Party bags with money inside?

[HazelCritic]

My soon-to-be 7 year-old is having a laser tag party at the end of July and there is a massive games arcade in the atrium, which I just know all the kids will want to hang about at!

Would it be crazy to give each child £2 each to play a game or two of their choice instead of a party bag? Or would this cause some kind of chaos?

Vote:

YABU - the kids will argue, complain, run riot, become gambling addicts...

YANBU - giving money to spend at the party rather than a bag full of tat is genius

I’d have preferred that as a kid so go for it.

My DS would love this and I would be completely ok with it. But… I am wondering if some parents might not want their kids playing the arcade games. Also, I think at 7, the kids sort of expect a party bag and look forward to that bit. Sorry to chuck in a spanner!

I think this is a good idea

It's not a bad idea but the money should be used for gaming only with a very strict no gambling rule.

Gambling ruins lives and some of the parents might have strong views against their child using gambling machines

The only “gambling” machines they’ve be able to access is those penny pusher things. The others will be in an over 18s area. If parents are staying then they can supervise their own kid anyway but if not, you’ll need to keep them in an area where you have eyes on all of them. It’s fine to let your own kids run off but you can’t let other kids run off out of sight if you’re responsible for them.

Give them some money, let them play the games, gambling really isn’t an issue as they won’t be able to play on those at their age.

I would still give them some sort of cake in a party bag, they get very annoyed otherwise.

Just wondering, why would a parent not want their child playing an arcade game? Do you mean like Pac-Man type game?

My child went to a bowling party and at the end they were given cake and a coin to play one of the arcades each. Worked well, the kids all loved it

I wouldn’t love it. At the party pick up I’d want to collect and then get the hell out of there, not be guilted into hanging around in a tacky arcade. But it’s not a gateway to gambling or anything like that!

Hmmm this is tricky. At those sort of parties I want to grab and run and wouldnt want my kid losing their mind because they had money to spend. Or getting to the car and finding the money in the bag and demanding to go back and play. And then relentless begging for top up cash.

But 9yo me would have loved that.

On balance i wouldnt do it.

Great idea. Kids would love it which is the main thing. Gambling would not be an issue. Think it’s a bit miserable that some people wouldn’t stop to give their children 5 minutes to play a game.

I'm confused at your thread title OP.

Will you be giving party bags or not?

Thanks everyone! I think we'll go for it.

The gambling comment was slightly tongue in cheek as they will obviously only have access to the 2p 10p pusher machines and I imagine most kids will want to play a driving game or something. And we'll be there to supervise.

Yeah, my kid definitely wants everyone to have a party bag. We were thinking a small party bag with cake, a lolly and coins with the instruction that there are coins to spend playing an arcade game if they want to. I've spoken to some parents and they think it's a good idea!

This is good to know! Thank you!

I’ve done this a few times at bowling parties mostly as a bribe to stop them running off midway through the bowling!
I didn’t put the money in the party bag, just dished out the cash with a party bag at the end.

Yes another one who's DD went to a bowling party and was given coins for the arcade games. Genius idea imo

Yeah perhaps only do it if time in the arcade is being built into the party and parents don’t have to hang around at the end.
Although I don’t think it’s a bad idea £2 will get them nothing! Most of those machines produce tokens to exchange for prizes but you need like eleventy million tokens to get anything half decent. Instead they may win enough for a tiny piece of tat- the same tat you would put in a party bag!
If you insist on strictly gaming only, none of the machines that give tokens, you know you’ll be negotiating with seven year old master strategists about what games they can and can’t play…..

Is this to give out at the end of the party, at collection time? If so, no, I wouldn’t do this. Most parents want/need to get straight off. Honestly, I’d be annoyed if you did this as a couple of quid in arcades is never enough and most kids would be pestering for top-up money.

I did this after my son’s laser tag party. There was about 30 mins in the gaming area and I gave each child £2, games were 50p/£1 each. There wasn’t any gambling machines and those areas are restricted to over 18’s.

Nooooooo! As a parent, I want to pick up and run.

Inevitably they will want more cash or have a tantrum that so-and-so is staying so pleeeeeeeeease can I stay too. All of a sudden Mum is down by eleventy billion quid, and lost an hour of her life she won’t get back, all the while trying to appease small conmen lol

After my child's bowling party with time to kill we put money in the air hockey game and they all took turns having a go against another party guest. It worked really well. They were 7 too. Took turns so nicely.

Whatever u decide, I wouldn't skip the party bags. There will be kids that will come over and ask u for it. It's expected.

Great idea! I think my only concern would be them all going off in different directions in the atrium but not a problem if their parents are with them by then or the room is laid out in such as way that you can easily keep an eye on them all.

Make sure there is a coin changer at first, some of these machines don’t give change

Cake and sweet cones seem to be more popular these days!

Although it is a nice idea, £2 won't go far enough in the arcades.