Extra touches to make 6 year olds party extra special

[Dramateacher1]

Hi, I posted this on the parties/celebrations thread but it doesn’t get much traffic!

Large church hall and giant bouncy castle booked for my sons 6th birthday in a couple of weeks. Party bags sorted, individual lunch boxes sorted, cake sorted. Any little things that I can buy/include/do to add to the day and make it really fun for the 20 kids attending? Not really looking at party games.
First party like this due to covid last year! All other parties we’ve attended have been at a soft play. Not sure that I should be doing! Thanks

Maybe have a corner with some colouring or something for the kids to chill out a but if they need to?

Tbf its a while since I've hosted a 6yo party though and I was never brave enough for soft play.

Thanks NewYear I’ll get some colouring things out!

Cupcake decorating table

Something I did last time was put a thank you for coming printed note signed by DD in the party bag, a quick WhatsApp thank you for the present and no need for actual thank you cards.

Balloons/small bubble machine/disco lights always go down well.

Colouring or super simple crafts (look at baker ross). To be honest my year 1 child would love some party games, even if you just did pass the parcel.

Do you have anyone local with candy floss machine or popcorn? Or maybe set up your own picnmix table

Definitely colouring, there’s been a colouring table at every 6th birthday party we’ve been to (including one we threw) and it’s very popular.

Thanks for these ideas. I thought they’d just be happy running around and bouncing for 2 hours with a break for food!

Face painting and kids tattoos in party bags

A balloon man was popular at a party my dgs sent to. He made balloon animals and hats for kids to wear. Apparently not expensive for 30 mins balloon making show.

I have kids tattoos 👍

Something like a magician or entertainer might go down well, particularly if it fills 30mins or so after they've had food.

I massively overestimated how long the 'birthday tea' would take at that age - I think the quickest one was pretty much over in 7 minutes. Two hours is a long time just to be bouncing and running around and something to break it up is good. Colouring table is a good idea or a couple of goal posts and a soft ball for mini-football?

I had a Magician at dd's party last month all the kids loved it.

Don't worry about the nice touches and lights but you really need something else to do to entertain them. Don't underestimate how long 2 hours will feel otherwise!!!

Personally I'd try and sort out a speaker so you can play some music and plan to have a few sessions with the bouncy castle up but times with it down and you leading games. If you don't have an entertainer you need to treat it like a military mission and have a rough timetable.

I'd do something like:

Intro and have the bouncy castle up til most of the children arrive.
Play some general games like Musical Statues / Four Corners etc
Then perhaps a team competition like a balloon relay.
Then a bit more bouncy castle.
Then hope it's nearly half way through and time for tea......
If possible, don't give them all the food in one go and do the birthday cake ie candles/singing then give them something sweet.
Once they start drifting, get them back in and do Pass the Parcel ie something quieter for when they've just eaten.
Then something like Duck Duck Goose as they'll be in a circle.
Then some more bouncy castle and hope it's time for them to go home!!!

If you know someone who can do face
paints, that will be a good side activity so everyone isn't trying to get into the bouncy castle at the same time.

Good luck......!

We had a party like this when dd1 was 5. I set up a few tables with different crafts as well as a bouncy castle. I got some stickers and foam crowns for decorating on one table (both boys and girls enjoyed this), I had colouring sheets and pens on another table, a clay build your own snowman on another. I had fake snowballs on another with cups which the kids had to knock down - that one needed an adult to hang around and put the cups up so may not be best idea although the kids had fun throwing the balls around the hall . It was a winter party and we had one group game after dinner.

They’ll love bouncing and running round the hall but I found it helped to have other things to do for those kids wanting a quieter activity. Try baker Ross, the works or hobby craft for craft stuff.

I got cheap coloured paper tablecloths, a few wall decorations and some helium balloons to try to decorate the place a bit.