To not have a clue what to do for my girls 4th birthday.

[alwaysontimeneverlate]

Ok wrong place I know but more people use this board.

My dd is coming up 4. She is desperate for a party, however there are only 6 kids in her class including her. The local soft play is a 12 kid minimum which seems like a massive waste of money.
It's going to be cold and my garden isn't very even so bouncy castle at home is out.

Any ideas anyone?
Am worried if I do it at home the kids will be bored, but will 6 kids in a village hall 'get lost' so to speak

Arrgghh

You could do a cupcake/baking/pizza party at home. Where the kids can make their own pizza and have it afterwards. And mix their own cupcakes and have them too. Messy but fun. And once that is done, you can have a few games and/or a crafts session.

6 would be fine to have at home I think.

Put up balloons and banners, let them run around a play for a bit, music on, pass the parcel, musical statues, followed a traditional birthday tea (by that I mean cocktail sausages, crisps and party rings, as that's all they eat at parties IME!) You could think about a little treasure hunt around the house too, they like those.

Finish it with a piñata, fill it with little prizes and sweets and let them collect stuff to fill their own party bags?

It depends on your budget.

Six is a nice number for a party at home.

Or in a hall with a Character party host. My GD went to a Christening and they had Chase and Marshal doing Pass the Parcel etc. There were less than ten children and it worked well. Parties only have to be a couple of hours, max.

I took a similar numbered group to the pictures and a party back at the house. I did traditional party bags with cake etc.

You could do that at soft play, as well.

The Characters can do a at home party as well.

Ooh, do an ice cream sundae bar for pudding! Three flavours with load of different sprinkles, sauces, sweets etc to put on top. That'd be manageable with just 6 and really fun.

Can't you just pay for her class to go into soft play and buy them food there as you would if you were just a guest. That's what we did when our DS didn't need the 10 children minimum.

Take them to Frankie and Bennys they create their own pizza? No mess or home.

Dd only had 7 in her class took them there. No more minimum on party.

Or local farm/play barn?

Rainbow party.

Get a disco ball, or JML do a disco light bulb - drawnthe curtains and they can have a rainbow dance party - musical statues, etc

Next they can colour some rainbow print outs

You can get those long ribbons in pound store (like for gymnastics ) kids can dance with them or jus tshake them about for fun like this

Ask the children to wear their favourite rainbow colour as an easy costume

Packet of balloons and use strings of various length to hang a rainbow arc

Rainbow cake for the birthday cake and food wise you can play with the colours for rainbow themed food and drink ! (Blue food colouring in sprite anyone 😉

Keep it to 1.5 hours max

My kids are long grown now but we always had home parties until they were secondary age. Will be a novelty now so they will probably love it. Lots of organised games and party tea. Or plan craft activities.

Yup have it at home!

Party games, a craft activity, party tea, balloons and banners and party bags. Ideal.

Pay for the six of them to play at the softplay and have their tea? Then hand out party bags afterwards when they get collected?

I bloody love you lot.

Thanks for all your suggestions but I am loving the rainbow disco at home.

Thanks awesome Mumsnetters x

Bubbles and balloons always worked for mine at that age. Some party games, loads of balloons, a bubble machine (or loads of little posts of bubble mixture) a bit of music and you're set. Having it at home will be fine and no bouncy castle required.
4 year olds are fairly easily pleased. If they have nice cakes and some jelly and ice cream then it will be fine. If you can make balloon animals they will probably be fascinated (my husband had an unexpected talent for this and our kids still remember it years later).

If thou didn't want it at home, you could use the village hall, but hire a bouncy castle. This will take up a decent amount of the space and be great fun. Then have a parents sit and chat area with chairs and access to tea and coffee etc, an area where you can play party games and a "free play area" where you can bring some toys from home and just let them play. In a large hall, their might even be space for a indoor scooter/ bike course with cones to scoot round etc. This would be a cheaper option than the bouncy castle if you ask children to bring their own scooter/ ride on etc and would also mean you wouldn't have to compete with the bouncy castle fan noise when playing games. I don't know if you could inflate the castle but just turn the fan off when playing party games so the noise isn't too intrusive when trying to give instructions etc.

Don't forget to throw some prosecco in the fridge for yourself for when you can finally shut the door behind the last person leaving.
For home parties the I found it useful (learnt the hard way) to 1) specify a start and finish time
2) have a plate of brownies / tea coffee left out for the adults that will inevitably stay