fruit, cucumber/carrot sticks etc- ask for any dietary requirements on the invites if you don't know the others that well. At that age other parents will stay, we always offered coffees, teas and bought some biscuits for parents but I don't think it's expected.

If you do party bags don't go overboard, pop some cake in and maybe one or two small things should you wish, they seem to like getting one but less fussed on what's inside at that age (just cake is fine though!).

Definitely food! Sandwiches / token cut up vegetables is the norm here. Either set up for grazing or at the end of the party. Either time would be fine. I'd avoid face painting - at every party there's a massive queue and children end up just waiting for the very impressive end result. I don't know why face painters now don't focus on speed.

Don't do a meal time. You'll get a load of hangry kids and peckish parents.

We went to one recently 11.30-13.30. Entertainment for first hour plus. Kids got food at around 13.00. In that time i'd say at least a third of the kids got very hangry. Including the birthday child screaming "but i'm hungry!!". If you do over a meal time make sure you think of the children and when they usually eat! Our nursery does lunch at 11.30 so 13.00 was quite late for the littler ones.

Morning parties are pretty good. We've been to a few. But people often turn up late. Also if a weekend people often have swimming lessons and groups on saturday mornings so may reduce numbers a bit. Best morning ones we've been to were a little city one, with just snacks for kids and parents (worked really well!) And one at someones house where they served bacon and sausage baps, pastries and coffee, tea and juice. Alongside some kids activites.

An afternoon 14:00-16:00 or 14:30-16:30 works quite well i find. As caters for afternoon nappers (some nursery friends may still nap). Kids have had lunch and a snack if parents are wise so are usually on good form. And you have a party tea. Also as a host it gives you the morning to get stuff ready!

11-1 is perfect, have done games lined up like musical bumps. Serve the food at 12.15. Do basic sandwiches, carrot and cucumber sticks, cherry tomatoes, mini sausages, crisps, cake etc - put out platter for the adults eg a cheese board, charcuterie board, bread, hummus, tortilla chips, grapes (doesn't need to be posh, just buy all from Lidl) and have tea and coffee for adults, squash for the kids at this age

Problem with face painting is the kids get hot and it then might mark castle when their rolling about. Definitely have parents stay. I think 10 to 12 is perfect or as someone else suggested 10.30 to 12.30

I wouldn’t do the face painting tbh, there will be a few kids that creates anxiety for because when is it their turn for face painting, tantrums etc.
Create lots of space for running around, crafts again I wouldn’t even bother with, my experience is they all just go a bit mental haring about. Lots of balloons is good. Even better is a decent soft play party at that age where they do all the food for you.

2 hours is fine. Plan for parents to stay, they'll want to aged 4. Keep an emergency pass the parcel up your sleeve. Provide food for adults. Don't forget party bags.

I'd do 10-12 and get it over with Just other considerations - is that half term where you are as people may be away...

Temporary tattoos are great as an alternative to face painting, it takes much less time to apply and therefore less queueing time for the kids but also really easy to just ask a family member to do.

Beware that families with older children may be occupied by swimming lessons, football matches etc on Saturday mornings. On this basis I'd do the party in the afternoon, and time it so that the party tea is around-ish normal-ish tea time.

Also, the last weekend of October is half term (for us at least) and families with older dc or teacher parents may be away.

I’d find 2-4 annoying - takes up the whole day. Although i have gone to parties with that timing

11-1 is the best - late enough to plan for and doesn’t take up the whole day. Soft play or a hall is fine - will go quickly.

12.15 food- another play or activity and then cake and then party bags and home

Round here all the 4yo parties have been 2-4, picnic tea (cheese/ham sandwiches, crisps, biscuits, fruit), face painting, crafting, a couple of basic games like pass the parcel and musical statues, cut the cake and party bags at the end. There have been a couple of drop & run parties but mostly parents still hang around.

I too definitely wouldn't do a party on a half term weekend if you want a good turnout, bring it forward by a week. Unless the kids are mainly eldest ones.

Did one 4th party yesterday 10.30 - 1pm, they got their lunch at 11 which was fine. As a parent I prefer 2 hours duration as its not like these are school parents they'll be friends with for 7 years. I don't mind timings, quite like afternoons as that's the trickiest part of the day to fill - but they may be getting more tired.

Party food is the same regardless of timings. Finishing at 1 allows parents to go home and eat.

We've been to 4 parties in the last year and most were 11-1. Kids and their parents expect a meal. We went to one that was 2:30-4:30 and it was weird timing because the kids ate about 3:30 but still wanted dinner when we got home. So I'd go for over lunch and definitely provide some snacks/drinks for parents too.

Just realised you said last weekend in October - there will be Halloween events on, people will have pumpkin picking booked already, all that stuff. You'll have a better turnout the following weekend (depending when your midterm is).

This is what we shoved in party bags with a balloon, mini bubbles and a piece of cake.

We did a 10-12 party with a bouncy castle and loose soft play parts, ride on toys/indoor trikes. About 1h15 bouncing and playing, 45mins eating.

All carers stayed, some brought baby siblings.

Most do 10-12, 11-1 or 3-5 around here. Invariably a village hall with bouncy castle, balloons, pencils and papers, Spotify playlist on a speaker and a family member applying temporary/glitter tattoos! Some halls have an outdoor bit which can be quite nice as a respite from the heat and noise of kids parties...

Some parents go for the extras of a child's entertainer who does party games, a singing princess or a costumed mascot type thing.

Food-wise we just go cheese, jam and ham sandwiches, cucumber/carrots/fruit, crisps, yoghurts and a mashup of the cheapest sweets and chocolate we can find!