4yr old party - how do I keep them entertained AAAAARGH!!!

[lelole]

Hi,

I am throwing our first ever kids party at our house this saturday, and I am getting really nervous. We put 3-5pm on the invites as 2 hours seems to be the norm, but I just cannot imagine how to keep them occupied all of this time. There will be 11 kids mostly around 4, though a couple a bit older, and one a bit younger. The parents are staying. and we are putting on nibbles for them too.

We have a garden, and we are hoping that the weather will be OK, as otherwise it truly will be hell!!

I have got a pullstring pinata, and pass the parcel, and I hopefully my friend is bringing her mini bouncy castle.

So in my mind we have: Kids arrive run around like loons for a bit till everyone is here. Then pass the parcel, then food, then present opening, followed quickly by pinata...

I have a feeling that those things will last probably about 1/2 hour!! I am so busy now over the next few days, and so am feeling really under pressure, as I don't know how this all works!! My DD is quite a calm child - in the sense that she likes to a lot of quiet activities (perhaps because she is a only child) so we don't have an awful lot of outdoor toys etc...

Can anyone offer me any of their experience as to how to ensure I have enough for them to do/things run smoothly...

Thanks

We had a very simple treasure hunt - wrapped bottles of bubbles which were not hidden too well, all around the garden. Pass the parcel, musical bumps, blu-tac the tail on the donkey and running riot with a huge beach ball. And a picnic tea which none of them ate. A good time was had by all.

I did a 2 hr party for 4 yr olds last week. You need lots of activities. We did:

1. Decorating masks for 20 mins
2. Pass the parcel for 10 mins
3. Musical statues for 10 mins
4. Pin the Tail on the Donkey for 15 mins
5. A game I found on MN "Who Ate Tommy Snartie?". Do a search for it. They loved it so it lasted 20 mins.
6. Simon Says for 10 mins
7. The food and cake

we did open presents in front of guests. No 4 yr old I know has. There is top much chance of yr DD hating a present or wanting to play with one and not share it etc.

That shld have read "we did not open presents in front of guests".

Don't stress about it too much. If there's plenty of somebody else's toys and balloons to play with (they don't have to be special 'outdoor' ones, just anything that won't be too trashed with being outside) you'll probably find your major problem will be getting them to stop playing and actually do anything 'organised'.

Others may disagree with me on this, but I'd advise a freestyle buffet suitable for adults and children, and let the children take their paper plates outside. You can certainly provide tables and chairs, but don't create extra stress by expecting a pile of 4 year olds to all sit down and eat at the same time when they are trying to party!

oh yes and hide all the presents as you are given them, 4 year olds are not to be trusted not to just start ripping them all open.

Hi some great ideas there thank you!! I like the smart one!!

As far as the food, we have decided have the kids food picnic style, we'll put out blankets on the grass and put the food in the middle as we don't have a table big enough and the garden table'd be no good!

The adults can just grab a bit from the kitchen...

By the way my little girl is adamant she wants to play farmer's in his den, I can't remember for the life of me how to play it, and I can't understand her explanation! Anyone??

Thanks

OMG! Am starting to panic now. DD's 4th birthday party in around 10 days and hadn't thought about any games at all. I've booked a bouncy castle and a face painter but no games. Will have to try to make a donkey or something as pass the parcel fills me with dread as its so stressful making sure everyone gets to openn a layer (and presumably get a sweet) as none of DD's friends can sit still for more than about a minute!

Hiya,

There's a good website with lots of party ideas called the present club.co.uk, it's def worth a look at as that's where I got all the ideas for my children's birthdays!! Good luck

We had a two hour party,

Arrive and play for about 15 minutes.
15-25 minutes decorating pots,
pass the parcel
food
musical statues
plant flowers
play until parents arrive.

Take home flower pots as party favour.