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Parties/celebrations

Whether you're planning a birthday or a hen do, you'll find plenty of ideas for your celebration on our Party forum.

Please advise on the wisdom (or not) of party idea...

31 replies

doodleboo · 15/01/2011 11:00

Honest opinions please!

DS' 5th birthday is in about 6 weeks. Our house is much too small for any extra children so my plan is this:

  1. Hire local hall (which is within walking distance of all invitees)- this is possible!
  1. Hold party on a saturday, 11.30 until 1pm - to leave rest of day free for families.
  1. Set up corner of hall with chairs, magazines, papers, and member of family administering tea, coffee and biscuits for parents, some toys for littler ones. Leave a note there to say join in at any time with games etc if you like.
  1. Invite whole class (probably about 35 invites in total). Say on invites that there will be seating and tea/ coffee for grown ups, that little brothers and sisters will be welcome etc, no need to bring a present.
  1. Play party games for half an hour-ish (with aid of my sister and possibly another friend) - any particular suggestions?
  1. Have a long table with crisps, grapes, biscuits, breadsticks etc down the middle for food time.
  1. Play another half hour-ish of games, balloon on a stick and little packet of sweets, home time.

What would you think of an invite like that? Would you be happy to sit for 1 1/2 hours with a cup of tea? As we don't know everyone that well i wouldn't expect the kids to want to be left!
What percentage of no shows should i expect - for a saturday morning party?

Thank you!!!

OP posts:
doodleboo · 15/01/2011 15:17

bump - are you all at parties?! [:)]

OP posts:
BlackSwan · 15/01/2011 15:22

Sounds great. How about some kind of theme and games in line with the theme? Might bring it all together a bit.

BlackSwan · 15/01/2011 15:23

How about a Pirate theme? Or Monster theme? Something childish but not branded.

doodleboo · 15/01/2011 15:29

Good idea, I will have to consult with DS on that one.

Does the rest sound ok? Having parents there for a cup of tea etc?

OP posts:
BlackSwan · 15/01/2011 15:31

Sure, what else can they expect?! Tea is great. I think you're catering for everyone quite well. I'm sure everyone will have a good time.

doodleboo · 15/01/2011 15:34

Hope so! I love planning things like this, but i always worry no-one will come, and the tension is heightened cos it's DS! Haven't had a party without guests yet though so...

OP posts:
SycamoretreeIsVile · 15/01/2011 15:44

Aw, sound lovely. Don't over think it too much.

I'd have a bag of "prizes" which will basically be mini bags of haribo or cheapo plastic medals and play games like muscial statues, dancing competition etc. You basically make sure all the kids get some kind of prize.

Put more cakes on the food table Grin

Kids will get very excited if there is a lot of illicit food on the table. Your party is already memorable! Don't reveal it or put it out until you want them to eat it.

You can do a game where they have to pass a balloon between their knees in a line without popping or dropping it - you know that one?

Pass the parcel is fun at this age.

They will enjoy what's the time Mr Wolf if you have a suitable "up for it" dad around to play Mr Wolf.

Treasure hunt with easy enough clues and a few mini choc bars or choc coins hidden around the place. You read out the clues and they all rush to find them.

Don't worry too much about the grown ups. I find it seems to vary from area to area but round these parts (W. London) kids are dropped and left at parties from age 3/4. I wouldn't expect any parents to stay at DD's parties and she is also now 5. I find they are usually very glad for the couple of hours break!

Hope you and your DS have a fab time Smile

SycamoretreeIsVile · 15/01/2011 15:45

And yes, fancy dress gets them very excited. Easy catch all for mixed boys and girls is something like Superheros and Princesses. Most folk can rustle up something suitable for that theme.

julybutterfly · 15/01/2011 18:10

With that amount of children pass the parcel is NOT a good idea because these days they all expect a go at opening the parcel. It would be huge and very time consuming.

Musical Islands is a good game, as long as you have somewhere to send them once they're 'out' - just put enough sheets of newspaper on the floor for each child and when the music stops they all jump on to a piece of paper. Remove a couple of sheets in each round until there's only one left.

Musical bumps/statues is also good but not worth the hassle getting people 'out'. Just say you're keeping a note in your head and then choose 2 winners at the end!

The best game at DS' party (although not environmentally good!) was a wrap the mummy game. We used 4 of the mums who had stayed, bought lots of cheap rolls of toilet roll, the kids all got into teams and had the time it took for 2 songs to play to wrap the 'mummy' up. The best team all one a cheap plastic medal and a chocolate

Good luck!!

ragged · 15/01/2011 18:12

As long as you scoop up all the toilet tissue afterwards and reuse it in some way (animal bedding, fire kindling) I don't think that is too un-env. friendly.

Party for 35 children? Shock. You are very brave....

SycamoretreeIsVile · 15/01/2011 18:14

July & Ragged - she only said she was inviting the whole class.

IME, you can basically expect about half that number to actually attend. You always have to allow for.

  1. Have parents who will even bother rsvp'ing or consider making the effort to get their DC's to a party.
  2. Be around on the date in question.

I've never had more than 20 turn up for a party that the whole class have been invited to.

ivykaty44 · 15/01/2011 18:18

food don't do buffett for dc aged 5 as they will take all the crisps and leave all the grapes, then the next 30 dc out of the 35 will have only gapes to eat.

best to plate up the food and cling film and then black bag to through away all empmty or half empty plates - 5 thing rule for food, sarnnie, choclate, crisps, fruit and drink

adhoc times don't work either state arrive at 11 am for party games

treasure hunt games sounds good Grin

Sawyer64 · 15/01/2011 18:24

Maybe do a craft activity before getting them all hyped up,maybe make a Pirates Hat,or patch,if you have that as a theme,or something similar.....then they have something to take home as well.

Book your hall asap,as gets busy on Saturdays,and that could be a prime time for Jumble Sales etc.

Pin the "Eye patch" on the pirate maybe,if you blow up a pic of a pirate,I believe Tesco do a range of Pirate party stuff.

When I did a Party for that size and age,I used one of the Party CDs which have games and music on them. If you do do pass the Parcel have 3 or 4 circles and 4 Pass the Parcels.

Good Luck...

julybutterfly · 15/01/2011 18:25

sycamoretreeisvile We thought that at DD's party. Invited the 32 classmates...and only ONE couldn't come!

julybutterfly · 15/01/2011 18:26

And for food we put food in those boxes (like Happy Meal boxes). So much less waste, but if you're catering for the adults as well (even in a 'please help yourself to the leftovers way') that wouldn't work

ghostlysilvershred · 15/01/2011 18:28

Food boxes work well for large numbers, it will be more chaotic than you expect.

Move fast to book the hall, you may be too late already to choose the time slot you want.

GOod luck!

BalloonSlayer · 15/01/2011 18:32

Would the parents feel they are required to stay? It sounds a bit like that.

IME music to dance to is often all the children need. BUT if it's in a village hall an ordinary CD player might not be enough to fill it.

Another good idea is to buy a big roll of bubble wrap, cut into squares and have a "who can make the most noise bursting the bubbles" contest.

BoffinMum · 15/01/2011 18:35

Sounds great, but ...

TBH many parents will just dump their kids and run, so have extra help on hand for this.

Ditch all healthy food from party table.

Cardboard picnic boxes work brilliantly for this age group.

Email me at boffinmum at hotmail dot co dot uk if you like, and I will send you my book chapter on children's parties from my infamous Book of Boff.

sharbie · 15/01/2011 18:43

um what if parents bring siblings and leave them with you..

SycamoretreeIsVile · 15/01/2011 18:44

July - unlucky! Bet that made for a frazzled afternoon Grin

Agree about the meal boxes. Saves waste.

chubbymummy · 15/01/2011 19:06

Be prepared for quite a few children to be dropped at the party and then collected later (even if you don't know the child or parents). I couldn't believe how many parents just disappeared at ds's 5th birthday party, without even leaving a contact number. It may be worth having a pen and paper available and asking them to leave a mobile number if they aren't staying.

Buy a tub full of haribo for consolation prizes when children are out of the game, the children are much more likely to go and sit out if they get a small prize.

I often play party games with our children at school during golden time. Some of their favourites include:

Corners - you could stick up pictures based on your theme eg Pirate, parrot, treasure and pirate ship.

Musical statues/ bumps

Best dancer competition

Pin the tail on the donkey - again can be themed eg, eye patch on the pirate

Pass the basket with forfits instead of prizes eg, bark like a dog, do an impression of a chicken, dance like a fairy, etc. If a child is reluctant to do their forfit alone all the other children can join in to help them out.

Traffic lights/sleeping lions style game - you can adapt it for your theme eg, climb the rigging, mop the deck, walk the plank, 40 winks etc

I'd also suggest:

Treasure Hunt - chocolate coins are great for a pirate theme and are on offer in most places at the moment now that christmas has gone.

Invite everybody to wear fancy dress, have a fancy dress parade round the room ending with all children lining up for judging (by the birthday boy, a grandparent or have a judging panel perhaps.) You could always have a few accessories to hand to dress up any children who haven't come in a costume.

Craft activity - making party hats is quite quick and easy.

Party boxes instead of free for all with food - makes it much easier to control who gets what (especially if you have anybody with special dietary requirements).

Whatever you decide to do have a great day and hope your ds enjoys every minute!

LadyBiscuit · 15/01/2011 19:11

Be prepared to spend the afternoon lying down with a cold compress over your eyes - the noise that 20-30 5 year olds can make is a shocker

Lilyloo · 15/01/2011 19:18

You can always do pass the parcel with 3 or more parcels going around so more likely everyone will get a chance to open one.

doodleboo · 15/01/2011 21:17

Thank you so much for all the advice and ideas.

I was planning on plenty of 'illicit' food - only including grapes as i know they are a favourite of several children, otherwise it will be neon all the way! Food boxes sounds excellent.

The parents will not be expected/ obliged to stay and you're right i will make that clear. It's more that DS wouldn't stay at a party without me and i wouldn't be comfortable leaving him yet so i want to give people the choice. I will have about 8 adults available, including a year 2 teacher so am hoping that will help!

I thought about the mobile no. thing too if they're not staying so will definitely do that.

Feeling more confident now! I was before but wasn't sure if it was misplaced! Hopefully we can get the hall but i can be flexible on dates.

Thanks again :)

OP posts:
scotlass · 15/01/2011 23:50

Another small tip for you is if you don't know all the kids names have them written on stickers and put them on them when they arrive. I saw how well this worked at a party DD went to and used it next time. Felt it worked well for crowd control as easier to get their attention by name Smile