To ask what for adults makes the best kids party?

[goatscheesevegan]

Hosting a 5th birthday and have a load of parents id like entertainment for...

Somewhere to sit and for the kids not to be on display so whether or not they join in is irrelevant.

Tea/coffee, somewhere to sit, something to snack on if the party is at a meal time (or even if it's not!). A good enough party that the kids are so engrossed they don't need me for an hour or so. No need for adult entertainment, parents just chat don't they?

Somewhere to sit comfortably. Provision of coffee, either by the host or somewhere you can buy it. Some parents used to provide trays of sandwiches, crisps, cakes etc which were always well received but not at all necessary.
Easy parking at the venue.

A venue where siblings can come too. A party bag that's not full of problems.

The best kids party is one that I am not expected to stay at.

The host to provide enough adults to support whatever they are hosting, so I don't have to stay.

Not to have to go.

It's 5 year olds, wouldn't adults likely want to stay???

Happy to offer if can find enough adults for a drop off but how many adults would I need?

Kids have an entertainer

Which party bags present problems?

It's 5 year olds, wouldn't adults likely want to stay???

Where I live once they are at school (which is at 5) parents rarely stay at parties.

Alcohol. Just saying 😁

Wine

Main party bag issue I've come across is those bubbles with the welded on foil lids and the stick which you have to fish out of the bubble liquid and which don't work anyway. Don't get them. Or whistles. 30 kids getting whistles all at once...if you do this you are also required to provide parents party bags with earplugs and paracetamol.

Otherwise, agree with everyone who says somewhere to sit. This seems to be a common problem.

We always have prosecco at ours! Judge if you want, we have fun!

Yay for that x-post!

A drop off and run to the nearest coffee shop is just perfect.

Wine.....no one gets drunk but it makes being somewhere with lots of over excited possibly screaming children much more bearable!

Somewhere to sit ignore you cant leave them

Adults talk you don't need entertainment

I had a child dropped off at a pre-school party. Child asked me to take them to the toilet half way through. They were toilet trained but not enough to go for a poo by themselves! Thankfully i also had two of the preschool staff at the party (with their preschool kids) and one volunteered to do the toilet run. So dont assume parents will stay. And dont assume 'she will be fine without me' is anything other than lies!

Things i appreciate in a party:
Somewhere to sit
Constant supply of Cups of tea.
Something to eat. I always provide some biscuits and scones with jam and cream.
Ive also come to appreciate parties that last An hour and a half, rather than two or, god forbid, three hours!

All the people saying alcohol, do you then drive home?

Avoid those disco entertainers that ramp the volume up so high you can't talk and the shy kids get stressed and start crying.

A limit on the amount of sugar in the party bags, ditto choking hazards. Lots of 5 year olds have younger siblings, and most parents don't want to get out of the car and find their child has ingested half a kilo of sugar on the way home. Bedtime never goes well after that.

My most successful parties have been really catering to the adults as kids don't eat much anyway... so I did a big load of pulled pork, some kids had, all adults did, served with baps and apple sauce. Kids happy just to have the rolls with butter.
Lovely cake.
No party bags, just an ice cream cone (mini magnum) on leaving.

A recent 4yo party I went to had booze and half way though dominos delivered pizza for the grown ups. Perfect

At 5 I would expect to drop and run.
If it specified on the invitation that parents are welcome to stay then somewhere to sit and I would be happy

All the people saying alcohol, do you then drive home?

Yes, clearly the best part of 5th birthday parties is the illegal drinking and driving.

Let's assume they don't, more likely.

I wouldn't expect to be served cups of tea unless it was help yourself teapot/coffee jug. Just cold drinks and nibbles we adults can help ourselves to and not feel guilty about stealing the children's food.

Probably outing myself here but the best/most successful kids party was when we were snowed in, Sainsburys refused to deliver my food order and we served warm indian party snacks (in freezer left over from NYE) and mulled wine... at about 11am.. Still talked about 4 years later as best party ever! (Kids enjoyed it too )