I love giving parties, do you need some ideas?

[ShirleyKnot]

Hello!

If you don't know me I'm Shirley and I'm a great lover of planning parties. I do a blog about it (which I'm not going to link here, but if you look on the bloggers network for PartySpanner you'll find me)

ANYWAY

If you're chucking a do, I might be able to help - I'm not a business, I don't charge for my ideas or owt, I just love to trawl the internet find good invite ideas, games and food.

Jump in and I'll see if I can help.

Wow i could have written your last post. My dd was born at the end of nov and i spent that time cooking things in advance. The actual meal was an m&s preprepared thing as dh cant cook at i'd had a cs.

But as i'd done all my christmas prep early i realised how great it made christmas, this will be dd's 4th christmas despite only being three and every year ive done it all early. New dc is due start of feb so i'm going all out on the gruffalo party. Then christmas and then i'll pop this one out!

Shirley, you are an absolute godsend!
I'm trawling the web for ideas to ensure my little one's 2nd birthday party is not boring. It's this coming weekend (24th). Most of the planning is done. We're having it at home, nice familiar surroundings for our little girl. We have Jo Jingles coming. It's a small party, 8 tots, some are friends, some are family.
Problem is we attended a party yesterday, there wasn't much for the little ones to do, even less for the parents, most people left before the party was up at the request of the little ones, which was a shame for the birthday girl and her parents.
We have plenty of toys, ball pool, tikes car etc. All very simple if the weather holds out and it can go outside but, how do you entertain 8 2-year-olds with limited space? The lounge area will be dedicated to Jo Jingles and the kitchen to the eats.
Just another quickie, I've got the crisps and sandwiches sorted, as well as pizza and drinks. I'm going to do chocolate dipped strawberries (coax some vitamins into those little bodies) and fairy wands. Have u got any more lovely ideas that kiddies will go for that aren't JUST sugar? I don't begrudge them their sweeties but I'd loike to have some, at least, semi-healthy food available.
Thank u, thank u, thank u so much in advance.

I forgot to mention that it's a Jungle theme.

Don't want to step on Shirley's toes but we did a Jungle theme for DS's 2nd birthday....

For activities, I printed a load of jungle-y colouring sheets from the internet and put them out on a table with some crayons which was really popular with the little ones and my Sister organised Sock Snake making - We bought a load of bright, stripey knee high socks from the market, popped in a Kinder Egg middle (the bit that has the toy in) with a dried bean inside to make a rattle and then filled the sock with crumpled up newspaper (you can buy bags of proper stuffing quite cheaply from Hobbycraft though), we then sealed up the open end with an elastic band and poked it back insde the end of the sock to make a mouth. We then used a glue gun to stick on a pre-cut red felt tongue and a couple of googly eyes (it's quite hot but cools very quickly. We wanted something that would dry in a few seconds as we didn't want sticky eyes all over the community centre floor - or your carpet!) They went down a storm and people still tell me that their children have them and love them almost 3 years on!! If I'd have known they were going to be that popular, I'd have definitey paid for the proper stuffing, I just didn't want it to be wasted if they threw them away. DS's lives in the toy box and still comes out occasionally.

Other than that we just had the toys like you mentioned (Little tykes car, ball pool, slide) and the Jungle book theme tunes on loop - between that and eating, no-one got bored and most stayed till the end.

For food, you could hide some fruit in some jellies? Jelly and Ice cream is a birthday party staple after all :)

Thank you so much, Blatherskite. Those are some fantastic ideas. I'm not very creative. Thank god there are people out there like you. You're right creative things go down a storm with 2-year-olds. I don't know why I couldn't think of that. I blame it, as I do most things, on my "maths brain".
You're an absolute star!!!!!!!

FUUUUUCK!

Just wrote a lovely long post with loads of tips and shit and it went poof!

FAB help for the jungle theme from Blathers. Some more ideas here

Food - Honestly, I think at this age you can forego the sweet crap, most two year olds I know (2 of them) LOVE fruit and I would serve a platter of grapes, strawberries (unadorned) and maybe some PRECUT (shoot me now) pineapple and mango. Melon slices always go down a treat too.

Simple bowls of cherry tomatoes, cucumber slices and carrot batons are also generally more popular than you'd think (The cucumber always goes VERY quickly so have another one on hand ready to slice!) Try some dips - houmous, tzatziki and thousand island go well here and you're not really "losing" anything if they don't get eaten. Add some breadsticks and some of those lovely cheesy twists and you'll be golden!

TheDoctorsWife - Duck Duck Goose Game

Thanks Blathers and Shirley for the great suggestions. I've been down to ASDA this morning to see what fruit is available, I'm spoilt for choice really.
I wish I could forgo the sweet things. Unfortunately, my little one has a serious sweet tooth, certainly not our doing. We have always encouraged fruit and raisins instead. As it is her party I'll put out a few sweetish stuff but, I think you're right, Shirley, plenty of colourful fruit will be the order of the day.
Thank you so much for your suggestions. Hopefully I get the hang of planning parties in the next few years. Unfortunately, as academics, both my husband and I are total children's party novices. I think the closest we've been to a children's party is seeing little ones excitedly on their way to parties. We've bought a few books from Amazon but, as a parent, finding what really works at a party, rather than what sells books, is what we've not really been sble to put our fingers on. The two of you should collaborate and write a real parents party book

All that said, we can't wait!!!!!!!!

Thought of you while shopping in Boots today Lucy because right by the checkout where The Natural Confectionary Company jelly snakes. The packet says no artificial colours or flavours which might lessen the guilt a little and the snakes would work well with your theme...?

Very flattered by the book idea by the way. Perhaps Shirley and I should try talking MNHQ into letting us do a Mumsnet guide?

Anyone prepared to help a hopeless case?
I have DD's 6th bithday coming up. WE have an entertainer planned for an hour, then tea which will take 30-45 mins I'd say. I'm panicking about waht to do with the last 15 - 30 mins. Any ideas of how to fininsh parties well? We hasd a pinata at her last one so wondering about someting else.
Also does anyone know where I can get a Scooby doo cake from for DD2?
Many thanks in advance

at Blathers!

Giddly - OK, I've had a look for a Scooby Doo cake (I had a feeling you could get ones in Asda or Sainsbury's TBH) but not getting any supermarket hits.

Found this though

I take it the party is for 2 hours? Is it a Scooby Doo theme? How about arranging a "mystery hunt". Leave some clues dotted around and get the kids to solve the mystery. some more idea here

I'll carry on googling for a pre bought cake for you.

Hello

What a fab thread!

I'd love some help with DS's birthday party.

He'll be three and the party is booked for the last weekend in October. Its the first non family only party i've had to organise!

So far i've booked a church hall/community centre room (not huge but hopefully big enough) and entertainment (the lady that runs his singing/music group) will be there for 45 minutes.

I think i'm looking for ideas to give it a bit more of a theme (ie. decorations) and food ideas. He's asked for a dinosaur party if that helps?!?

There will be 15-20 children max, ranging from babies to a seven year old (with the majority being late 2/early 3 years old).

Thanks in advance!

Hello Evian!

Dinosaur Party? RARGHHHHHH Decorations here
GRRRRRRRR and here

Ok so this is a home made cake, but I happen to know that DirtyMartini made this one for her little boy and it went down a STORM.

Shop bought one here

Some game ideas here for you

Invites? How about cutting out some bone shapes and writing the details on there?

Okay I need a little help - I fear parties!!!

Soooo my dd has persuaded me to have a little tea party for her 5th birthday (she had the choice of big party or a riding lesson and chose riding - phew!) but I did say she could have a couple of friends round after school for tea. So it's not really a party as such but I do need to entertain the little cherubs (on my own ) for two and a half hours

There are four girls and one 3 year old boy, who dd loves to mother. Any ideas?? So far I think the food will last half an hour or so plus I'll let them decorate their own fairy cakes (kind aren't I?!) and have a pass the parcel. I'm sure they will play together with toys but I think having a couple of games up my sleeve would be good.

This was not a good week to give up drinking .

Thanks

Forgot to add the party is tomorrow .....

You can have a drink after the party. I promise!

How about a lovely traditional "tea party"?

So serve sandwiches, with crusts cut off in lovely little triangles on a cake stand - if you have one! Lay the table with a cloth and napkins and fresh flowers - like a proper grown up "high tea". (If you get a chance can you pop to a local charity shop and get some tea cups and saucers if you don't want to use your own?)

Serve "tea" out of a teapot (I'm thinking squash obviously)

Love the decorate their own cake idea.

Also, how about printing out some paper dolls (this site has links to others as well) which should keep them amused for a while.

Pass the parcel, musical statues and maybe musical chairs as well and before you know it it'll be over.

oooooh ooh fab idea, thank you. Yes a lovely traditional tea party - you are inspired. And I have a cake stand .

The paper dolls look lovely too.

Thank you I bow to your party prowess .

If you had more time I'd be pushing you towards a proper Alice in Wonderland Tea Party, but I'll keep the pressure off!

Hello Shirley.

I love giving parties too - have done (in no particular order) Knights, Monsters, Spies, Science, Dragons, Princesses (and pirates) and Jungle. Happy to share any of those party "plans" with anyone who needs them.

DD is having a "cooking" party this year (5th birthday, but she is one of the oldest, so basically 4yos) - I have some ideas (wooden spoon people, decorating chefs hats, decorate fairy cakes to take home, and "make" their own pizzas for tea) but would welcome any more, and any genius ideas on cakes (if I can find a picture, I can make it - I "do" cakes - I just need some inspiration!)

Also any more ideas for future reference for gender-neutral ideas for DD - I refuse to have "girls only" parties, and had to talk her out of a "dancing" party this year

Oooh, hello, may I ask if you provide your kind advice for grown up parties too?

I want to do a dinner partybfor my DH's 50th but I want to make it special, any ideas how?

There will be about 12 of us, not everyone knows each other. I'm hoping for an increasingly drunken night with a karaoke end, so was thinking of maybe games at the tabbed between courses?

Any general ideas very greatfully received.

DS (4.5) went to a make your own pizza party at Pizza Express on Monday. They gave them all little aprons and chefs hats then got them all lines up and gave them pre-done bases. The lady scooped tomato sauce onto each base and gave them a spoon to spread it out with then they brought out bowls of toppings (ham, mushrooms, pepperoni, chicken, olives, red pepper) and a big bowl of cheese. DS absolutely loved it. He ate the whole pizza and the ice cream they brought out for dessert and cake!! They did have take-out boxes ready for anyone who didn't manage to finish though.

Your party sounds lovely and I'm sure it'll be just as popular.

stealth - How about geting them one of these to decorate?

And how about a Pizza cake ?

Missed the apron link, sorry

Fabulous idea for a party stealth - "cooking" is such a wide theme that gives you tons to go with. I love your ideas and TBH, I think that's more than enough to keep them amused!

Found this for a cake. I think you could probably reproduce something along this line with a "normal" circular cake tin for the base, topped with a ring mould cake then covered with ready made rolled out icing. What do you think?

or a "flat" version:

<a class="break-all" href="http://www.google.co.uk/imgres?q=chef+hat+cake&hl=en&sa=X&tbm=isch&prmd=imvns&tbnid=yZajg_zvanz9hM:&imgrefurl=www.thecakestore.co.uk/acatalog/Chefs_Hat_Cake.html&docid=-yQKiB0xgXVs6M&w=700&h=878&ei=cr55TpqeLKK-0QXU_smqAQ&zoom=1&iact=hc&vpx=1033&vpy=129&dur=234&hovh=251&hovw=200&tx=129&ty=160&page=1&tbnh=155&tbnw=126&start=0&ndsp=24&ved=1t:429,r:5,s:0&biw=1280&bih=827" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Here This one could be done by baking a large rectangular cake and some clever icing.

I struggle a bit with gender neutral stuff myself TBH. I do try (having 2 boys) to have a good mix of boys and girls for parties and that helped me not to go too far down the Pirates for boys and Princesses for girls (not having had girls, a princess party might have been step too far). My most successful ones - which I consider to be gender neutral, have been a Willy Wonka party and a Beach/Tropical beach party. Halloween parties are always gender neutral - and I also quite like the idea of an Xmas party in June IYKWIM?

Nice idea, Blatherskite - except that (a) I am paranoid about 4-5yos with fabric paint (or indeed anything other than uber-washable crayola felt tips) and (b) I forgot to mention that I have already started making aprons for them all (red and white butcher-stripe fabric, will have their names on pockets)

I am tempted by pizza cake but DH says that is "too easy"