To do a party without party food?

[Teddybeau1988]

DD is 9 on the 19th this month. Is it acceptable to invite her friends to the cinema to see a film, feed them popcorn and ice cream and send them off after with a party bag after? DH thinks we need to feed them properly.

"So a box hand to them in the foyer so they can examine it before they go and sit down."

I think you would have to do that discreetly. Cinemas make their money on selling snacks and often have notices up asking people not to bring their own food.

If you aren't feeding the children you need to make it clear on the invitations.

Personally I think it's fine to just do cinema trip and snacks. That's a lovely treat and it's pretty pricey, if one of mine was invited to a cinema party I wouldn't assume they were getting a meal too. I'd just make sure that it's mid afternoon and make it clear that it's for movie and snacks. Alternatively you could take them for lunch and sneak drinks and sweets into the cinema which would, all in, probably be about the same price as the cinema snacks. The cost of cinema snacks is extortionate.

sorry - otherwise it just seems too ordinary, like a Saturday at the cinema for a group of classmates. It needs to be a bit more special.

Bloody hell! Special for who? He's going to the cinema with a group of friends who will probably bring him presents.

Isn't that Singing & Dancing enough?

Just going to the cinema is a birthday treat for some children!

*sorry - otherwise it just seems too ordinary, like a Saturday at the cinema for a group of classmates. It needs to be a bit more special."

That may be true for younger children but I'm not sure that 9 year olds really care whether they get a sandwich and a sausage roll (mine didn't anyway). As long as they get popcorn/sweets they don't care.

sorry - otherwise it just seems too ordinary, like a Saturday at the cinema for a group of classmates. It needs to be a bit more special.

That may be true for younger children but I'm not sure that 9 year olds really care whether they get a sandwich and a sausage roll (mine didn't anyway). They are happy with popcorn/ice cream.

I think popcorn and sweets is fine! On the invite:
ACTION! xx invites you to join her at XX cinema on x date at 2pm to watch x . Sweet treats will be provided. Pick up from cinema at 4pm. CUT!
Obviously insert relevant details.

I think it's fine, popcorn and cinema sounds great. You really need to make it clear that there'll be no party tea as such though, as I've been to about a gazillion parties over the years with my two and party food is 'the norm.'
If your child is invited to a party, then most will assume it's food too so just make clear on invites it's cinema and popcorn, no party tea so there's no misunderstandings anywhere.

At 9 I think it's fine. My DD is 10 and has been to similar parties...call it a birthday outing and you've escaped the food issue.

And as for those saying "It's just friends meeting for a movie"

Most kids of 9 don't do this regularly. It's a treat!

Thank you katienana - I'm going to copy that!

I think it sounds fine- no-one needs more than that in an afternoon, they'll only just have had their lunch. And as for those suggesting it's not ' special enough'- words fail me!