Advice needed for running a 3 yr old's party - please

[Wills]

Hi, I had not originally intended to give my dd a party but she's decided she's having one and has even started listing the people she wants to invite! I had intended to wait until next year when she's at an age that I could run organised games (and I'm really looking forward to that one).

So - what do I do. She's not really at an age where games are possible so what do I do with them?

Also I don't really want to invite more than 16 children. 16 Children will mean 16 sets of adults (+ siblings) and therefore a lot of people. I belong to an NCT group but I hardly ever see them (cos I work) but they're all really nice but would take up most of the room. My dd always gets invites so I can't leave any out otherwise I'd upset people I'm close to. However my daughter doesn't really know their children. She goes to a nursery and has a list of 8 children she wants to invite from there. These are parents I don't know but would like to get to know. However there are over 20 in her class and I feel its probably wrong to invite only 8 of them! Then there's my mother's friends (who have small children) who are friendly with my dd (my Mum looks after dd in the afternoons). AARRRGGGHHH - if dd didn't appear to want this party so much I'd give up here and now. What do I do - everything I can think of will either cost the earth (like inviting them all) or upset someone. Heeeelp

Opps - by the way she will be 3

Church Hall and Bouncy Castle !!!

Won't cost the earth - picnic type tea and some loud music for dancing - maybe even get a face-painter in ?? Wouldn't bother with entertainer at that age - goes over their heads a bit !

Enjoy !!!

Agree with Scatterbrain. Or check your local leisure center. Ours has a hall with a huge bouncy castle, a ball pit and lots of foam blocks scattered about. They also have a big ballpit type soft play area you can hire. I dont know what you'd find expensive, but my DSs joint bouncey castle party is about £67 with a party room afterwards.

Food wise, I'd recommend you fill party boxes rather than have big plates of food. It's far easier to organise on the day.

Invite wise, don't worry about only inviting 8 of your daughter's nursery class - DS1 didn't want to invite all of his and specifically didn't want to invite a boy whose party he'd been to (soI didn't!) I'm only inviting about 6 out of 12 in DSs class and they're the ones he wanted to invite plus a couple whose parties he'd been to and hadn't said he didn't want invited.

Have fun!

For our ds's 3rd birthday we hired a lady who led a music session for about 45 mins and this included a few short stories, simple games as well as the usual percussion songs (she provided instruments). Most parents stayed and they could assist their child. Then we had a picnic tea, pass the parcel, decorated balloons with stickers and then home time. Best to keep it simple I think at this age.

In our area it was also possible for the lady who ran the local "Fittots" to bring equipment to a hall and run games, catering etc but this worked out quite expensive. I think maybe Tumble tots and Monkey Music type organisations also sometimes do this. Local library may have a list of such or perhaps the nursery would help - could you use their premises/equipment if space is an issue?

Previously we had just had the NCT etc friends around and got out toys to entertain them or a friend borrowed the local playgroups toys when they hired the church hall.

Hope you manage to find something suitable - it does sound like a large number to cater for. It is much more difficult at this time of year when you cannot get outside.

Lizs

For my ds's 3rd party we went to a soft play area where they provided the food etc as well. I limited it to 10 children and they all had a great time. I think it was £5.95/child. For his 2nd party we hired a hall and a bouncy castle. Again this was great. I just did my own food. This would probably be the best option if you had loads of children as they would have loads of room to run around and it would also be cheaper than taking so many children to a soft play area etc. We did pass the parcel and also had some music on which they danced to.

Hope your dd has a great time whatever you choose.

Wills my dd1 was 3 two weeks ago - we hired the local centre for £6 ph, and had a clown who tailored his act for 3 year olds - they loved it - juggling, balloon animals, riding a bike.

He came 15mins into the party, for an hour, and then seated them all at the table - which left 45mins to eat and then dance !

I just did lots of little plates of things, but not too much as they are usually too excited.

We asked 8 from nursery - the staff gave me a list of dds best friends there and I asked another 6 of her other friends - 14 was definately enough - as quite a few brought siblings, and then sometimes both parents come, so it gets a bit crowded !!

Wills my dd just turned 3 and I had a party 14 children at home and hired an entertainer, aside from the obvious ridiculous cost I would recommend as the others have to not bother with an entertainer scatterbrain is right it does go over their heads and ours kept giving out to us adults for being too noisy !! Bouncy castles and facepainter sound good.
At least in a large area such as that you can invite everyone and not offend anyone....only the food to think of.
Good luck.

keep it simple, I'd do the large hall/bouncy castle/pre packed party food boxes thing. As a nod to tradition pass the parcel goes down well if chaotically.

I think the mumber of parents might stress you out more than the number of chidren tbh. From what you say, you could end up with over thirty adults. Difficult to even briefly chat to them while keeping an eye on everything. If you go for a huge gathering, I'd definitely ask a few parents who you already know well to act as helpers. I have always done this and found it invaluable. You could also invite a babysitter(and pay them) or a childless friend who is good at crowd control. Just make sure your helpers know they are there to help before the party starts.

Also, have you considered splitting up the celebration? have one proper party, say, for the Nursery crowd and invite the whole class. Then have, say a picnic later in the year or an at-home gathering for the NCT-ers, and another one for your mother's friends.

Good luck - you are so good to think of following your dd's wishes to the letter. I confess if it was me, I'd head her off with the promise of a smaller party and a HUGE birthday cake/new party dress/ or whatever else that appeals.

If you do get the bouncy castle just be careful, if a child falls off and hurts her/himself and the parents decide to sue (you never know these day) you are liable as you have hired the equipment and everything. My dd1 is 4 this year and i am having her party in a soft play area and little buffet afterwards, it's costing me £45 for 10 children including the food and as much juice as they want which i think is very reasonable. I'm then having a small tea party the day after for grand-parents, god parents and other close family and friends.

The bouncy castles nowadays usually have a "dip" at the front so that the children can't fall off onto the ground. These are much safer than the old fashioned ones where the children could bounce straight off the thing! Some companies still hire out the old-style ones, maybe they are cheaper. Check before you hire.

Some companies will provide a crash mat. But you still need someone to oversee the bouncy castle and ensure that too many children don't get on at the same time.

A friend who is a practice nurse hates them having seen a number of injuries resulting from them but she is an excellent supervisor at parties.

a while back we hired a children's entertainer and after loads of nagging found out that party girl just didn't like being the centre of attention and didn't want to join in and said she was bored and wanted everyone to go home (said in loud wailing screams!). Really wish we'd not bothered but suppose having one was the only way to find out. There just seems to be so much pressure to have massive parties these days and kids are expected to be sociable at such a young age

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Yeti, you're right about children having to be sociable from such an early age. It's a kind of peer pressure on parents really, to have the best party. And party bags should just be banned because everyone just tries to outdo the last. I can't compete because I haven't got the cash. Our local cinema has a Movie Juniors club on a Saturday where it is £1 per seat. How about having half a dozen friends to a film and then a Happy Meal at McDonalds or something? Not very educational or healthy, but fairly cheap and I know my 3 yr old would love that. Anyway, chicken nuggets and pizzas (usual party food) isn't exactly nutritious.