2 year old nursery/birthday stress

[thecatwithblueeyes]

I'm really not sure where to put this...sorry if it's in the wrong bit.
Basically, our son just turned 2. He goes to nursery a couple of afternoons a week, and recently the key worker told me that he had made specific friends, a group of 4 other children. So we thought it would be nice to ask those children (plus parents obvs) round on the weekend closest to his birthday, not for a full on party exactly but just a relaxed playtime with a birthday cake. We sent out invites via the nursery with our contact details (we don't know any of these people at all) thinking that maybe 2 wouldn't be able to make it so we might end up with 2 kids plus parents, which would be fine. One set has accepted, one has contacted us to say they have other plans, one has not got back to us but has apparently told the nursery that they have other plans, and one hasn't got back to us at all. So it looks as if tomorrow we're going to have just one child plus parents turn up. This is fine, but I'm just suddenly worried that it's going to be really embarrassing - that they're going to come expecting a party and loads of people, and, um, there won't be. There isn't anything to be done about it, but I wondered what other people's experiences had been - have you invited people/kids from nursery to things? Is it a normal thing to do? I'm sort of worried (especially because of the one who didn'tget back to us at all) that we've somehow broken some social ettiquette rule that I didn't know existed :(

I would be fine with this and relieved ! DD1 has had "parties" with just one child coming (out of 6! OK it was the flu normally 2 or 3). I do tell the parent it is just play though not a "party" per se.

Are there any relatives, your friends and their kids or neighbours coming?
if not then they might possibly think it's a bit quiet but I would feel flattered we were the sole guests.
I would perhaps reframe it as a playdate when they arrived as party might be overegging a small gathering.

Thanks, that's reassuring! :) I actually made sure not to use the word 'party' anywhere on the invites - I wrote 'birthday playtime' instead - and I told them via email that it was going to be really casual, just playing in the garden. So I hope they won't come expecting anything big. I did think of asking a couple of friends round, but in the end it seemed too last minute. We don't have any good friends locally with children of the same age, is the problem.

Awwww, just a few nice snacks for the little ones (nothing elaborate but shaped sandwiches or something) and letting the friend play with your toys and a couple of game ideas will make it fun for them both and be hardly any hassle. Offer a glass of wine/beer for the parents and let the kids get on - everyone happy :)