4 year old birthday - alternative to party?

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help, ds is turning 4 in half term. last year we had a lovely little party at home with a small group of family and friends. this year for some reason nobody can make it ( sister/cousins out of country, godparents working that weekend and good friend will have newborn). all have promised to visit or meet up another time later in summer.

I don't know anyone from ds' nursery as I work all week and don't do pick ups (separate question on how to make local parent friends?! I moved and am not really in touch with friends made during maternity leave who are now too far) will probably just bring a cake to share with his nursery pals on the last day of term.

I don't mind not having a party at all, but ds is quite sociable sort unlike me and dh, who dont give a toss about our birthdays. He seems to think there's a party so I'm now trying to manage those expectations. any suggestions of what to do? we are outer se london and already do lots of excursions on weekends. I was thinking a picnic at a park but is it too ordinary? or bring him to a theme park? it's what we promised dd though.

I just want him to feel special and loved but feel like I royally screw up in the social department.

Why not just have a small party and invite everyone in his nursery group? You would have an opportunity to get to know some parents at the same time!

We took our DS to legoland for his 7th birthday and he didn't have a party. This was a bit of a bigger deal as we live in Scotland so it was a TRIP IYSWIM.

OR

You could make this an opportunity to make new friends and hire a hall or a local leisure centre and invite a bunch of kids from the nursery. They're young enough that the parents will need to tag along and you could include coffee/tea/cake for them too. Nothing like enforced socialising to make new friends!

A trip to Chesssington is good as there’s the zoo. Once he starts school he’ll be able to have birthday parties.

Or invite a few of his friends to the park for s birthday tea and play.

We took DD to whipsnade and london zoo, she loved both. Trampoline parks have time slots specific to younger ones, lots of smaller theme parks around if you want different to DD.

Are you outer London N, S, E or W?

There’s also Kidzania but maybe you’d still want a few friends for that

At 4, ask him who his 4 or 5 best friends are at nursery. Ask them for tea - party tea of course - and play a few traditional games - pass the parcel, musical bumps etc.

Or - take him and a couple of friends on a morning out to a local attraction and then home for a party lunch.

Is there anything in particular he’s really into or enjoys doing?

thanks all sound very nice. would parents come if just to our home for a simple birthday lunch/tea - on the half term saturday (it's a preschool nursery)? ask for rsvps? it depends on numbers. sorry pretty useless and somehow think nobody will come if no entertainer or venue (and if so at least I don't go to that expense)

Ds mentions 2-3 names as his best friend changes daily.. dh can ask the nursery teacher for names I guess.

I'm in SE london

not anything in particular, he is never still. he likes running around with his older cousins and random kids at playground on mission impossible or superhero. he also think he's a duplo architect or ice cream man.

Kids generally like to meet their friends outside school and I've never had a home entertainer - don't see why this is necessary - they can entertain themselves

Just make sure there's tea and cake for the grown ups

Dinosaurs in the wild in Greenwich

Hobbledown in Oxted

Ice skating
I think there’s a trampoline park in Croydon
Lots of city farms that end