Child’s 6th birthday party and dilemma about the venue.

[ToffeeTea]

So my LO has his 6th birthday next year and I have started to research things slowly.
Realistically I have 3 options:

Venue A is where literally everyone goes. It’s in our town, a walking distance,close to school so it’s accessible both to those who’s driving and who’s not. It’s your typical soft place with party/host/food package.

Venue B is a soft play in also local leisure centre. It offers only soft play, no outside food allowed, no hosts nothing, basically just run around for 2 hours with friends. Also cheapest

Venue C which I guess like more is in a neighbouring town - about 25min drive from school. It’s a combo trampoline and soft play party with food, party host, party room etc. It’s 45 min trampoline and 45 soft play + 30 min for food but I’m worried that the distance would put a lot of parents off. I’m planning around 12ish kids maybe. Most expensive one but not by lot .

Help, which one would you choose!!

He wants B!!
But I guess I could convince him it’s closed. It’s an option but not really attractive to me. If they allowed food maybe I could consider it more.

From what I remember (mine are a lot older now) at that age they all wanted the same party as they had last time. One of them had a particular entertainer and then the next 6 parties were all basically identical and they absolutely loved it (parents hated it but sucked it up as kids thought it was brilliant!). They loved having the same thing and knowing what was going to happen.

I think age 6, at a soft play, you’ll still need a good few parents there and the distance to C might be a little off putting - save it till the next birthday perhaps?

It’s annoying B doesn’t allow any food - any chance of a cheap place you can all go after for kids food, if it’s not a huge group?

is there a McDonald’s or anything near by they could to afterwards?

On another thought, I did a C type party for my 7 year old birthday recently so all 6 and 7 yo kids. One hour trampolining and half hour food. The kids were exhausted after the jumping! Don't think they'd have managed soft play as well. Ours was in the next town as well but everyone managed to get there, car sharing etc as kids a little bit older.

Don’t do C. If it’s not local then parents have to hang around. Local, we can do errands or something useful with the time.
I would go with A.

I would rule out B because of the no food situation.

How many kids is he wanting to invite? I don't think a 25 mins drive is that bad and surely people could car share?

Which one would you / your dc prefer? 25 isn't that far and I'd rather not pick the place everyone goes.

i don't really understand B - they don't provide food but you also can't bring any in? If so it's no good for a party

25 minutes is not that far if C is otherwise a better option. For 12 kids perhaps you could ask the parents to sort out lift sharing if you set up a party Whatsapp group. We used to be able to take six in our car.

Isn’t this a bit easier when the kids are older? Giving a lift to six kids age 6 will need 6 car seats won’t it? It’s that much more of a logistical faff when they’re younger.

I'd day c now while parents still plan to stay at parties - it'd be a right ball ache to have a drop and run party that far away.

Venue c- going to the same party gets tiring

I’d choose C. It’s nice to do something a bit different and parents will make the effort to share lifts if they need to.

Definitely A no way am I driving 25mins to drop my child off then 25mins home and then the same again to pick child up, I’d be in the car for nearly 2hours driving to and from a 6 year olds party!

Ok, ATTENTION!
OPTION D

After some research I found another trampoline and inflatables park which offers 1h access jumping on all trampolines and inflatables and then 30m party room with host and food which is 16m drive from school.

Is 1h bouncing enough for 5/6 year olds?

1 hour is plenty anymore and there will be tears and fallouts!

I think at 6 your DC could have a choice - which would they rather go to? If they absolutely love trampolining then I'd go there. If they are happy with the soft play, then go for A or B whichever you are most comfortable paying for.

I mentioned before that he wants option B but because of the no food rule and rather small sitting area for parents, it’s more like a weekend visit than a party place. But I could definitely convince him it’s closed for refurbishment.
He loves any soft play/jumping place and option A would fit I just thought do maybe something a bit different because that’s basically the only party place in our town and once we went there 3 weekends in a row for a class parties so I thought it may get repetitive with the same thing and same games and same place .

I live 25 minutes drive from my children's school and so the distance wouldn’t put me off, I would say C, something different is usually good!

Option D sounds good!
Not too far and something different.

I am surprised at the number of people saying they wouldn't go to a party 25 mins away. Also you are basing it on distance from the school but there is potential for the trampoline place 25 mins away to actually be closer or the same length drive for some parents anyway if they don't live right next to the school!

This sounds perfect.

I’d go for A.
B sounds good but no food for 2h puts me off! A room full of hyped up hungry 6 year olds is a recipe for disaster

Oh yes just seen there is an option D - I would do that

Yes to option D! As my prev post 1 hour jumping was plenty for my 7 year old's party (so kids 6/7 years). They were all dragging themselves off to have water breaks!

25 mins drive? That’s next door as far as I’m concerned. We had parties up to an hour away when my kids were small. Didn’t occur to me that this was odd but were London based and perhaps we have different views on what is a normal distance to travel to things!