To have a 5 year old’s party in a park....

[BadGherkin]

AIBU to have a 5 year old’s party in a park which doesn’t have public toilets? It would be for 2 hours (either morning or afternoon, I haven’t decided that yet). It is my DCs favourite park, and is usually not too busy.

Okay let me reframe. I’m doing it small local park away from the play park 14/15 kids and adults to stay some are siblings. Many live close my house is 5 mins walk if someone is desperate and some are closer. Less parents and a less quiet park If be less inclined.

You need to cut the numbers down drastically - eight children, including your own, with an adult per sibling set and two extra adults committed to helping you with the organisation.

An hour for games will be plenty, followed by cake and goodbye.

Don't let the children have anything that could become litter or you'll be clearing up forever afterwards and probably still get complaints when your guests or the wind spread anything made of paper or plastic around the park.

Decide how (and who) you will deal with other children who come and try to join in. Pre-teens may happily watch or go on their way when you tell them, but what about dealing with a group of teenagers or the toddler whose parents insist they want to run about in the middle of your organised game?

Just don’t. Have a small party at home with your own loo.

Haven't RTFT but my advice about any party for small kids is keep it to 1.5hrs max. It's always the last half hour things start to go tits up! An hour of playing and half an hour to eat and do cake is plenty at that age.

Hopefully adults can manage not to wee for an hour and a half and little kids can wee in a bush.

@scaredsadandstuck

Haven't RTFT but my advice about any party for small kids is keep it to 1.5hrs max. It's always the last half hour things start to go tits up! An hour of playing and half an hour to eat and do cake is plenty at that age.

Hopefully adults can manage not to wee for an hour and a half and little kids can wee in a bush.

Last half hour of a 2 hour party I mean!

You need toilets, if nothing else then for hygiene to wash hands before eating.

Most the parks around here don’t have loos, the kids wee in the bushes! Wouldn’t bother me in the slightest

I'd say at that age 'nature wees' are very acceptable so absolutely fine - just make it clear to parents first

I think others here are being really precious- parents of that age being hand gel/wipes - you'll be fine! The toilet situation would t worry me - the weather would be my biggest concern!!!

Op I think it would be absolutely fine! Do people really not go anywhere for less than 2 hours without a proper loo?

They'll all be local ish presumably so will know the park.

We used to do long day trips to the middle of nowhere and managed just fine. My ds' nursery used to do a summer picnic for the families in a park with no loo. Absolutely fine!

It’s fine. Ask parents to stay, maybe cut to 90 mins. If the kids need to pee they go in bushes or leave early.

My 3yo can easily go a couple of hours without a wee so wouldn't be a probably for us. I usually need one before he does.

Providing everyone has been forewarned it's not an issue. Agree with others the weather is likely to get in the way more than anything else

We went to a party for a 5 year old just like this today. Local park, no toilets, woods nearby. No one even considered the toilet issue I don’t think? Kids just go in the bushes and adults hold on. We were there for 2.5 hours. There are pubs and cafes within 10 mins walk if needed. It’s near to their school so everyone knows the park so there was no need to mention on the invitation. It was v informal, no games or anything, just a table with cake and drinks. The kids at this age don’t really remember proper parties and they were all so happy to just run around with their friends playing. It worked well. There were probably around 15-20 kids and parents all milling around. The invitation made it clear it was informal and to just pop in at some point during the afternoon.

Take a few old margarine tubs just in case?

I think this is totally fine and normal! I agree that 2 hours is too long though. I’d go 1 hour or 1.5 hours max.

No! I often need a wee let alone all the other little kids, toilets would be a priority for me!

I wouldn't call it a party. Maybe say bring a picnic and play with child. We will bring cake.

My 4yo and the other local kids seem to manage to play at the park for 2-3 hours without needing the toilet.
Just put it on the invitation so parents can plan ahead.

Make it an hour tops and pre warn

Do it,sounds fine to me x

Do not do an event for you g children without toilets...even a grown up might struggle not to use facilities for an entire afternoon let alone a 5 year old...

I’m hoping to have my daughter’s birthday celebration in the park near our home soon. It doesn’t have any toilets but I will be inviting my friends with kids who are used to going to that park. Plus older nephews and nieces and it’s only 5 minutes for them to run to mine if they need to. The 3-4 year olds I’m inviting have mums who are used to taking them behind a tree for a wee if they need to in that park. We’ll be having a picnic plus playing in the play park.

@BuffyFanForever it's 2 hours though, not an entire afternoon which would be 5 hours ...

@buffyfanforever It's 2 hours. My children often spend 2 hours in the park or out somewhere with no toilets. Sometimes they need a wee behind a bush, sometimes not. That must be the case for many people or places you go would be really limited, especially when you don't live somewhere with many public toilets.

I wouldn't have a problem with it but my kids of both sex have no shame and will see in the gutter happily. I've never not considered going to a park because of lack of facilities. Is there a toilet at a train station nearby or something if people are concerned