Am I completely insane if I let ds invite his whole class to his 6th birthday party?

[aloha]

There are 26 of the little blighters, and ds wants to ask them all. I also want to invite maybe three other children, plus of course dd will be there.
The party is at our house - we have a reasonably big sitting room and a smallish London garden (not that wide, about 40ft long). I am having a magician to perform for an hour and don't plan on the party being longer than about two hours. So it would be

Play in garden with buffet (do you play games at a 6th b/day party? If so, which?)
In for show
Back out into garden for possible Pinata bashing and chocolate rice crispy cakes etc while dh sweeps up remains of entertainer.
Cutting of cake, merry chorus of Happy Birthday
Push party bag into sticky ungrateful hands
Slam door
Drink wine

Is this doable or will I end up having a nice long rest while wearing a tight fitting white jacket?

Bit of background, ds has Aspergers, so it's nice if he invites people so he gets a better chance of being invited back through the year. He also says he doesn't know who his best friends are, and just wants everyone there. I don't suppose everyone will come..

I sort of envisaged 10-15 children.

Thanks anchovy. Last year (soft play) it was ok, but I did think that there was a bit of a spread bewteen the not yet 3 year olds and the large just 6 year olds!
My ds1 isn't very grown up yet - and problem is that ds2 will probably be v put out if he can't have some of the 'big boys' at his party. Will draft out a putative guest list and see what it looks like. Maybe I'll have to try harder to find an out of house activity type party.

Also the thing with 6th b'days is it is often your last whole class one. dd is just 6 but her classmates are starting to turn 7 and choosing activities which by their nature are more selective and splitting more boys/girls.

Also, ds1's class isn't very sociable - last year (reception) he only got invited to one party of a 'new' friend (i.e. not someone we already knew who we already socialise with). I suppose I should encourage him to invite more 'new' people this year but he really isn't that keen.

Its definitely not whole class etiquette - bit sad really (although easier for me!) - probably there are not more than 4 or 5 people ds1 would actively want to invite from his class. Plus another 3 or 4 from the year above.

Yes, we are seeing the beginning of a split, I think and I'm sure it will happen at 7. One boy is having a football party and a girl is having a cheerleading party or something. All are invited to both, but I reckon soon they will all stop wanting to go to all.

A bit of a hijack - Anchovy, I did a Thunderbirds pary for ds last year - I think I still have the invitation template saved at home if you want it.
(It was great by teh way - about 24 5 - 6 year olds (all dressed up) leaping around the hall. I've got a few ideas for games with the same theme if you want them)

Haggisaggis - I would absolutely love that. Thank you so much. I'll set up a CAT, so if you could CAT me that would be fantastic.

Hire a party bus .

dear god - read that as 245 six year olds not 24 5-6 year old.
I had 14 4-5 year olds on Sunday and i thought that was enough.

Too late for the party bus Dino! Entertainer already booked. But I think it was a fantastic way of keeping the kids out of the house. A stroke of genius. I might consider for next year, if it isn't all cinema visits and sophistication by then.

Anchovey - I'll check for the template at home tonight and CAT you tomorrow.

have done similar, 2 hrs is maximum for childrens parties, so i put on invites 3pm to 5pm but parents welcome for champagne and fireworks from 16:30, therefore only had to deal with the little darlings for 1 1/2 hrs on our own, and was seen as domestic goddess by other parents for handing out drinks an dnibbles ( all bought in) , unfortunately backfired slightly as some still there drinking and nibbling at 7 oclock and there dc running amock in my house - good luck.

Great - thanks: I've just activated my CAT.

All welcome on this thread Elliott! Talk among yourselves
I'm really interested in what other people do anyway.

Ok games for 5year olds please! Boys and girls. Will have balloons, regular and helium. Are they getting too old (!) for pass the parcel?

All welcome on this thread Elliott! Talk among yourselves
I'm really interested in what other people do anyway.

Ok games for 5year olds please! Boys and girls. Will have balloons, regular and helium. Are they getting too old (!) for pass the parcel?

Will definitely suggest wine and nibbles from 5pm. Seems winner all round. And most of the parents are nice. House will be bursting at seams though! Ah well.

Ok, gather round children... now, here are two sets of timings. Please vote for your favourite.

Party invite says 3pm

3pm guests arrive, charge about, break things, pop balloons, frighten the cat, eat some crisps and sausage rolls and hand over mountains of plastic tat.
3.30pm Socialist magician fed to lions (aka asked to entertain 20 5 year olds)
Rogue children ushered to garden to frighten the cat a bit more.
4.30pm Husband sweeps up remains of Socialist Magician.
4.35pm Tea from buffet on rugs in garden. Pinata and/or games (which??)
5pm OR 5.30pm Parents arrive and find hostess insensible with drink. Husband offers drinks and nibbles.
Or
As above but starting at 3.30pm

Should I make party 2hours or 2.5 hours? Will 2hours allow enough time for tea?

Is 3pm or 3.30pm a better start time on a saturday?

Please cast your votes.

Come on! Got 26 invitations to write

i'd give them 10 minutes at the start rather than half an hour. then feed them straight to the magician

Anyone??

SEA - do you think 3 for 3.10pm or 3.30 for 3.40pm?

just set tiem youweirdo
you are over planning

2hrs tops

have tea hlaf way

ill mail you my ideas

keyboard needs new batteris

She did say something somewhere about moving furniture...