to ask about arranging a birthday party? HELP!

[cjt110]

It's our son's 4th birthday this year in August. We've had a few party invitations from his friends of late and it got me thinking about whether we could/should have a party for him.

The prices start at £120 + around here and it's not the kind of money we have to spend.

So, would it be pants to have a playgym party and no food provided, or a party at the park with a picnic type thing...

Any other suggestions welcome.

I think food is expected so if the weather allows, a picnic in the park sounds good. I would expect food to be provided though, plenty will turn up without!

I tend to have a party at home for my 6yo DD. I get a hairdresser in for an hour or two to do the girls' hair or do nail painting, cup cake decorating or just let them run wild.

The picnic in the park sounds fine. Or have a party at home with party games, a cake, some food, etc. They don't need a fancy £100+ party

We didn't start doing parties until DS turned 6. You could always do a little tea party at home with some games like pass the parcel, musical statues, etc. But I do think you would need to provide food and drink ... and if all the children are 4 then you will have to accommodate parents as well.

Any parties my 4 year old DS has been to food has been provided, i think its kind of expected. If your not going to do food though I would make it obvious on the invite as I dont feed my kids properly before hand assuming they will be jumping around and eating lots of party food soon.
Some of the best parties are at the parents home and if its sunny then picnic in the park is good idea.

One of Ds1's friends had a picnic in the park after school. Easy picnic food, some sausage rolls, mini sausages, cheese cubes, cut up fruit etc and some cupcakes and a vat of squash. They did a treasure hunt around the park to start with parents reading the clues, followed by some silly games - Simon Says, three legged races, lots of Tag. Smart birthday cake with candles (which as most do round here, was put away after for family celebrations and pre-sliced plain cake given in party bags).

Everyone was asked to bring a picnic blanket and a flask if they wanted Hot drinks. It was great fun and really quite cheap. They had nice weather luckily as there was no gazebo or available roof if it rained so that's something to consider.

Invite a few friends to McDonald's? DS2 requests that every year for his birthday, we've done it since he was 3, he's now 6. If you have a picnic in the park, you have to have a plan B in case it rains. This is why we never do it, our house is just too small.

In the last few months we've been to a party that was a min of £160 if we were to book that. Have received an invite for another which is around the same. This is for kids turning 3 and 4. Have found a play gym that's £6 per child including food.

Would inviting 10 kids be pants?

Our home isn't very big so at home isn't an option (4th floor apartment so no garden space).

I think you could get away with a picnic in the park if you made it v clear that it was everyone contributing some food? I’ve been to a birthday like that in the summer and didn’t mind - it was more “we’ll be picnicking in the park to celebrate X’s birthday and would love you to join us, please bring a picnic with you” rather than an actual party invite though. You can’t really do play gym but no food though, food is pretty standard at a party like that!

One of mine had 10 kids to a softplay party when he was 4, it was more than enough.

Whilst all lovely in theory, 5 year olds can get very overwhelmed by parties- all the excitement, the build up of it etc. I really would keep it low key and limit numbers. There's plenty of time in the future to plan for something he desperately wants to do and then can help organise.

5 year old parties are best kept short and succinct IME. 2 hours maximum.

Entertaining 5-10 of his friends at home after school with 'old-school' (pass the parcel/ musical statues / Simon Says / pin the tail on the donkey) games is totally doable and cheap. Pizza for food, borrow some disco lights and make it dark for an indoor disco, use Poundland and do a craft activity, make a huge batch of slime and let them all have some to play with in the garden...it will be just as well received by his friends as the 'big' parties with an entertainer and caterers!

Ok- home isn't an option. A church hall or community centre normally do good rates for a room hire.

My DS is an October baby so we didn’t have a proper party until he was 6. That way, we felt he had actual friends to invite having done a year of school. He did go to a couple of parties from nursery but most didn’t bother. For his 5th, we invited our family and friends to our house so there was cake and gifts and we invited a family from school too with a child who he had made friends with. It was lovely.

10 kids at soft play is perfectly acceptable and absolutely standard for a party at this age. The only extra expense you would have would be the cake and party bags.

Church / community hall is also a good idea - you can do food for them (sausage rolls, crisps etc) for really cheap. It would be a lot more effort though - you'd have to decorate and organise games etc.

Do not underestimate how much a four year olds love running around with other four year olds. A party at home or the park would be easy but plan lots of things to do. You don't have to do the all but have them ready.

Musical statues is a good one. Someone walking around with a feather duster trying to make the children laugh adds more time and is fun. Limbo is another good one. Pass the parcel it good but make sure every child gets something -it can be stickers or a packet of sweets. As its in summer it would be good to get some cheap paddling pools from poundland and the children play fishing/races/squash water balloons or just have a plain good old water fight. A tattoo station is a good idea. Rope in a friend/relative or teenager to sit with a box of tattoo (cheap from amazon or eBay) and a damp cloth.

Food would be expected but at 4 they don't eat much. If its summer provide a few sandwiches, some fruit and crisps. Aside from the birthday cake, don't bother with cakes get some multipacks of ice lollies or ice cream. Crisps and ice creams/lollies can be bought a pack a week and stored to spread the cost.

The oher thing is party bags - controversial I know but at that age my kids loved them. Poundland do inflatable giant footballs or bananas in the summer. One of those with a few sweets and a balloon or glow stick will be more than enough. Wrap the contents in tissue pape, cheaper than party bags.

Sorry crossed post with no garden update

Ask your local pre-schools/ toddlers groups, some rent their facilities for parties: access to all the toys, you just need to bring food - cheap from supermarket, plan a few games and pay for a cleaner.

It's completely standard to invite only 10 kids.

We had DD's 4th (and 5th) birthday parties at home - very limited outdoor space, but less of an issue in December! For her 4th, we had about 6 friends, and played traditional party games (pass the parcel, musical statues, pin the tail on the donkey etc.). The bits and pieces do add up (prizes, balloons, decorations, food), but it's still the cheapest option. It is a lot more work than soft play - if you can use the local park, there's a lot less cleaning to do!

Food would defo be expected. Foods been provided at every party my daughters been too and she’s been to a lot of party’s!

Party in the park would be ok, but what happens if it rains that day? You would also have to do some party games to keep them entertained I guess and if it’s done as a party then you need to make sure people don’t just drop there kids off and go! .. 2 people left there 4 yr olds with me at my daughters 4th bday!

Anywhere which has freely accessible open space and preferably a playground (beach? Animal sanctuary? Stately home?) is a great opportunity for a get together and you only need supply food. August is a good month for UK outdoors and a shame to pay to go inside!