To have a decopatch party for 6 year olds?

[Lindtnotlint]

Hello!

Thinking about DD’s 6th birthday. One option that fits various aspects of her complex brief (!) is doing decopatch of model animals. This would be for part of the party, then have a few games and stuff and tea.

It’s all girls and nearly all of them will be six by the time the party happens. About twenty attendees.

Questions:

-how long will the decopatch take? Am hoping for it to kill a reasonable amount of time but also recognise that kids have a limited concentration span...

-do I need to provide an “alternative” for bored/finished kids? Am thinking there isn’t something like that when you go to a pottery party or similar, and in some ways don’t want to create an option - ideally they would all sit down and get on with it...

-obviously it will be messy (I will give them aprons and the room is ). Will it be just insanely messy and I should run away? I would give each of them a pre-made animal, a pot of the glue stuff and a paintbrush and provide loads of different paper designs.

Other thoughts/critiques/suggestions? I like it because it is easy and doesn’t involve paint (with all the problems of mixing colours/dirty brushes) and will give them something “quality” to take home.

And decoupage is trickier than it looks for young children. My very crafty child could only really do it from seven.

If she is six then some of the class will only be five and will not be able to do it. Or will only do it for five minutes

At that age they need and expect to charge around at a party

I think a small group, sitting round the table, chatting and crafting could work, but, presumably if you are inviting 19 others, then that isn't going to be their 'thing'. Some dc will only do that for 5 mins or less.

Just cut the numbers have ten rather than twenty and it will be great

Argh. Ok. Not what I wanted to hear... but I hear you. Cutting numbers is absolutely not an option as we definitely have to have the whole class for all sorts of reasons.

What if I had three craft tables each with a different craft (say deco, scratch art, sticking stickers on masks) and then had also the (very small) garden open with a bubble machine? Kids can rotate through crafts or just wander outside if they need to? Worried then it all just descends into anarchy...

Maybe worth saying they are a relatively “orderly” group in the main. Though that doesn’t at all mean you are wrong that some of them will only want to craft for five minutes...

Decoupage isn't that messy it's just little bits of paper. You can keep it under control. Trays with paper on or a shallow box.

I don't think 20 6 year olds can concentrate long enough even if they are dexterous enough for decoupage.

Also 3D models are much harder to decoupage than flat things.

We have been to some parties where you make a stuffed animal like a build a bear but smaller and the kits are really reasonable. That was a 7th birthday iirc but they are not difficult and have a wide appeal.

So the kids made the toy, then they made a necklace with plastic beads then they decorated a cup cake. I really liked that party and so did dd1. Didn't require a dozen adults as the only fiddly bit is closing the back of the toy with like a cable tie kind of thing.

Also then they have the toy to play with and take home - no party bag

I'm a primary teacher but I would still shy away from a craft party for 20 six year olds. (Or perhaps it is because of this that I would want to avoid it.) Some will need a lot more support than others so unless you have additional pairs of hands (I.e. other parents staying) you might find yourself wishing you could clone yourself! I would definitely have something for early finishers to complete, ideally that you can send home with those who take their time so they don't feel left out. Keep other activities as simple as you can... paper bag to decorate to take their stuff home in? Party hats to decorate etc.?

Otherwise I would be tempted (if invites haven't already gone out) to reduce numbers for this kind of activity.

The idea does sound lovely though, my 2 DDs would have loved this at 6 (and still would at 11 and 8).

We’ve done quite a few different crafts at DD’s parties over the years.

Successful ones have been making bracelets - threading a variety of beads on elastic, making bookmarks - stickers, tissue paper, feathers, ribbons, etc onto a precut shape, personalising a fabric pencil case (baker ross) with sharpies (put a piece of card inside each one to stop colour going through, decorating cupcakes. You can also get them to decorate their own party bags.
It definitely works to have them moving round from one activity to another.

I think it's doable OP. My sil had a party for her dd with 15 5 year olds who all made necklaces with beads. Huge mess and yes some ran round the garden (where she's still finding beads!) Some didn't want or gave up on making necklace so coloured instead. Nothing terrible happened and they all seemed to have fun.

We used to have parties at home at this age.We did a treasure hunt at the begining as the arrived,they had to find 2 pieces of paper with their names on to claim a prize.Thiswirkedbecause the early ones would help the late ones and by the time everyone had their prize they would always have sorted some wierd game out by themselves.I then gave out food when they became tetchy ,then lots of old fashioned party games.
Dd is now 15 but she told me today that apparently those parties are looked back on with nostalgia by her friends.

I would definitely have a running around option - the bubbles would be great if weather is up to it. I am a beaver leader for similar aged kids and when we do craft I find some children only ever last about five mins before getting bored/frustrated. Stations of several simple crafts they could rotate through might work. Even a few board games set up as an alternative. Glad you've got lots of adult support. I think craft is a lovely idea for a party though and my daughter would think it was great.

I’ve done a few crafty parties. The one that worked the best was making animals with the foamy self drying clay. We provided a lot of clay, tools, eyes and other decorations as well as a book with suggestions. They lasted about an hour.

I wouldn’t do animals as there’s too much fiddly bits with the legs. I’ve done decoupage lettering at a party and it worked really well. You could also have colour your own party bag, either fabric or paper.
I cut lots of little bits of paper for them and got those that were quicker to help those that were struggling a bit. The thing I’d watch out for is overestimating the ability of kids. Chances are if you have a crafty kid they’ll be far better than someone else who never does crafts at home.
Just keep it short 30 mins and remember to paint all the letters white so that the patterns on the paper can be seen only with one layer. Also limit the colours to one or 2 as the children will spend less time deciding on what to stick next.
Have fun

As a teacher of up to 30 it is entirely possible to craft with a large group of 6 year olds. You may need another adults help but it can be done. Model what they are to do first, take questions and then run round helping. Have some colouring for when they're finished so they're not to eager to move on but are happy enough to colour when they do finish. PVA peels off anything. Have fun!!

Do you have the budget to pay a company to come and run a craft party for you? I used to be a Guide Leader and even we sometimes hired in people for some specialist craft activities, often with the Brownie group. Takes away the stress and they can clear up while you set room for food or run the games?

I think any craft activity for the age you mention will get a mixed reception, some of our girls loved craft, other not so much.

Meant to add, by the time you account for cost of materials a company will buy in bulk, and wastage/leftover bits you may find they aren't a lot more expensive!

Sounds so fun! I did cookie decorating for DS’ THIRD birthday, I did think I was mad but even the 1 year old in attendance sat nicely and did it for a good 15 mins! Obviously not as glue-y as decoupage but still, I was impressed. Sprinkles didn’t even go everywhere! Definitely get another parent or 2 to stay!

Can’t you just have toys out, music playing for those who have finished? My eldest is 3 so I don’t know what toys a 6 year old would be into. Maybe have a bean bag toss type game out.

It sounds lovely... messy but lovely! But definitely have some alternatives for the children that have a short attention span. (Think chronological age + 1, so about 7 minutes per activity for your DD and her friends)
And please, please make it clear on the invitations that it will be a craft party! DD’s favourite party dress was ruined at an undeclared craft party!

I run a rainbows pack so have a lot of experience with 5 and 6 year olds. Sorry OP but this party is just too ambitious for that age group. Yes there will be children who sit nicely for an hour decoupaging their animal, but out of a group of 20 children you'll be lucky if that's more than 2 or 3 of them.

The vast majority will do it for 10- 15 minutes at most before becoming bored, or frustrated that So and So's looks better, then stick loads of the same colour on and say they're done. It's one of those ideas that sounds lovely, but in reality it doesn't work.

I admire you for wanting to host a party that suits your daugter's request, but you either drastically cut the numbers, 4-6 maximum or change the idea, as 20 children with the current plan just won't be an enjoyable party.

This is why I love mumsnet...

New plan. Save deco for another year.

This year: fake Build A Bear.

There seem to be lots of companies who sell the kits not too expensively. Each kid gets 4 linked activities:
-Animal to stuff
-T-Shirt to decorate with pens (and put on animal)
-“birth certificate” to fill in
-Beads to make little necklace for animal.

(The animal is the theme. It isn’t a bear...)

I think it could work because each of the activities is really short and there is a pretty clear purpose so I think everyone will do at least a few mins per activity.

Combine with free access to the little garden with bubble machine.

Lots of food.

?

I think you could do the decopatch party if you had a few helpers and a back up activity, especially since you said it’s a fairly sedate bunch of kids. But the Build a Bear one also sound awesome and those activities will definitely fill the hour! Please can I come?!

That sounds like s plan! We did something similar at that age and went down well (played pass the parcel with the stuffing!).
I still fondly remember the tiger that one little boy called Colin.....

@Lindtnotlint they will love it. Dd1 keeps the rabbit she made in her bed

Think plan B sounds better. Decoupaging animals is fiddly especially legs, heads and tails and some just won’t have the dexterity-patience needed to do it. You can just end up with a gluey mess on both child and animal.

Would definitely review idea in a few years with a small group of craft-loving children. The fake bear sounds really fun with better chance of contented guests and good results.