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AIBU?

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Original poster

Pamper party for a 6 year old?!

83 replies

Worriemummy · 15/09/2025 23:27

My DD is turning 6 in a month and we asked her this weekend if she would like a party and if yes, what? In the past we’ve had bouncy castles or a tea party at home. The school parties so far have been magicians, bouncy castles, soft play etc. I was expecting something like that but no…she wanted a spa party.

apparently this is a thing now, she had the idea from a Disney programme called fancy Nancy (that she loves). A quick google showed that you hire a company to come to the house for an about 5-10 children and they give them glitter tattoos, paint nails etc. it can be for girls and boys.

im not sure how I feel about this. On one hand she very much wants it and it is very her, but she’s only 6?! I still thought we were in the magicians and pass the parcel period of life. Or am I being silly?

what do you think?

pamper party or not?

OP posts:
Brunettesmorefun · 17/09/2025 18:56

I think 6 is way too young for a spa party. I would save that until she is older. Maybe a painting pottery party or something similar?

FeetLikeFlippers · 17/09/2025 18:58

No, no and thrice no! I can’t vote though because you didn’t say if the YABU was for you considering it or for saying no.

Mildorado · 17/09/2025 19:04

No, just refuse. She's far too young. Painting pottery is a good idea, swimming or getting a magician.

C152 · 17/09/2025 19:10

I think it sounds fun. I think the words 'pamper party' conjure up something more adult for most of us, but if it involves nail painting, glitter tattoos, maybe face paint etc., that's stuff a lot of kids gravitate towards at fairs or (in the case of nail painting) do at home. The only thing to keep in mind though is that, as @AllFadestoBlack mentioned, you should plan some other activities (maybe decorating their own cupcakes/cookies or playing some traditional games if you have the room), as the pamper bits won't take up enough time for a whole party, and if there is only one person applying glitter tattoos etc., you need something to keep the other kids occupied while waiting their turn.

zazazooms · 17/09/2025 19:14

I do find it sad that they start focusing on the way they look so so young.
My DD went to one of these at around 8 but didn't enjoy it much. She was much more into the muddy woodland parties or a football party though!

IdaGlossop · 17/09/2025 19:16

No way would I have agreed to this at 6. It's the first stage in little girls (and boys to a lesser extent) being groomed as adult capitalists with their parents paying the bill. Face-painting, nails, mocktails all fine, but not a company doing something more elaborate.

itsgettingweird · 17/09/2025 19:21

Pass the parcel with glitter tattoos in each layer - then give them some water and sponges to apply them themselves after.

bouncy castle.

pizza, veg sticks and my favourite currency is then making their own ice cream sundaes.

They are at an age where they need organised independence iyswim?!

Fixx · 18/09/2025 05:44

Both my daughters have asked for this and I said no. All those kids running around with footspa tubs, nail varnish and glitter? No thanks! When they are older they can take a couple of friends to a spa for a few hours. Nice to have the kids parties while they are young and save this stuff for when they are older.

Zanatdy · 18/09/2025 05:46

I think that’s a bit young, in another couple of years maybe.

InterestedDad37 · 18/09/2025 06:07
  1. horrible idea! you're right to question it.
  2. please keep glitter out of it, it's just microplastics going straight into the environment and/or water system (unless they've invented biodegradable stuff)
  3. ha ha, my kids' party guests had me telling awful jokes and doing deliberately awful magic 'tricks' (a la Tommy Cooper). Didn't cost anything, and they seemed to enjoy it 😂. So did I 😂
Puttingchildrenfirst · 18/09/2025 06:13

My daughter had a "Princess Pamper Party" for her 4th Birthday. There's a place local to us where its done and its like the Bibbadi Bobbidi Boutique at Disneyland. It was just a few friends in a a beautiful venue with princess chairs and beautiful mirrors, really well themed and done by 2 character princesses.

The girls had their hair done in a cinderella bun or elsa plait, tiara, face paint, nails (the peel off play polish) and a sash to go over their princess dress, then it was an afternoon tea and party games with the princesses.

It was such a lovely party and didn't feel "age inappropriate" at all, maybe do something like this rather than make up and tattoos?

Tiredofwhataboutery · 18/09/2025 06:14

We went to one of these, there was abit of parental whinging as the tattoos didn’t wash
off and hung around for weeks after. It was like a disco/ dance thing so there was one person tattooing and another keeping kids going.

WorstInvite · 18/09/2025 06:20

No way! Thankfully nobody we know does this kind of (dull and tacky) thing. And I hate the word ‘pamper’ like some hate the word ‘moist’ ;-)

TheCurious0range · 18/09/2025 06:38

My niece had this for her 6th birthday in a salon! Ds same age, wasn't invited because it was for girls, but tbh he wouldn't have wanted to be there. Lots of pictures of them posing in matching satin pyjama sets with mocktails etc. Me and my brother are very different when it comes to raising our children. The same niece has a smart phone and her older sister 9 had had one from the same age and is apparently into skincare..... . Ds wanted a bowling party for his birthday and two girls in his class have recently had parties one was crafting and the other laser tag.

JJMama · 18/09/2025 07:00

Can’t think of anything worse at any age!

But as a parent - no I wouldn’t have done this at 6.

FunnyOrca · 18/09/2025 07:01

Not sure about “pamper parties” particularly (I’ll be honest, I thought the thread title was about the nappy brand!)

But my class of 4 and 5 year olds last year LOVED temporary tattoos. They became THE thing to have in party bags. I’m sure, as others have said, you could take elements of the pampering and mix it into a more traditional 6th birthday.

That being said, in the late 90s a big fad for parties in my area was to go to a specific place and dress up (hair and body glitter included) as fairies. Broadly, it doesn’t sound too dissimilar from a “pamper party”.

Cocktailsandcheese · 18/09/2025 07:15

Very common round here, the kids absolutely love it! It's all very tame - robes given to wear, nails painted, feet soaked in warm bubbly water, plus party games/karaoke, mocktail making and food. My DC said it was the best party ever!

throwawayusrname · 18/09/2025 07:37

Hmph, they did a pamper party at DC nursery when she was three

Now she tries to put cucumber on her eyes at the dinner table

SomethingFun · 18/09/2025 07:56

There is literally this tiny sliver of your life where you can run around dancing and playing pass the parcel and going to soft play and magic parties and then there’s decades of sitting down and doing nails and face masks. I’m sure someone will tell me I’m wrong and they just played pass the parcel at a 40th 😁

Iloveagoodnap · 18/09/2025 08:02

I know that it is all fun and lighthearted at that age but I really think it contributes to the drip, drip, drip of the message some girls get as they’re growing up that ‘your role in life is to sit down, shut up and look pretty.’ So personally I would never have such a party and thankfully aged 8 my daughter has never been invited to one.

WorstInvite · 18/09/2025 08:05

Iloveagoodnap · 18/09/2025 08:02

I know that it is all fun and lighthearted at that age but I really think it contributes to the drip, drip, drip of the message some girls get as they’re growing up that ‘your role in life is to sit down, shut up and look pretty.’ So personally I would never have such a party and thankfully aged 8 my daughter has never been invited to one.

Of course it contributes.

Luckily it’s not the norm round here either. Parties involve physical activity or entertainment. Not little girls preening in satin robes.

MyOliveStork · 18/09/2025 08:09

My daughter is 23 now. She went to one when she was about 6 or 7. Really enjoyed it. They went in Princess dresses, played games etc all the usual stuff, but there were a couple of ladies there doing hair and nails if the girls wanted it done. I am not girlie at all and never had much idea about these things so she was really pleased to have pretty hair. But just as happy the next day to be back to normal again.
It’s just a bit of fun so I wouldn’t over think it so much. Not all the kids will be as into it as your daughter so maybe suggesting a compromise of a princess party with games and pamper so everyone can choose. You could get someone in to do hair and nails or do it yourself with a few friends happy to help out. At this age, girls aren’t going to expect much and will just be happy to have a bit of glitter in their hair, or some hair chalk.
It’s nice to acknowledge it’s her party and it’s what she wants to do, rather than just having a flat no and disappointing her. These sorts of parties at this age are very normal and nice to try different things. My daughter was more into craft so for her birthday we had a crafting party. My sons went through a football stage so had football parties.
Keep it as simple as you want but try and do what they want for their birthdays.

MyOliveStork · 18/09/2025 08:11

Oh and she is a primary school teacher now and not into makeup anymore than I am!

hairyunicorn · 18/09/2025 08:14

I run a party company where we teach kids to. make soaps and bath bombs, etc.I have a lot of parents come to me who were looking for a pamper party but needed something age-appropriate. I find that we are the happy medium of still having fun but not fully pampering. Maybe you could find something like this?

vickylou78 · 19/09/2025 00:06

My daughter is 7 and been to lots of pamper parties when she was 5 and 6yrs old. The girls all loved it.. came out with hair styled, makeup, face gems, glitter tattoos etc.