I've Messed Up My Kids Party

[FixItUpChappie]

Last year we had very low turn out for our youngest son's party and I ended up padding it out with some of our elder sons friends. So this year I over-invited expecting similar attendance issues. Then to add to the problem I panicked when we got almost no response in the first few days after the cards were sent out, and invited some additional children.

With a flurry of late responses we now have 17 kids in total (including our 2) coming to the house on Saturday in our not huge bungalow and who knows how many parents. If anyone else RSVPs I might cry. These parties are a minefield - feast or famine apparently. It's extremely cold and snowy here so I can't open up the garden to disperse the crowd it do have basement toy room.

I think this many kids will overwhelm the activities and games planned. And 17 gifts!! Can you imagine? I'm going to be decried as a greedy glutton of a mother 😳 I ordered special plates and cups online for my sons "wizard" theme with extra just in case and I've exceeded the number. There is no way to get more now. Our dinning room table seats 8 at a push 11 if I add a card table.

Please tell me I can salvage this mess! My husband thinks I should text parents and request they drop off - but that seems very awkward to me...as I expressly stated parents were welcome to stay or drop off considering the kids are mainly 5yr olds.

What a dummy I am! Has anyone has this problem and pulled off a party their child and guests still enjoyed?

If I was having a house party I'd be very clear that parents weren't staying. A load of strangers hanging around the house? No way.

Ahh it'll be chaos for a couple of hours then it'll be done. Deep breath it'll be fine. As parents arrive maybe make light hearted counts about the better then expected turn out, those you know better you can even say I'm happy to supervise Johnny and Jane if you want, to try and minimise parents staying

Ahhh I've had similar. Surely they won't all accept... Oh * they have!

Firstly WhatsApp everyone saying that parents are very welcome to drop and run if their child is happy with this...though you appreciate some may not be. Then.... Picnic on the floor for food? Can you move furniture outside (table covered with tarp or similar). Don't worry about the special plates and cups, no one will care.

If you've got older children then get them helping / leading games etc.

Good luck and deep breaths- it will be chaos but I bet they'll have fun.... Don't panic!

Oh dear, bit of a mess. I would stress to parents as they drop off that they're MORE than welcome to drop and run. I would also check ALL local village halls/scout huts in case they can accommodate the party so that you have proper space for party games.

Good luck!

Oh and think about setting up a couple of things like craft stations where children can go and do stuff without too much supervision. Just some colouring, crayons, stickers perhaps. NOTHING messy!

And use the toy basement too. I bet they'll be happy just playing for some of it.

We've just done a 5th bday party and we planned three games (pass the parcel, pin the tail and musical statues). Food and some craft in one of the bedrooms. Some children played Lego/hot wheels, some crafted upstairs. It was fine and I think taking the pressure off re feeling like you need to manage all the games will probably help. At 5 they are happy with a simple game or two, and food. No need for anything complicated.

Blanket on the floor (or empty double duvet cover) and they can have a picnic, no need to worry about seating & the size of the table and you just scoop it up at the end and shake any crumbs into the garden before shoving in the machine. Push the table to the side of the room so they have space to run around and keep drinks on the table and they can can go and sip as they like.
Musical statues, pass the parcel, dancing competitions or whatever to keep them busy and in the same place so you can keep an eye on them and Tell parents they really don't have to stay and then hope they don’t. It will be an exhausting couple of hours but definately one to remember!

I would text all the parents and say

"Forgot to mention please feel free to drop & run"

I bet loads take you up on that.

Picnic tea, expect mess and chaos and tell parents more than expected are staying so no room for adults!

Or change and book a soft play pronto!

Well we are supposed to do potion making and wand making.....then balloons loose in the basement that they can try to balance on their wands and whizz back and forth to each other. I think stations is a good thought and floor picnic - that might work as the dog will be tucked up in our bedroom.

Maybe I could enlist my mum to do the wand making station downstairs and the potions I can do upstairs - we can split the group in half and rotate. My husband can run about and give coffee to adults who choose to stay.

Thank you for the ideas!

Probably a handful will be no-shows. I made the same mistake with DS's party (although admittedly not at home) and ended up with 19, but between chicken pox, HFM and parental flakiness only 14 showed up on the day.

Can you not message parents and say that you are delighted that so many children but due to the umber of children attending you won't be able to host parents as well?

It sounds chaos for you but the kids will love it. Most kids aren't bothered about eating at tables and are usually happy to run riot from room to room. I bet your son has a fab time.

Oh and if you offer, a lot of parents will be happy to head off for a quiet coffee somewhere else (or pop back home).

Hi -children's ent (and Mum here)

I second the idea of a picnic on the floor, try and get cartons for drinks if poss and maybe keep it as simple as possible food wise eg pizza/cupcake/carrots and cucumbers. Also do cake at the end of the party eg 3.00 start 3.50 food finish 4.05 then more activities then cake at 4.45.

Fab idea to split the group into two with wand making and potions upstairs. Whatever you do do not let 17 x 5 year old kids bounce balloons around on wands to whizz to and fro, there will be blood on the floor.

My only other suggestion is to have a few things up your sleeve eg pass the parcel (make two to use at the same time to make it fun, a prize or forfeit in each layer) and possibly a pin the wand on a wizard style thing.

Time will go! Enlist a grown up to open doors for latecomers, have somewhere where they can all put their coats and put the presents and that's it...

Too late to hire a magician?? Think that's what I'd do and retreat to the kitchen with a bottle of vino and noise cancelling headphones

Picnic on the floor - I used to put a little packed lunch in a box for each child and they'd sit on a blanket.
Think of some games they can do in teams - (if it is odd numbers one person goes twice - maybe your DS) - things where they have to stand in line like pass the orange, flap the fish (not sure how old the children are) Simon Says - involves children largely standing still and following commands - so can be done with bigger number.
Pass the parcel - put them in tow groups have tow parcels and run them simulataneously.
Tell parents they can't stay - no room. But get another adult (or two) to help you with general child wrangling.
Tell the children when they have all arrived that there are lots of us here today so you;ve made up a special thing for when it is time for them to listen quietly (when you want to explain game etc). When you put your hat on and shout 'Hat' everyone has to look at you and listen (get or make a mad hat)
Have some corners for quiet activities - in your basement toy room ?- so children who are a bit overwhelmed by large numbers can do colouring, puzzles etc.

Have everything you need to hand 9so you don;t have to leave them to their own devices while you look for things) have a schedule and stick to it as best you can so you are confident of what you are doing and when.

Have talent show - so you have kids sitting and watching while others do a dance/sing etc. Don;t make anyone do it if they don;t want to - they can be the audience, but some kids love getting up and entertaining (or as my mother would say 'showing off')

Have more activitie planned than you need - then you won't have that 'my God I'm going to run out of stuff to do with them' panic feeling.

Get some extra paper plates, in gold or silver Write things like 'magic' or 'Abracadabra' on them with a sharpie and call them 'magic Spell' plates.

if any parents insist on staying then they have to help - what else are they going to do, stand round like lemons? let them chip in - at the very least they can keep their own child under control (I'd encourage them to leave though )

Good luck - in the big scheme of things it is only 2/3 hours of your life you will survive, and the kids will declare it the best party ever.

If potion making involves liquids and pouring then I'd just ditch that idea right out the window cos it will get spilled all over the place. The wand making sounds great though. Assuming it's a couple of hours, give it about 20 minutes for folk to arrive, do the craft stuff as they arrive, then play a lively game like musical statues to let them get rid of some energy, leave some music on after to let them all get back up and dance and play. Then turn the music down and have food. That takes ages to get them all fed. A quieter game eg pass the parcel then a bit more dancing and playing until pick up time.

Then get someone else to help you clear up the mess before you sit down and pass out.

For 5 yr olds it's all about the cake!

Ask parents to bring hats gloves etc and disperse some in to the garden to make snowmen or some other fun game.

It will all be fine!

No, don't have the parents unless you have one or two with whom you are friends and will help with the party.

Church hall and bouncy castle?? Bet you could do that at short notice.

Picnic pizza and flat bottomed cartons - that sound doable 🙂

"do do not let 17 x 5 year old kids bounce balloons around on wands to whizz to and fro, there will be blood on the floor." Do you think so really? Oh my, perhaps I haven't thought it through

Coats....17+ winter coats and boots......that is a good point. I'd better plan a spot for them all

I think I'm going to move ever spare item, box, basket and excess piece of furniture into the our bedroom.....that might help too.

Can you rope in anyone else to help - you ideally need a few more people to manage any misbehaving children, sort out loo trips, any accidental bumps, etc (5 year olds can be demanding). Are you friends with any of the mums of the invited DC - good enough that you can ask them to stay and help? Nieces/ nephews?

I had this and got them all to bring snow gear. Made snow men etc in the garden. Have you sledging anywhere near you?Plastic feed sacks as sledges?

Pass the parcel good idea for large groups. Put lollies in each layer (and make sure each child gets one) - they’ll get busy eating the lollies while the parcel goes round (two parcels even better)

It's minus 32 degrees here today - nobody's kids have been outside in a week. I'm betting they will be little balls of pent up energy....that could be why we've gotten so many last minute responses 🧐