What do you think about this for a 4th birthday party ??

[mummyloveslucy]

Hi, it's my daughters 4th birthday in march. She had a party for her first birthday but that was more for us than her. , this year I've decided to give her one for all her little nursery friends.
I'm going to hire a hall and have a bubble entertainer, I saw him at a party years ago and was very impressed. We'll have party food and tea and coffee for the parents and have party bags with bubble stuff and some sweets.
Do you think this sounds like a good party?
I'd like to make it a bit personal and a bit different if possible.
For her first birthday we had a time capsual, where everyone wrote her a message or drew her a picture, we put in some other memories from her first birthday then sealed it. She'll open it on her 18th birthday. We also had a Lucy quiz, there was a big poaster with photoes of her and questions like, What age did she walk ? etc. Everyone loved that party, I don't know if I could do anything like that this time, if you have any ideas please let me know.

The party sounds FAB.
Do you know what, and I mean this in the nicest possible way, you don't have to make every birthday better than the last and set yourself up for such huge challenges etc.
Her first was special and lovely and for you more than her at the time and something she can look back on, wonderful, amazing. Her 4th is more about what she'll get a buzz from and what other 4 year olds will enjoy. You can buy gifts, do things that make it personal etc buy in general as a party, bubbles etc will be perfect.

Why don't you make the presents personal and special and maybe have a birthday tradition and just let the party be about what she's into at the time?

I have bought my 3 girls a Links charms bracelet and every birthday I buy them a Links or Thomas Sabo charm which is relevant or meaningful. I buy them a CD of whatever is no 1 in the charts and write in their journals.

Thanks. I would like it to be enjoyable for the parents too, and as relaxed as possible.
I agree, her first was special and more for us. This one has to be about what her and her friends will enjoy.

My daughter has a Links charm bracelett too. Her god parents bought it for her and every christmas she gets another charm for it, that means something to her.
It's a lovely idea, and something she'll treasure her whole life.
She is very in to bubbles, she always has been.

As a parent the most relaxed I can be is to see my DD's having fun.

Make the bubbles huge, the food fun but healthy and let the parents relax with a coffee/tea (pint of gin?) and have fun yourself.

Fwiw, I'd love a bubble party and ^know* my 3 girls would adore 1 and they are 16 months, 3 and 7.

TC xx

Aren't teh Links charm braclets lovely.
Check out Thomas Sabo as an alternative to beautiful charms.

Typing getting so bad, sozza, it's the Oyster Bay not me

Here are the Thomas Sabo charms

That's good. The bubble man puts each child in a huge bubble at the end so it'll be an experience for them.
He got us parents laughing too. I think when the children are happy and engaged it relaxes the parents.
When we go to bouncy castle partys, I'm usually a bit on edge.

Wicked

Sounds like the Bubble Man we met at The Big Chill.

Everyone loves a bubble

Thanks Thomcat.

xx

this does sound very lovely, but also very scary. have i got to do one of these for ds? (4 in april) how do you know who the friends are from nursery? there are 42 in his school! nobody has invited us to any parties. does this mean they haven't had any or are they held in secret?

aieeee

am loving those charms and bracelets....also have 3 girls (2, 4 tomorrow and 7....am baking cake for her now, ridiculously sentimental about her....sob sob! ) All 4 year olds would love a bubble party, sounds great.

fishie- There are 15 children in my daughters class, every time one of them has a party the whole class is envited. No one is ever left out which is lovely. They are all girls as it's a girls school, which makes it easier.
If I were you, I'd ask your son who he'd like to come to his party, or ask his teacher who he plays with most and just envite a few to a little party at home.

I've avoided the big party for 2 years, She wasn't old enough to appreciate it when she was younger.

Sounds like fun but are you sure the parents will stay ? Personally I wouldn't worry about doing any activites for them even if they do, just nibbles and drinks.

I used to dread parents staying and dread being asked to stay. A children's party should be for the children and time away from/for parents, however, what you are intending to do sounds lovely.

my daughter was 4 early dec and we held a party at the village hall for 20 nursery kids.she only goes to nursery 5 hours a week and is,nt settling well shes never been invited to a party which makes me sad for her but most other kids are fulltime think she gets overlooked.so i invited all the kids.i decided not to get a entertainer as the ones i,ve seen round here are rubbish and kids of 3 and 4 lose interest.i looked into a a entertainer to do face painting and balloon modelling and she said she,d make the balloons in advance and wanted £180 which i thought was a rip off.from parties i,ve seen they go wrong when theres not enough to do.as the hall was big one section had some of dds garden toys blow up pirate shipwith balls,funny feet,tunnel,tent,hopscotch mat etc.i had a craft table embracing xmas abit make your own crackers etc.a pinata,i bought of ebay a bob the buider and tigger costume which daddy and gran wore the kids loved them they were £70 each but i figured i,d spent that on a entertainer anyway.did have time for anymore games there was me worrying they would,nt have enough to do they loved the crafts then grandad santa came in and gave a present to all.i know santa won,t be on your list of stuff but i think theres lots of things you can do and it does,nt have to cost the earth.parents were saying what a great party it was and how much effort which was nice as us mums can be critics!i just offered tea coffee biscuits homemade cake then when the kids had eaten what they wanted said for the parents to help themselves.one thing that made me cross one dad said he was pooping to the shop so i thought he was going to the local shop but no came at the end of the party and another dad did,nt even tell me he was leaving his 3 year old and the poor little thing wet himself as none of us knew he was,nt with a adult i felt we were used as a extended nursery poor kids.as the mum you have so much to do you cannot be expected to have to worry about the kids like that but all said and done it was worth it all they had agreat time

The parents always come to the partys, as they the children are only 3 and 4.
All the parents get on really well, so it's nice to meet up. It would be a big responsibility to look after 15 young children on my own.

I think it sounds a lovely party

snuffyp- It sounds like a great party, I'd be annoyed if a parent did that too. How irresponsible can you get ?

i think crafts are popular for parties and you get get things for all age groups online baker ross has a good selection.all the kids were so well behaved i,m used to seeing kids run riot i was so nervous about the party.but i learned from other parties and just made sure nothing lasted too long and they had plenty to do.i know when kids are older they get left but it made me sad the little boy wet himself another mum i know went and got something for him to change into but he refused.then you get scared about changing kids or taking them to the loo nowadays.the main thing is its not really what the parents think long as the children have a fab time.another thing i thought was tshirt decorating the pens are cheap and you can get white tshirts cheap in supermarkets too