Birthday gifts for 'at nursery' parties?

[PiecesOfCake]

Where children have 'at nursery' parties - the parents provide a cake and going home bags and the nursery 'host' a party hour - do you give the birthday child a gift? The first two passed me by as there weren't invitations given out and it was only as DD came home with a party bag that I realised it had even happened. Now we have one which has an invitation - DD would be at the nursery anyway at this time.

What's the 'done thing' where you are? Thanks!

Ours is much more low key than that. Parents provide a cake, happy birthday is sung during circle time & each child brings a bit of cake home. No party bags, no invitations & certainly no gifts. About 60% of those turning four and about 20% of those turning three have a proper party at a weekend to which we obviously take a gift.

My children have been to different nurseries but I never encountered this. Perhaps everyone got a sweet as it's someone's birthday now and again but that's the most I've heard of. I wouldn't think a present is necessary personally not unless there was an invite or you know the child ?

It's quite a small class and there was an invitation. But DD'd be there anyway! I wouldn't have even thought to bring a present but a few days after the last one I saw a mum giving something to the birthday girl's mum saying "it's only a little something" and I thought uh-oh I certainly haven't got even only a little something!

Never had this at my DDs nursery. I think the nursery provided cake for all when it was a child's birthday but never heard of an organised party during nursery hours.

This doesn't exist at DD's nursery either. They will have a cake and sing to the birthday child but there is a strict ban on parents bringing in any food or cake; the nursery kitchen bakes a cake instead.

Just cake and singing here too. Maybe the parent with the gift was a close friend ?

And the invites are weird. What if you said no, but your child was there anyway

Yes, invites are extremely weird. You can't leave exactly leave anyone out, can you? Re. gifts; no, it's not necessary.

No I don't think giving a gift is necessary. This isn't a birthday party, just a cake at nursery.

The invite is also very odd, as the children either go to this session or don't. I wonder if it is fishing for gifts?

I've never come across it, but I'd just ask the room leader what people do.