DD will be 7, wants a sleepover party

[florenceuk]

DD a bit highly strung - at her "disco" birthday party last year refused to dance and spent a lot of time moping as she didn't like the music. So I'm not going to splash out on a big party this year, it will either be a small home party or this sleep over idea.

My question is, is this a good age? Most of her friends will be six. I thought they might miss their mums a bit still at that age.

And if we do have one, when should it start? Should it be the whole day (lunch, dinner, sleepover)? Which seems a bit long and potentially a bit fraught? If you have a sleepover party, how do you structure it?

DD2 had a sleepover party for her 7th birthday. We invited 5 kids although they were all already 7 as she is the youngest (feb birthday, we are in Scotland).

They came around at 5, played upstairs for a bit then had food. I just made the usual party stuff. I did offer to make lasagne, chilli etc but votes were taken at school and party crap won hands down.

By a massive stroke of luck, they had a school disco that night as well, (not announced until after we had sent invites) and they were asked if they wanted to go as well. This meant I could tidy up and get airbeds ready in peace.

They came back and I had the chocolate fountain ready which was a huge hit. Eventually managed to get them in bed for midnight. At least two of them cried at one point

Three of them didn't go to sleep at all , I was up and down all night trying to get them to keep the racket down! It was a long long night.

Breakfast was bacon rolls, cereal bars and pancakes. All nice and easy and went down well. They stayed until lunchtime and played with all her presents.

DD2 loved it, all the other kids loved it. I have had several more since then but on a smaller scale. One little angel will not be asked back though. One night with her was enough

Not sure how much help any of this is. It was all worth it however, just to see how much fun dd2 had.

Thanks Hairy potter. I think the message is think small?

Anyone else?

In my experience you won't get anybody to come, the mums will all think they are too young. You can but try.

It seems to vary hugely - DS did his first sleepover at 8 (9th birthday - he is the youngest) and was very nervous, but some of the girls in his year seem to have been doing sleepovers for years (and DD(not quite 5) already wants to organise sleepovers ).

OP - I would get a list from DD (in order of priority) and then approach parents until you have a suitable (small) number - and only send invitations once their parents have agreed, IYSWIM. The way it seems to work in DS's year is that host parent picks them all up from school on a Friday and keeps them until late morning on the Saturday.

We had 5 for a sleepover party at that age, but all of the kids had had been on (smaller) sleepover parties before. Worked well. Started about 4 or 4.30 as I recall. We made it a pj party and did bedtime related acitivities, like making build a bears (or whatever the home kits you can get are called) and baked some chocolate chip cookies to have with a glass of milk for supper. Rather than musical chairs we played musical pillows etc etc. Prizes in games were pjs or dressing gowns for the bears.

We put on a DVD to wind them down before bed.

Sorry, meant to add that the official party was until about 6.30 and we told the parents the girls could sleepover if they wanted or the parents could collect them either at 6.30 or at about 8.30 after the DVD if they did not feel comfortable staying the night. Alll chose to stay.

Similar experience to Hairypotter here...

did sleepover party for DD and 3 friends for 9th birthday... arrived about 6 pm, and went straight into making own pizzas for tea, then chocolate fondue ...

spent evening playing wii just dance, watching films, eating crap and eventually all bedded down together in pile of sleeping bags and blankets in spare room - finally went quiet at about 1 am and stayed there till about 7 ish next morning...

Did bacon sarnies for breakfast, then craft activities till they went home late morning....

Some tears from one who is particularly quiet anyway, and one hasn't been invited back also....

Lesson learnt was - keep it small, don't be too ambitious - tea time through till after breakfast is long enough - and have some wine in the fridge for lunch when they've all gone home

DD now prefers one to one sleepovers most of the time and hasn't asked for a sleepover party this year....

wineohwhy - sleepover party with an "opt-out" point when those who don't want to stay can be picked up sounds like a genius idea.

Start at tea time, don't give a big meal as they will be snacking all night. Alternate plates of tiny food with craft, hair& beauty and dance activities. Send them off to bed at about 9 ( but don't expect them to sleep). Bring up a tray of (warm) hot chocolate and biccies at about 10ish and say it's a midnight feast.
Never have an odd number of girls, they invariably gang up on one until the odd one cries and has to go home.

Party dilemma ??? urgent
my ds is going to be 5 in few weeks ( so I am already late ! ) we usually have a very nice party at home, but this year he just started a new school that is not so close to where we live.

So first question is: Shall we do the party at home or think about a venue closer for everyone ? If so, any nice venues ideas in the Camden -Hampstead area ? Not so keen on leisure centers was thinking more of a nice hall. It is a co-ed school so the party can't have a gender specific theme. I also liked the idea of having a bit of an old fashion party. i.e. no plastic and not too noisy...

2 ND Q: Given that he just started school he does not have any special friend in his class yet and given that they are only 18, shall invite them all ? Or none ??

3RD.Q If we decide not to invite his classmates, what about a nice pijamas party with two or three of his oldest friends ?

What do you all think ?

I would say it was too young... I told mine they could have a sleepover when they were 10 and they were happy with this.

Teobaldo

• how far away are you from his school. I think most parents would make the effort to get their dc to a party, especially if it is the first one in a new school. It would also enable you to meet his classmates parents.

5 weeks is a long time in a child's life and I expect he will have made some friends by that time. I think you will have a job having a 'not too noisey' party with 5 year olds involved. In my experience is is difficult to find a hall at such short notice but you could try some church halls

Thanks Crystal and by the way - realised I had not posted as a new thread sorry florence for "squatting" your thread

I suggest you invite all of them, Teobaldo, if you can handle it (18 guests is not huge); lay on hot drinks, wine & nibbles for the adults who want/need to stay. You will get serious street credit for being so friendly & inclusive. ESp. if you tolerate a few extra sibling visitors. Sounds like you don't want 18 at home so a hall (try church halls on a SAturday, dead cheap!) with an Entertainer or lots of organised party games (many suggestions on MN if you search old threads) would be good.

My reception-DS had a party on 30 October and still couldn't name hardly anyone in his class, so I know your dilemna. We got a bouncy castle and did a few games to keep things ticking over (that was at home and we just invited anyone I could recognise as being in his class).

Ime your DS will get absolutely no party invites back whatsoever on the back of that, but you will know many people to say hello to and there will be a generally friendly attitude towards you & your DS for a long time to come, give you people to chat to near the gates and keep you in touch with year-group gossip, will also be much easier to get people around for playdates than if they didn't know you from Eve.

I think it's too young and they will be crying for their mums.

9ish is a good age to start them.

How about cinema and then on for a pizza and home?