To not cater a children’s party?

[Littlejayx]

My little girl will be turning 3 in may and I have booked a local art studio (think small independent place doing crafty bits and painting) I have booked this for 1 and a half hours but will not provide any food, except drinks.

Instead after a hour of craft and half a hour of party games, I will give out party bags song happy birthday with cake and out we all go.

This is the same day as our local food and drink market (small village) and will be eating out and about and people can join us or go do their own thing.

Is this acceptable? We usually have soft play centres and everything just gets left and it seems so wasteful 😩 tell me if I’m being unreasonable and I will change this (not much mum experience)

You need to cater and have treats for the children. Are you doing a cake? If not. Provide cupcakes

Kids at paries are not interested in veg sticks!

Provide popcorn. They love it

My dil once had a pool party for my dn at the local baths. After the pool session she gave every child a drink and a packet of crisps before they went home.
I was so embarrassed. Swimming sessions for children are so cheap anyway.

The boxes sound perfect.

What you’ve suggested for the food box sounds perfect OP.

Food box sounds very good to me too. Other than that you could take them to a cheapy local cafe/restaurant afterwards - think Pizzahut or whatever you have locally.

I would provide cupcakes or biscuits or something

My 3 year old would be livid TBH 😂

I had a party for my DD recently (5), and I talked my husband into providing adults with food too (he didn’t think it was necessary). The adult food went first, they were gannets! Saying that I wouldn’t really expect to be fed, so the lunch box sounds good. Only reason I didn’t do them was because in our circle/school, people turn up with child’s siblings so I didn’t want them to go without.

Don’t cater for the adults! Sod that!

I think the art thing sounds fine by the way. I used to take mine to an art club when they were two or three, it was an hour or more, they loved it -just lots of different stations to do different things, which I imagine your thing is as well.

It is not unreasonable as long as you pre warn parents. I've been to a few that don't do the sit down meal, it's no problem to feed them before the event.
The party bag is far more important.
At soft play it's like finishing a work out to sit for a meal, it is often a waste, most of the DC don't wash their hands between settings.

Nobody caters for adults round here either, they buy a coffee themselves if they want one. Unless a village hall type place with tea/coffee pots.

The food box sounds a great idea, you can buy the boxes in poundshop.

My husband wants to go get happy meals half way in 😂.

I’m 100% not catering for adults, I don’t have the funds and the studio doesn’t have the space, a adult can deal with 1 1/2 without a meal I’m sure

Thank you party box lady, your brain has helped me a lot!

As for the arty thing her and her friends/ family go here for a regular club so I know it’s something they will enjoy 😊

I agree it depends on the time of the party. If you are having the party over a meal time it's a bit unfair. If about 3pm or similar then it's not bad, although I'd make sure parents knew there was no meal. Personally I would at least provide some snacks like crisps, biscuits etc.

The centre might not want sticky McDonald fingers.
The box sounds perfect less cost too.
I hope your DD has a lovely birthday.

Sounds good to me, either put on the invite: crafts, games and cake or do the party food box thing. Can’t believe someone said it was ‘joyless’!

You need food at a bday party, sorry.

The party sounds fab. My kids would have loved it. For 1.5 hours I think cake would be more than enough.

I think it is a bit mean to have a party with no food, you might end up next year having nobody come.

I used to do the boxes when the kids were small. They were fab.

The best ones were when we put an individual Rowntrees jelly pot in for pud and gave everyone a dollop of squirty cream on the top.

Use a cookie cutter for sandwiches and the edges press together (so the filling doesn't fall everywhere) and also look pretty.

Can't go wrong with sandwiches, mini cheddars, little box of raisins; jelly and a carton of juice. The boxes aren't pricey on amazon etc.

Bits of fruit for snacking, kit-kat fingers or chocolate fingers. (Tissues & wet wipes for cleaning fingers/faces)

I think it’s fine so long as you let people know. And as for catering for parents - oh do fuck off whoever suggested it’d be rude not to!!

It's my DD's party next week, I'm starting to think I might use my own party food box idea myself now!! I normally massively over cater and we end up eating sandwiches and cold pizza for days. I think I will take my own advice and do the boxes.

We usually have soft play centres and everything just gets left

Really? Every party I’ve been to, the food is gone in minutes. Except the ones with fruit....

It’s up to you whether you provide it, but it will be expected so make sure you let people know.

Maybe just a table with finger food, nothing special, mini sausage rolls, little sandwiches, crisps etc?

And as for catering for parents - oh do fuck off whoever suggested it’d be rude not to!!

As a parent who could never drop and run, way past when most parents were able to do so, an over lunch party with no food for me was a real pain in the arse.