Best kids birthday party you've been to?

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Thinking (slightly) ahead and planning a birthday party for a 7yr old for early next year. Within reason, money is no object (I don't mean I want to spend £££s on a party, that just seems unnecessary, but I don't need to be super careful about cost).

Personally, I HATE the whole class parties (too noisy, chaotic) and also HATE soft play type places as a parent. I've loved going to parties at zoos or small group parties - our child seems to have enjoyed all fairly equally tbf. I don't want to host at home.

So looking for inspiration, what is the best party you've been to as a parent and/or that your kids have enjoyed the best? Thanks!

Worst ones are try hard. Expensive stuff, entertainers, lots of pinatas and games the kids don't understand the rules of.

Best ones - bog standard church type hall, invite fairly well behaved kids, bouncy castle and a bit of booze for adults. Low key and casual. Nice load of unhealthy party food and a party bag.

And bouncy castle is optional. Balloons a decent stand in.

The best ones are based around what the birthday child actually loves.

Agreed.
Def activity based

Horse riding
Trampolining
Ice skating
Paint your own Pottery followed by make your own pizza / dessert

What does your DD like?

My cousin's kid had a party that was really good and loads for the kids to do. There was a bouncy castle which I think always goes down well. A station with rich tea/digestives, icing piping bags, sprinkles, sweets etc for kids to make their own biscuits. There was a temporary tattoo station and an arts and crafts station.

I had a mini hen party for my DSD in the house just before our wedding. I set up different stations such as nails, hair, jewellery making, make-up and we had a karaoke machine as well. I got plastic champagne glasses, flavoured water and edible shimmers and glitters as well as fancy straws.

I think the key is to have plenty of things for them to do and it doesn't have to be expensive.

The best party is an inclusive one.

A good host is important..one that greets each parent and not just ignore them. I hate that, i think its so rude.

It doesn't have to be expensive but a good host is everything, something that kids enjoy doing, food and a party bag. Any drink/food for the parents is the icing on the top.

Don't forget to thank people after for the presents.

Parents offered/bought a hot drink and provided with separate nibbles.

Thanks! That's really good.
Our nearly 7yr old kind of wants a Harry Potter party but I'm keen to keep it to maybe 15 kids max. Hire a hall.. but sounds like maybe a bouncy castle and a few activity stations themed around HP would go down well. Food and party bags obviously for the kids, and then somewhere for parents to sit and drink/eat.

We're really lucky that our class only has 25 kids in it and all the parents are on first name terms. We'd be inviting maybe 12 from school and then a few others.

I've personally loved the more relaxed parties - we went to one In June where the parents hired a couple of beach huts and the kids spent the afternoon playing with their mates - sandcastles, rounders and Frisbees. The parents bought fish & chips & ice creams for everyone - a lovely relaxed afternoon no noisy softplay warehouse.

Not a brag but a nod to a bit of an alternative idea - afew of the parents in my sons class have mentioned (and then went on to book for their kids) that my sons 8th birthday party was memorable. We had a forest / woodland party organised by a local forest school the kids toasted marshmallows, built a den in the woods & paddled in the stream, played some team games in the woods that the acitivity leader planned and then had a axe throwing acitivity to finish the celebrations. Finally followed by a picnic lunch as the sun set...it was half the price than a softplay party!

Harry Potter themed is amazing…

you can do HP themed food and at that age they are old enough to “make potions” and “cast spells”.

If i was hiring a hall, I would invite all 25. ..if budget allows. Not all will accept but its a nice thing to do imo

I think as it's likely to be cold and wet we'll need to plan for inside but I love the forest school idea.

Maybe 25 kids sounds like more than it actually is.. it fills me with mild dread 😅

The best one I've ever been to is the one I threw my DD 🤣

We did a church hall with a bouncy castle and a face painter. I also got a small soft play area thing for the smaller ones. Provided booze for adults (it was in the afternoon) and I made sure I hosted it by chatting to parents and thanking them afterwards for their gifts.

Worst one I went to was at a working man's club- a load of old blokes standing outside smoking. Inside they had a bouncy castle but nothing for parents to eat or drink and no other entertainment. The whole thing felt endless.

I think 25 kids would be better than 15 in a church hall. By 7 most parents don't stay at parties unless they are in a very inconvenient place or they absolutely have to ( most stayed to help at a rollerskating party my dd went to)so just go with what the birthday child wants! Harry Potter themed crafts, potion making, balloons, bouncy castle, food and a party bag sounds good.

We had a forest / woodland party organised by a local forest school the kids toasted marshmallows, built a den in the woods & paddled in the stream, played some team games in the woods that the acitivity leader planned
We had one of these where they cooked pizza I really liked it.
A science party in a village hall was my second favorite.

Fit older dc's I rate an escape room.

Where do you live? My HP obsessed twins took friends to Hole in Wand wizard themed golf in York for a birthday treat. That worked well, think they also have one in the North West

You could probably do a science party based on Harry Potter quite easily.

We're in the SE - but that sounds really good for a HP fan!

I do like the science and potions idea! Maybe they could make their own wand or something too...!

This is all really useful, thank you.

25 7 year olds in an enclosed space actually isn't that bad. Parents tend to drop and run at that age round here so you don't need to entertain them and the kids just enjoy playing and having fun with each other. That means the adults on hand are on duty to monitor the going and coming back from toilets, watch out for bumps and falls and shepherd them to food when it's time.

HP themed would be fun, think long table with platters piled high with kid friendly food like the banquet hall scenes.

You could do a sorting hat at the entry and give out badges or paper hats or something for the houses.

A 'potion' station where they can mix various squashes, fruit and edible glitter to make their own drink.

Bouncy castle, they might even have a witch and wizards themed one.

Best ones we went to were with smaller groups rather than the whole class. We went to a tank party, they had a ride in a huge tank through mud and ran around the forest. Also had a party where they went to Ripleys believe it or not (now sadly closed) then for pizza. It was really fun with them all around Piccadilly Circus. Harry Potter sounds good, you could have lots of potter/halloweeny type games and food.

The best party I've ever done was a forest school party for DD when she was 3. Mud kitchen, scavenger hunt, fire lighting, marshmallows etc.

Actually did her a HP themed one in September for her 9th birthday. Village hall & we put them into 'houses' & ran all the games - we did:
Pin the Scar on Harry
Find the Golden Snitches (Ferrero Roche)
HP Pictionary Air
Free Dobbie Sock Tosh
Potion making cocktails

Had 17 girls aged 8-11 - was absolutely manic. But everyone had a great time.

Animal parties!

We once had a party for DD2 with someone called The Animal Man. He brought all sorts of animals like spiders and snakes and even a meerkat!

He was quite expensive but we were able to book him more cheaply because DD’s birthday fell on the Easter break, and the Monday rate was less than the weekend rate.

My DC went to other similar parties over the years.

A bonus is that it has to be quite quiet and not rowdy, because the animals need a calm environment.

We hired a magician, I think his name was Alex ( Nottingham way)
He was absolutely brilliant and did the whole party , we just had to do the food. The parents all stayed as it was in reception, he had everyone in stitches laughing.
We tend to just go to the local Laser tag place now as we found the whole thing exhausting 🤣

I second animal parties, and agree that a major bonus is that the kids need to be quiet! DS was still talking about how much fun it was years later.
We have also done one at a forest school that was well received.