to think that kids' parties are so formulaic?

[semi]

Face painting, balloon artist, magician, pass the parcel...all seems to stick a specific formula...anyone else out there gone a stage further and done anything different?

We used to have parties at the city farm, they were really popular with the parents as well as the kids if a bit chaotic

I certainly have paid people to do the entertaining at my children's parties, and enlisted people to do the hard work so all I have to do is meet and greet, then hand out party bags and profusely thank small children for coming.

Formulaic can be good ....the theme of the party can be as wild as you want (one theme DS really wanted meant we had to import loads of nonsense from the US ) but the standard meet and greet with a fab ice breaker, entertainment, food, final activity and party for when parents are collecting...hand out party bags, pay entertainer, pour yourself a G&T, let child rip open presents while you make a list of who gave what..go to bed vowing NEVER to do that again until next year and feeling slightly smug your child is nicer than all the other children at the party.

Have you not noticed that kids love predictability, routines, patterns?

We normally just do a bouncy castle, music and food. Have done a few beach parties as well, but we tend to leave them to it and just provide food, drink and a watchful eye! They're 6 and 4.

Other ideas I had for the future were bushcraft sessions, science parties, riding.

I've also been to swimming ones, clay painting, bowling and an animal park.

despite only being 1 and 2, theyve been to zoo partys, farms, gladiator, pool partys, gymnastics, soft play, mickey mouse appearances, cooking, craft, disco, cheerleading, basketball, bbq, forest partys. oh and the list goes on!

At 1 and 2, what on earth is the point??? The children are not going to enjoy most of those activities at that age. We didn't even really do parties at 1 and 2. Maybe a few close friends or family round for birthday cake and a cup of tea (or champagne, depending on the mood...)

Are you in the US - the parties sound quite american to me...

Party games, pass the parcel in particular, give me full on anxiety. I genuinely can't be in a room when pass the parcel is being played. party games are awful, I mean like musical bumps and all that. Ugh, I just can't be part of it.

Some moored boats are pretty big. Our kids spend a lot of time on boats, but I would hesitate to have lots and lots of them there!

I've done all the parties going even a joint party, a different type of party each year, my DD liked a bit of variety, though I think we did ice skating twice (partly because our local rink are so good).

We also did soft play, pool, movies, sleepovers etc and a whole class party at home.

I don't understand people who chuck huge parties and spend £££ on toddler parties. It was a few nursery friends around for cake

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