Kids birthday parties, how much?

[Overthebow]

How much do you spend on your DCs birthday parties? My DC will be turning 3 this year and it’s the first year we will be doing a proper birthday party as she was too young before but now loves going to her friends parties and asks for her own all the time.

I’m not a fan of soft play parties where you are mixed in with all the other kids, so either want an exclusive soft play party or some kind of entertainment and a hall. Everywhere I’ve looked would come to around £400. We can afford it and would pay it but is this a silly amount to pay for a kids party or is this about right nowadays?

The party would cost £200 or so, so they didn’t get a present from us too. The party is the present and as 15-20 children attending the party are usually bringing a gift each my children didn’t go without on their birthday plus gifts from family. They probably chose 50/50 parties/presents depending on whether there was something they really wanted.

We've just booked exclusive soft play for our daughter birthday and it's £275 and I have to provide food x

We took DS and nine of his friends to clip and climb for his 8th birthday - it was £220 plus the cake and some extra food (the party food provided at the climbing place was just pizza so we brought carrot, pepper and cucumber sticks, mini toms and some crisps too), then the party bags, so probably cost about £250 all told. Which I thought was a LOT. Horrified at the thought of spending £400-500! I justified £250 because he’d missed the last couple of parties due to covid restrictions.

Is there a sports centre near you? Some have little soft plays which are reasonable to hire! (My local one is £56 for the softplay for up to 25 kids and the food room is £14 so isn't bad at all).

Community centres also often do little soft play parties with a bouncy castle for around £80.

All our parties have ranged from 200-1000 and we haven't done anything too special either. It just costs a fortune for a venue, entertainment and food!

We didn't do an exclusive hire for our 3 year olds soft play party but it included a birthday room which made it feel more exclusive. It was £100 for 8 children.

I'm about to book a party for DS. He wants 12 friends there and everywhere I've looked charges £15 and upwards per head, it's crazy! Going to pay it whilst gritting my teeth, but there'll be no expensive birthday cake for him this year to offset some of the costs at least.

No, that sounds about right OP.

Around here it's £300 for the exclusive soft play option, that includes entry, food and drink for up to 25.

Personally I think it’s worth it, my kids still talk about all their parties. We’ve done hall parties, adventure park, trampolining, climbing, inflatable swimming, soft play, horse-riding, baking, sewing, visits to zoos the list goes on! We’ve often had two parties - class/friends party and family parties!! Our family do it all too! They love parties.

The kids year after year talk about their parties. Even ones from when they were very little I’d say they remember from 3 upwards and when I say remember. They fully re-call the event/the people etc.

So for me it’s worth it.

I should say they remember the party more than their presents.

We’re renting a church hall - discounted rate of £45 for the afternoon because we attended their play group.

DS is turning 4; we’re renting the church hall for £45, will all wear fancy dress (his request), so DH and I will need to hire or buy cheap fancy dress costumes (no time or things at home to make one), DS already has lots of dressing up clothes.

For the party itself we’ll do balloons, homemade cake, a party tea with all the trimmings and party games, plus are taking DS’s toys from home to play with in the hall. Plus some nibbles for the grown ups and I’d hope not to spend more than £100. We did it at home last year and it was lovely, but cramped. If money was tight though we’d just do it at home and have fewer guests or get together with friends in a local park. I’m saving big budgets for birthdays for when he’s older.

At that age I'd have a party tea at home with 2-3 other kids and their parent. Hire some small play equipment (under £100) if you have outside space, otherwise just let them play, a few party games if you fancy facilitating, cake then home time.

FWIW after years of hiring bouncy castles at £140 a pop I've bought my own for £190. Packs down small, we have a large enough garden and now that's every party for the next five years x 3 kids sorted. And I can lend it out.

There is but it's still over £200 and doesn't include food or anywhere to have food. The ones that have a party room are all £400ish for exclusive hire.

I couldn't just invite 2-3 kids as it will be 10+ just to invite my friends DC (all around the same age), plus friends from nursery and groups. We did a small party at home the last two years but she really wants a proper party with all her friends this year, she talks about it all the time.

3 is old enough for kids to be aware of everything and to know what they want and who they want to invite, it's not like they are babies anymore. She will be fully aware that a small party at home with just a couple of kids is not the same or as exciting as the parties she has been going to for all her friends. We will happily spend the money to give her the party she wants if this is what it costs.

3 is old enough for kids to be aware of everything and to know what they want and who they want to invite, it's not like they are babies anymore.

It’s also old enough to gently introduce the idea that not everyone does things the same. If what feels reasonable to you is a smaller thing, that’s fine. And, knowing plenty of three year olds, it’s often about the right level of excitement to stop them all becoming overexcited hot messes.

It’s up to you OP, but please don’t feel you have to do things a certain way because of your child / other people’s expectations. She’s three. You can invite one special friend with you to the aquarium or zoo and that will be the most exciting and special thing from then one.

She will be fully aware that a small party at home with just a couple of kids is not the same or as exciting as the parties she has been going to for all her friends.

what a shame.

Mine is almost 3. He’s used to lots of children around from nursery, but he will honestly be overwhelmed by more than a few for party. He will just want to play with everyone and get overwhelmed if there’s 20 children.

Our local council has a number of wellness centres across the borough with swimming pools, gyms and soft play centres. Their prices are much better than independent soft plays in the area. I've just booked DS's party in the soft play centre with exclusive hire for £200 for up to 25 children including food for two hours.

Do you have any council-owned soft plays you could try?

Do you have a Brewers Fayre with a soft play near by? The ones near me do exclusive hire before the restaurant opens from 10am - 11.45am for £50 (if you're doing your own catering). Or it's around £10 per head with food included, but for the price difference, I'd do the £50 hire and take some sandwiches boxes and juice for the kids.

I would suck up a lot for my children to enjoy themselves over the weekend

but enduring 2 hours at at Brewers Fayre would be a step too far for me. It would be a decline from us! 😂

Sounds like the three year old rules the roost.

DD is having her first big party this weekend for her 5th birthday- £280 at a trampolining place for 17 kids. They do buffet food and we’ve got a cake from Costco. Feel a bit better knowing that’s roughly the going rate but still feels like a lot!