Ok. So I've booked the venue, I've booked the entertainer and I'm making a plan... HELP ME PLAN DD'S 5th BIRTHDAY PLEASE !

[nomdeplume]

DD's party is all booked up.

It will be 1 hr 45mins long. I've planned the time/schedule as follows

12 - Guests arrive - free play/music
12.15 - Magician/balloon bloke does his thang (45min show)
1.00 - Food (standard buffet fare)
1.20 - Games (pass the parcel, musical statues) & free play/music
1.45 - Finish

Does that look ok to you ? Have I left too little time for eating ?

I'm hoping that around 16 (weird number I know) will come. How many over that figure should I invite in order to account for holidays etc (party is during summer hols) ?

I plan to offer wine to the parents too.

Oh and the party bags will be excellent

What's happened to the apostrophes ?

(oh, it's ok. they look odd on preview but they come out ok on the actual post)

are you mad?

wot apostrophes?

I am mad.

Not mad enough to do it at my house though

We had our DS party on Saturday it went as follows

12.00 start clown took them straight away for an hour of magic and games, etc.
1.00 - 1.40 Food and cake (clown did balloons and magic to keep entertained whilst eating)
1.40 back to dancing and games with clown
2.00 finished

I wouldn't bother giving the parents wine I would stick to soft drinks as most will be driving and its a tad early also no need to spend the money I had high juices for the kids and Coke, Lemonade, Bottles still and sparkling water and Orange juice for the parents also did extra food for them.

I gave the birthday cake for desert with Grapes and Strawberries as I paid £50 and didn't want it to go to waste all sweaty in a party bag!

Party bags

Boys

Car
Water pistol
balloon
Smarties
Raisins
Chunky pencil
maze game
Blower thingy

Girls
Balloon
Smarties
Raisins
Chunky pencil
Maze game
Blower
Changing bag with changing mat for their dolly

i would think the parents thought I spent a fortune but my party bags cost be £1 each the wonders of planning and getting all the little bits together over a few months at car boots

We had a brilliant time and all the kids were talking about it today at nursery hope yours goes as well x

Sounds good, soldiersmummy, thanks

The (Charlie & Lola) party bags are already sorted..

Under the sea pencil (sea creatures pattern)
Under the sea mini pad (same pattern as pencil)
Pink balloon for girl / Blue balloon for boy
Little pot of bubbles
Piece of birthday cake

Easy peasy.

The entertainer is just doing a 45min show so DH and I will be doing the other games and music etc.

Suggesttions for music for the kids to dance to please !

Obviously 'Superman' will feature and a few bits from the Lazytown album ()

UM...

I would suggest removing the games like pass the parcel .. musical statues if you must

have something on hand for the kids who don't want to watch the magician / balloon bloke .. just in case

food and cutting cake allow 30 mins

dont forget that some people will drop off late / pick up late

music wise you need things like Girls Aloud and McFly I believe

Tho at DD's 6th party we had The Beatles and Blondie and Costello. We are almost certainly party Ponces.

20 minutes isn't enough time for eating, doing the cake. More like 40 mins ime. Can you make the party a bit longer?
Invite twice as many as you want to turn up. DS1's last party was in the summer hols and half his friends couldn't make it because they were on holiday.

I invited 20 from nursery and 7 family and ended up with 16 9 nursery 7 family ( you can always rely on family)