Ideas for summer garden party for about ten 2.5yr olds, please?

[OrlandoTheCat]

I am thinking mini sports day type activities (e.g. running with a bean bag on head, egg and spoon). What other type of activities/games do you think they would enjoy? Pass the parcel?

They're probably too young for magic tricks I guess?

Anyone?

They sound a bit young fir organised games but give it go. Bouncy castle.

ah yes, good idea. thanks. Presumably you can hire one? the only thing is: our garden isn't massive (i'd say 10m x 13 or 14m) so not sure whether there'd be any space left over if I put a bouncy castle in....

We did a garden party for dd's 3rd birthday - around ten kids aged 2-3 in total.
Didn't bother with a bouncy castle or organised games. Just put toys outside (eg toy kitchen, happyland stuff, toy trucks, lots of balls, one area with colouring books/crayons etc etc). Kids had to be dragged home - noone got bored.

Had a big table with lots of snacky food that everyone could pick on at anytime (rather than a set meal time). And lots of wine/beer!

A gazebo is a good idea (both for shade and shelter from showers). Also consider bad weather options generally, if its chilly the kids might want to head indoors. We had prepared to relegate one room as a play area (with breakables etc put away).

We also had dd's room as a 'quiet' room with duvets and teddies on the floor for when it all got too much.

At that age organised games can be a struggle and BCs can be lethal. Also they may not last all day before needing to crash so I personally would keep it low key.

Way too young for that much organised fun.

Hire some soft play stuff (lots of little toddlers don't like bouncy castles) get a sand pit out, few garden toys. Let them play for an hour. Food, happy birthday, cake then home.

As above. Sandpit, outdoor ride on toys, pavement chalks, indoors for food then back out for water play. Parents can take their happy wet kids home.

So an Easter egg hunt but with other things maybe get everyone to find some pictures of cakes or other birthday themed stuff
Pin the donkey
Piñata
Treasure hunt
Orienteering with clues etc

We did a Humpty Dumpty theme. Pin the hat on Humpty. Knock Humpty off his bucket with a paper maché Humpty and a ball. Building blocks, toy horses and figures,

You'll struggle to get them all doing the same activity at the same time, but they will tour around several little activities.

Sandwiches which looked like walls, with Hard boiled eggs above them...

Can 2 year olds do orienteering with clues? 😂

thanks all for the great ideas...yes, despite having my own toddler, I think I'm pretty clueless about them (i.e. the level of focused activity/organised game they can carry out)...

Definitely low key with lots of options
But good idea. I was at a party recently and I kept thinking... look at the size of your garden. We all could have been outside and it would have been fab rather than inside.

Teddy bears picnic ?

Tent with balloons in. Trampoline (100 pound from asda), whatever outdoor toys your kids have, plus snack food. They won't stay out of the house though, finding toys / cherished heirlooms is the treasure hunt.

My DS would have loved a few buckets of water to splash in and drop things in at that age. Keep it super simple

Recently I went to a meet up in a park type play thing where everyone bought an activity. So there was lots of sports day type stuff but no formal organisation as everyone was under 3! Things that worked well were;
Toilet roll to form a finishing line you can break marathon runner style
An arch made of a pool noodle in wellies
A tray of cornflakes to stomp through
A pop up tunnel
Pillowcases for a sack race
Hula hoops

Hahah yeah they are young for orienteering lol maybe picture orienteering where they can find the object in the garden for another clue ahah still a bit young here

Far too young for organised 'sports day' type activities.

At that age water is fun - as long as parents know in advance so have towels and change of clothes.
Then things like sand in a tray. maybe chalks for decorating the patio or path (again - is messy so make sure parents don't bring them dolled up). Lots of balls to play with.
Ask the other parents if they have anything they can bring - ride upon toys or a little see saw or mini slide, etc.
If I were you, my biggest concern would be what happens if the weather is bad.

Have an 'ice cream shop'. Ring a bell to say shop is open, then have a little choice of lollies or cones and sprinkles.

What's The Time Mr Wolf?

Played this at Ds's 2nd birthday for ages. I was just thinking about it today for some reason.

Washing up bowls with water, cheap watering cans, chalk if you have concrete,
Painting the fence (with water)
Normal day to day garden activities just with more of them to deal with more kids

I found organised games a challenge with 25 4/5 year olds so would fail miserably with toddlers! Maybe have the eggs and spoons/beanbags out to play with though.

Thank you all for your super suggestions/advice.

Weasley what's "An arch made of a pool noodle in wellies"

I should imagine she means a pair of wellies, then get a pool noodle and curve it round so each end is in one of the wellies and it forms an arch, which little dc will like running under, and they won't hurt themselves if they bump their heads on it.
Excellent idea Weasley

Don't worry about activities at that age.

Balloons and/or a couple of balls, as many trikes as you can borrow and some handy Dads and a picnic spread. Maybe a play tunnel (makes a good pressie at that age anyway) and a pop up tent or wendy house would be brilliant, but not necessary. Set up ipad/laptop with youtube nursery rhyme playlist or CD.

Doing it as a "teddybears picnic" is nice because it gives you an instant theme - everyone bring a teddy - and they'll entertain themselves while the adults drink wine

Here you go, 2 for £15 in Argos:

This
www.argos.co.uk/product/4598037

And this
www.argos.co.uk/product/4616256

Though the kid they've used as a model for those looks suspiciously old for the size of what I reckon they are! Maybe check the dimensions first.