Am I mad .... 20 kids at my house for a 3 year old's party?? What should/shouldn't I do!!!

[mummytowillow]

I've got a huge garden in my lovely (rented) house, so to save money I've decided to host my daughters 3rd birthday party there! This will be my first time hosting a kids party so could do with some help please!

It's going to be a Peppa Pig themed party as she loves it! I've hired a Peppa Pig bouncy castle, so now need to know if I should do other stuff or leave it at that?? I've got loads of garden toys to put out. BUT do I do party games? I thinking it might be hard to organise with so many kids and a big garden?

So food wise, I am going to get the party boxes so I can just give them out ready done, what should I put in them in case there are any precious parents there!! Though I think at parties you have to expect some 'crap' to be in the box, its a party!!

Last point, those dreaded party bags, always full of complete tat that goes in the bin, so is there an alternative, I would rather buy one thing thats decent and put some sweets and a bit of cake in it??

Help please! xx

hire an entertainer!!!

oh and my 4.5 yo ds says

sausages
ham or jam sarnie
sweeties
cake

What if it rains?

Are parents staying too?

Party bags - could bulk boy from thebookpeople and give them a book, balloon and a piece of cake each?

Get a bubble machine for outside, dont put any toys like a slide out (ime) as kids will push each other off.

Have you got a football goal and ball? That cna entertain them.

Food boxes: fruit juice carton, 2 1/4 sandwiches (ham, cheese, tuna, etc), chopped fruit and veg either in snack packs or food bags, cupcake, maybe crisps?, crackers?

Its not going to rain or I will cry! I have a large lounge but not big enough for all those kids!!

Great tip about the slide there is one the garden but I will put it away!

I did think about the entertainer but its the cost thing thats stopping me, the bouncy castle is £60!!

You nutter. You absolute nutter. Good luck!

Okay, party bags: 1 x balloon. 1 x mini pot of bubbles (you can get multipacks from the big supermarkets, or perhaps from the pound shop). 1 x packet of raisins. 1 x packet of fun-size mini Smarties.

That's it. Cheap, and they will love everything. If you really want to add another toy, how about those linked plastic snake toys that wobble around from side to side when you hold the tail? Again - supermarkets (larger stores)/ pound shop.

Activities -

• leave out lots of plastic pots + water in a big bowl in one corner. (Maybe tell the parents there may be water games in case they want to bring a change of clothing).
• Water pistols
• blow up lots of balloons and scatter them around - the kids will make up their own games with these
• pass the parcel
• musical statues

Good luck, you crazy woman!

Good luck - I did a similar thing for my dd's 5th birthday, was in midwinter though (durr) so the weather wasn't good.

The best tip I can give you is forget about the party bag - as you say always full of junk. I did a lucky dip - boys presents wrapped in blue (toy cars/boy colouring books etc) very girly stuff wrapped in pink (pony toys) and either/or stuff wrapped in Green. I got the toys from the local bargain shop so nothing cost more than a pound but were 'nice' ifyswim. Anyway, it was a big hit with the kids as they'd already had sweets for prizes for the treasure hunt.

I hosted a party for 20 kids today. WE did plan for hosting it inside though in case it rained. Definitely second the idea of party food boxes- made it so very easy ( i asked in advance which sarnie out of a choice of 3 did the kids want, meaning no waste!). Do ice cream in cones and let them decorate the cones. CHocolate coin hunt? and they really want to do free play so just roll with it!

If they are 3yrs are parents staying? That's a lot of people....

DS was 3 last summer, he wasn't really into party games - there was almost a nasty incident during pass the parcel. Playing some music and getting them all dancing is good. As is bubble machine and blowing up loads of balloons for them to knock around.

And yes, you are completely mad...

A friend of mine just did this and had 2 great ideas:

• have a few different "stations" for the kids to decorate their own party bags;
• bake some plain fairy cakes and have different areas where they can decorate their own with different colours/toppings/glitter etc.

She said they all got really into it and it used up half the party over all.

decorate plain biscuits ( rich tea type) with icing pens and silver balls.

i had 7 3 and 4 year olds yesterday - i had a couple of organised games but mostly they wanted to play in the paddling pools, play house and trampoline. they did a craft activity as and when they wanted.

maybe a peppa pig book instead of party bag? get a pack and split.

good luck, and dont forget to rope the other parents in to help! I would have been lost without that, and that was with fewer children!

I think the best tip is HIRE AN ENTERTAINER hehehe

If the weather's good (or even just not raining) then the bouncy castle and plenty of space are all that's needed, in my opinion.

The cake decorating idea above works really well but if it's outside then the flies and wasps will be there in droves. It works really well with smaller numbers if they have to stay indoors.

What about some ice pops?

I wouldn't do party games with three year olds - it will end in tears! Have you got an artistic friend who could do some simple face painting?

For DD's third birthday party DH made a "throne" by covering a chair in crepe paper and ribbons then took a photo of each guest in the chair and printed them out so each child went home with a (cheap) framed photo and a slice of birthday cake. I loathe party bags so will do anything to avoid then

I've done a few parties here - last one my was my daughter's 3rd - DD2 was a week old! Mad!
Face painter is amazing idea - they love to watch and it gives the kids who don't like to/are waiting to bounce something else to do.
Plain bags for party bags that they can decorate and then have the lucky dip that they can put in their bag, plus choose a balloon and grab a piece of cake on the way out.
Food: the less sugar the better! A juice box, sandwiches, fruit and maybe some plain crisps. Maybe do an ice cream?
LOTS of adult helpers!
Enjoy!

Not mad at all. We have done this twice now and it has been completely brilliant both times.

Assume parents staying as children are young - make sure you have refreshments for the parents too.

I didn't do games as at 3 they don't really get them, but instead I put little stations around the garden for them do do as and when the fancy took them. I had a colouring station (massive Ikea roll of paper and lots of crayons). I had a goal scoring station (we have one of those little football goals and I put a handy teenager there to supervise standing behind the line and kicking the ball). Various other stations based on what dd was in to at the time.

One successful thing was a variation of pin the tail on the donkey: this was an Under The Sea party so I chalked an enormous ocean scene and let the children colour in fish then they got to stick their fish in the ocean. No blindfolds or winners, just a big group picture that kept them amused as they arrived. Yours could be print outs of peppa pig characters to colour and stick on a big peppa pig style green hill?

Good luck with it! Have fun :)

You're mad.

But the bouncy castle idea is a good one, unless it rains, in which case mud is always fun for 3 yos.

you're mad!!
don't bother planning games. just let them play
hide any favourite toys and anything you don't want broken in your bedroom and shut the door
if parents are going have pen and paper handy for telephone numbers

big bottle of wine chilling in fridge for when they have all gone!!

Music. Bubbles. I think the lucky dip is a really clever idea, I'm going to pinch that one.