Reception party - Pyjama or magic/clown?

[Pyjamaormagic]

My DS will turn 5 soon and I need to plan his party.

Which theme do you think is best?

1. Pyjama - 30 class kids to be wearing their pyjamas and have fun, musical pillows, glitter tattoos etc.

1. Magic/clown party - With some tricks, games etc.

I am a bit bored of the superheros/Frozen parties and I am trying to think of something different but I can't think of something that will appeal to both sexes.

AIBU - Pyjama
AINBU - Magic/clown

And yet where I am they do. Newsflash other people do things differently.

A "PJ party " is fine if it's a sleepover but for running around in a church hall it is a bit odd.
As I said upthread - there doesn't need to be a theme because the theme is "birthday".

Wasn't/isn't Ronald MacDonald a clown? So many kids' parties themed around him in the past without an eyelid being batted.

@BuzzieLittleBee McDonalds (in the UK anyway) retired Ronald McDonald because children were finding him too scary. For their recent 50th birthday event they had all the other old characters on the displays etc - but no Ronald.

I do find the tone of mumsnet threads have gone a bit weird over the years. The OP asked for ideas for a birthday party for 5 year olds and got a lot of yabu, sneery responses. I just want to say I loved taking my kids to parties when they were small. They always has a great time, and I enjoyed seeing them happy. I didn't generally have loads else more important to do with my weekend, and I enjoyed the company of the other adults if it wasn't drop and run. From threads like this you'd think hosting a party was a massive imposition but I don't think everyone feels that way.

I'm finding some of the comments about PJs a little weird to be honest. They are little children and their winter PJs are likely to be of the long sleeve top and loose leggings variety with a cartoon character on the front. I'm sure they can wear their underwear with them if that's bothering people. And why would they be cold in a heated venue?

When my DS was that age I did parties that were themed in as much as the invitations, table wear, decorations and activities followed the theme but there was no expectation for the children to come dressed up.

@longestlurkerever well ideas for a 5 year olds birthday party are this -
Traditional party games like pass the parcel, musical chairs, musical bumps, pin the tail on the donkey.
Party food - cake etc.
Some music the children can dance/jump around too.
Party bags when leaving.
That's it. You don't need an over complicated theme.

I'm not sure the OP was really asking for an overcomplicated theme idea. More a simple one but different from superheroes and not overly gendered. I agree she doesn't necessarily need one but it's hardly an outrageous question and some kids enjoy that stuff. I know mine did, though they generally requested the theme themselves.
. OP I did rainbow for my dd's 4th birthday as she loved them. She got to dress up in her favourite rainbow clothes and i just put "wear your favourite rainbow colours" on the invitation and got loads of cut price rainbow napkins etc from tiger after pride.

This the point though isn't it? Inverting social norns can be fun for kids. A lot of the magicians/entertainers will play on that theme with them.

Neither - soft play , organised ball games / football , bouncy castle and games in a hall .

When my kids were small we all just had soft play parties where they supplied everything. Everyone loved them. Why all the dress up.

All the activities of the pj party, but no pj’s. It’s a bit weird and intimate and lots of kids just sleep in whatever because matching cute sets are expensive, so the added cost of an outfit would be annoying. Just hall with bouncy castle and activities and food and coffee for adults is fine.

Do you know why a lot of kids parties are superheroes or princesses? Because kids like them!

DD turns 4 in December and she is having a party with Ariel and Moana coming along, we also have a face painter, bouncy castle, kids games and loads of balloons! There's about 60 kids coming

Both my kids had a magician party around that age. The magician was really good at keeping their attention and basically stopping them all going wild. Find a good magician who will host the entire two hour party. Normally it’s a bit of music/ dancing while people turn up then 30-40 minutes magic show. Stop for food then a few round of musical statues/best dancer/bubble machine if venue allows it and then home.

That sounds lovely, but also very expensive! Some of us have to go down more of a DIY route. I always used it as a way to entertain my own kids in the run up though - making a pinata out of paper mache, or tickets for a carnival game or whatever. They helped make their own cakes as well. They looked a bit, erm, rustic but did the job.

He ain't been around in decades

OP, its really nice that you're throwing a party. Its lovely receiving invitations. With everything being so expensive, i've seen a decline in parties already. Do what you feel your DC would like best.

The only thing I would be cautious about is setting a dress code, as this could be too expensive for some people. Have fun

What does your 5yo want?

@longestlurkerever I'm all for homemade activities to entertain kids! I just don't have the time, patience or artistic ability 😂

My DM used to throw me a party every year and make the full buffet and birthday cake herself as well as sorting the pass the parcel presents and the very important task of stopping and starting the music for musical statues or bumps!

What I meant is the themes of princesses or superheroes work because kids like that stuff. They can be done on any budget. One party my dd went to was a superhero party and they all got given a cape rather than a party bag and had a craft table to customise them with fabric pens, etc