Doing a party by myself - at home - without an entertainer - on sunday - for first time - please cast your eye over these arrangments!

[lisalisa]

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It sounds fantastic! I think the decorating of goblets and fairy cakes will take less than 45 mins....pesky children always rush through things otherwise it's fab and my dd would love to come

Sounds lovely.

I'd have tea halfway through after the craft activity, and they can wear their stuff. Do you have enough adults to help? Take photos of each child for thank you cards.

Have birthday cake whilst they are still sitting down, gives you time to slice it and put in party bags (if that's what you are doing).

Play games until end of party.

That sounds great. I found with ds's 5th birthday that arts activities took longer than anticipated so we had to tweek things as we went along.
Do you have any parents staying - if you do rope them in to help because sometimes you find that not every child wants to join in (especially at 3/4), so maybe have some emergency colouring in or something like it in case.
We also found that the time flew past and before we knew it they were all gone!
Hope it goes well.

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Gosh, that sounds fantastic. I love your games ideas.

I will pinch them for dd1's birthday party next year.

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Chocolate fondue went done well at DDs party.

I would say the decorating etc will take as little as 15 mins, tho make sure you leave the stuff out (if practicable) as some will want to return and titivate their creations.

Our last party I had to say to the few stragglers "right OK finish that later, it's time for musical chairs". That was fine tho.

Your games sound fabulous - great original ideas! - but I don't think 3 will be enough. Most games last 10 mins at most esp with 3-4 yos. For DS2's party this year (he was 4) we had craft plus at least 6 games IIRC. I had a spare one up my sleeve we didn' need. Food and cake will take about 20 mins prob.

With ds1's 4th birthday party I also got out a couple of absorbing toys - so his marble run and his racetrack which kept him and his friends occupied in between "activities" and gave me a few minutes down time to enjoy the scene. We did the games you mentioned and also stick the pom pom on various animals we'd drawn beforehand (used 2 of 3 pictures). I also had a game where you put on hat gloves scarf coat and sunglasses and had a knife and fork to eat a funsize packet of maltesers (I was going to open them to give the kids a fighting chance) and let them see how many they could eat, but we didn't have time.