Planning first ever birthday party - advice please!

[Gavi]

Hi I need a bit of help, hope this is in the right place. DS is 6 in March and has decided he wants a party. I'm new to being a SAHM (I always worked and he usually had a little tea party at childminder's) so this will be the first year I've ever had to plan a proper party and I really don't know where to start.

To begin with, I don't know how many kids I should invite, whether I need to invite siblings, ask about food allergies, if I should hire somewhere - our house probably isn't big enough for loads of energetic kids. Do I really need to invite all of the kids in his class, or just his favourites? He's annoyingly sociable so I think he's going to want everyone he's ever met to be invited

Phew I need a just thinking about it! Please can someone tell me where to start?

Hi there, my lo was 2 a month ago and we had a party at a fun house for her it to was my first party! I made a cake did party bags although I only had to add to bags provided at the venue as there not great! There was ten children and a warm buffet provided plus two hours of play no mess and no stressing out it was all taken care of as I hate mess lol food was great kids enjoyed it would deffo do again in same sort of place and you get an order form for foods so allergies are taken care of! I would invite around 10-15 from school ask child who they would like and tell them there is a limit! Not to expensive either. Best of luck x

I have always done the at-home thing - numbers restricted as they always bring a sibling and often the parents seem to want to stay as well! My DS is 5 and he had 6 friends over. Limit the time (say 2-4pm), have some games ready (water pistol fights were really popular with my DS) but they can also occupy themselves for a while. What with that, some tea, and a game of pass the parcel - 2 hours can go really quickly and it barely costs anything. Good luck and have fun!

Thanks for your replies, definitely going to restrict numbers a little to try and keep cost down. Hopefully a group of 6 year old boys together can't need too much entertaining as long as they are well fed!

For DD2s last (3rd) birthday we went to a local leisure centre. Bouncy castle, soft play, big punchball balloon things and 2 staff on hand to deal with kids (genius!) I took a cake (which they lit candles on, then took away, cut it up and distributed into their pre filled party bags) but apart from that did absolutely nothing. It was brilliant. I would never have a party at home as they're always way too manic, and with boys it would be even worse. For DD1s 4th last year we hired the village hall. Borrowed ride on toys etc form the toddler group and I did little lunch boxes of party food, pass the parcel etc.. All in all a whole load more hassle. Been to quite a few lately in our village hall where there's a bouncy castle and then party tea, they don't really need any more than that?

The other option at that age is to take a couple of his friends to the cinema then somewhere for food? Does force a decision on friends though?

Havine

Come and have a look on Shirley's party advice thread We've been helping to plan loads of parties and I'm sure we could help.

I'm currently planning my DS's 5th birthday so maybe we could share some ideas.