5 yr old ds party - advice on my options please!

[morethanmum]

As new baby will be 2 weks old, def don't want it at home, and as he only started school recently, he doesn't have eg just 6 friends, so want to do something for whole class/ ex nursery friends etc. Can private hire the local soft play (cheapish) BUT only 6-9pm. Cd do 5-8 but first hour not exclusive. And, would Friday (tired after school?) or Sat (family time?) be better? Advice? x

Help! Need to book soon...

I'm thinking Sat. There is a bar...

6-8 would be waayyy too late for my DD (5), she would be screaming, rude, horrible and completely unable to control herself. Normal bedtime is about 7.30pm and she is yawning over books by 7.15 ish.

do you have any other options?

Not really, in terms of inviting lots of people. I can't do at home, as will have had section on 9th and birthday is 29th. He has only just started school, and I don't want to guess at who his friends are and leave out ome of the boys, plus we have a few nursery friends/ neighbours' children and I can't afford to pay £10 ph for loads of kids. What about 5-8 on a Friday after school? Tea at 6? They could leave at 7?

I really think it would be much better to have it Saturday afternoon even if you have to share soft play place. Evenings they are so tired when only 5. My ds was usually in bed by 6.30, and would never have lasted until 6 pm to eat tea.

Trouble is, it's as cheap to hire it (can only do this from 6-9pm) as to ask 16 kids. I've got three, add brothers and sisters which people inevitably bring, and I'm already over budget! I would do home, but can't face it with 4 kids, new baby and c-section 2 weeks earlier. I'm thinking on 5-8 Friday on the grounds that tea could be at 6pm, people can leave by 7 if they need to, and I'm worried that late saturday no-one would turn up. Thanks for advice tho - I hope this doesn't go horribly wrong!

I think 6-9pm is too late for a 5 year old's party - especially by time you get them home and into bed. My DD would be okay with 8pm but I know some of her friends - or at least her freind's parents - wouldn't be happy with it.

Are there any other options? Hire a hall and pay for catering and/or bouncy castle?

dont you have a wacky warehouse or macdonalds nearby? they tend to be about the same price when you add up what you spend on food and party bags on top of hire of soft play

I don't know what your budget is but for ds's party, I'm planning on hiring a hall with a bouncy castle (about £75 for a couple of hours) and catering it myself. Or loads of pubs have a soft play section and they will provide a meal etc as well...

I did 7-9 for my dd2s 6th, wouldn't have done it for dd1s as she didn't stay up that late at 6 but loads of her friends came (some said it was too late but at least I din't have to pay for them ) all had a great play for an hour and then quick tea and most left at 8.30ish so not too bad.

Good thinking JustTonks. The trouble is the number of kids. If he was in Y1 and had say 6 close friends that would be fine, it's the starting school and not wanting to randomly invite 6 kids, so I need somewhere for 30 plus really. Think I'll look at hall hire too. Thanks all. At the mo it's 5-8, tea at 6 and the first hour non exclusive hour. After that it's all ours...