Would you have an 'entertainer' for a 3rd birthday party?

[Holymoly321]

Do we need to have one? Had thought of just doing food and then party games - or shoudl that be party games then food then finish? How do most 3rd birthday parties run?

I had general running around playing with balloons etc., a few organised party games, food and a bit more of a play for my DDs at that age.

Pass the parcel is good, but a lot of them just don't 'get' musical statues etc. unless they are experienced party goers. Make sure there is a prize in every layer- sweets or stickers, and you have a few on standby in case someone doesn't get a turn.

I tend to have a selection of toys available- happy land type stuff, balls, balloons, muscial instruments, that kind of thing, and just let them play for a while. Like playgroup.

Music like CBeebies songs, traditional rhymes and counting songs are good. Whatever you do, don't go over 2 hours- 1 1/2 is plenty at that age, 2 hours if you think you can handle it.

Good luck!

An entertainer will be largely ignored.

Blow lots of balloons up, and make the food really partyish, and play pass the parcel, have some music and dance with them. Do ring a roses, farmers in his den, hokey cokey.

We had an entertainer for our dd's 3rd party and she was well worth the money. Entertained them for an hour, then we had lunch while she made balloon models, the she organised a game of pass the parcel (she brought it with her) then they all went home.

Having said that I've been to 3rd birthdays with no entertainer but they've been in the summer, in a house with a big garden and they've hired in a bouncy castle or something.

We had 16 kids at dd's party btw.

I'd agree - entertainers seem to have gone down well at four but younger children mostly not so interested. We did a little craft at three, like playgroup craft, with nice shapes to decorate with glitter sticks and stickers.

Some entertainers won't do younger than age 4 but others are really good at it.

Disagree that they are largely ignored at age three. Several of ds's friends have had one at their parties and most of the children have loved it and been enraptured.

We did have a low key one for an hour for his party - it was not that expensive and everyone really enjoyed it.

BUT I would say don't feel you have to - we've been to plenty of parties without one and the kids have had just as good a time - it's just slightly more effort for you to work out games etc. without.