how do i feed 30 five year olds at home?

[issywoo]

I have arranged for an entertainer to do my daughter's 5th birthday party at home but it's only just dawned on me that i will have to feed 30 children! It is in July so if its sunny then i can feed them outside and they can sit on the grass but if it's not then how should i do it? should i hire little tables and chairs - but won't that cost a fortune? what kind of food should i do to make it easier? the party is from 3 until 5pm.
i think i've made a huge mistake doing it at home but i wanted to keep the costs down.

Even if the weather isn't fine - still go for picnic blackets and cushions, but inside. And the blankets will protect your carpets.

I like the little box ideas - a bit like the pick and mix boxes you get in cafes.

I'd go for something like:
a buttered bread roll or pitta pocket,
a lump of cheese,
a little ham/chicken,
a cocktail sausage,
a couple of sticks of carrot/cucumber/pepper/tomato,
a box of raisins,
a carton of juice,
a yogurt,
a biscuit,
And a napkin to eat it off

We aren't big sandwich fans here - hence it being seperate.

Also check any diet issues - we ahve some friend's children who don't eat pork plus some veggies. Ask for people to RSVP with this information included.

Or - and I am sure children would love the idea, include an RSVP menu choice list with the invite. Give then a choice of sandwich (say list of 3), a piece of fruit and a flovour jiuce. And then when each child RSVPs you can label up a box for each.

Take cake home on party bags.

The only time I've come across such a policy is if the invites are distributed through the school. Really don't see what business it is of theirs otherwise. You don't have to make sandwiches for the picnic - hula hoops, grapes, cheese slices, mini sausages etc can do just as well and are more likely to be eaten.

For going home, check out the book people for multi packs of books and send them home with a book, a blown up balloon and a piece of cake.

have you thought of what you are going to do with 30 pieces of tat at under a fiver?

Or have you requested no gifts?

i'm hoping she will be given books as i can't bear toys with all the little bits that get strewn around the house and lost. She does love opening presents though so i can't very well request no gifts - she'd murder me!
we have a pound stretcher near us so i intend to stock up on nice tat for the going home bags or maybe some cheap jewellery from hennes.......
the whole thing is going to cost a bomb though

Well, at my DD's party I got some 3 for £1 things in poundstretcher Actually they were 3 to a set and only cost £1. 3 games of connect 4 and 3 small magic note sets (You know the ones you write on and score it across and it clears again??) Also some nice jewellery making sets for the girliest among them who wouldn't appreciate tiny connect 4 games Everyone said how much they liked them..I also got a buy 2 get 1 free on the party bags in P'stretcher

Boxes are a really good idea, my friend did this for her daughters birthday and it was great, they all lined up, got a box then toddled off and sat on the floor in awe. Don't bother with chairs, floor/grass with rugs will be fine.

If you are doing it at home I wouldn't do hot or drippy food, keep it very simple. If you have carpets in the living room/ dining room have some plastic sheeting on standby in case it rains and tape down. Boxes are great as things tend to slip off plates. Go for juice in Fruit shoot type bottles so if they get knocked over they don't pspill as much.

I hired the local hall never had it at home as both have winter birthdays.

As for the school they can only ask that that youn invite them all if you send the invites in to school I suppose. If you hand them out outside school it is nothing to do with them. I asked DD to name 7 to invite and that was that.