2nd birthday party ideas please!

[SpanglyGiraffe]

I think i've got a little bit over excited with DS's party. Our house is nowhere near big enough to hold a party, so i've booked the village hall & have hired a Bouncy Castle..

DS has a few friends his age, but a lot of them also have older siblings. The oldest being about 6. I said in my invites that their siblings are welcome more to be polite than anything expecting most of them to say that the siblings wouldn't come. But they've all RSVP'd saying all of the DC's will be coming, which i don't mind, I just wasn't expecting!

So, now i have to think of activities to keep the older ones entertained too.
For the little ones I was going to put loads of balloons out, maybe have a play dough table?, and possible a small ballpit, so they can throw balls around.

I think i'm going to have to say that the little ones & bigger ones go on the Bouncy castle at different times, to save the younger ones being squashed.

Has anyone got any ideas for cheap activities I can put on for the older ones? TIA!

Wow, that's impressive! We just took DS1 out to the zoo or equivalent on his second birthday because he would not know any better. Low key, hardly any expense and no hassle or stressing over party arrangements for a 2 year old. I think at that age they can find it all a bit overwhelming when there's loads of people around. Each to their own though.:)

As for party suggestions...What about bubbles for the children? They can blow bubbles at the tables, or foam balls to kick around the hall? Hard to think of stuff, I'm more geared towards outdoor activities, tbh.