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Parties/celebrations

Whether you're planning a birthday or a hen do, you'll find plenty of ideas for your celebration on our Party forum.

Original poster

Party popper in a party bag !!! is it me?

31 replies

Easy · 20/11/2004 19:14

Ds has been to a party today, for a 5th birthday. When he brought his party bag in, the first thing he pulled out was a party popper.

I think this is totally inappropriate for a 4 or 5 year old, after all they can be dangerous. We pulled the string for ds, to get it out of the way.

Am I just being over-protective?

OP posts:
Twiglett · 20/11/2004 19:14

yes

fairydust · 20/11/2004 19:15

gosh no easy i wouldn't give dd a party popper at that age they can be very dangerous

NomDePlume · 20/11/2004 19:16

I don't think a party popper is particularly appropriate for such a young child.

Original poster
Easy · 20/11/2004 19:18

Cheers Twiglett.

OP posts:
codswallop · 20/11/2004 19:19

I woukd give themm

codswallop · 20/11/2004 19:20

so I am wiht the twig

JJ · 20/11/2004 19:22

Urgh, I think I've had them at parties for kids that age. Didn't put them in the bag, though. They're not that dangerous, are they? Just pop out some streamers or the ones I had did, but maybe I'm thinking of something else.

whizzz · 20/11/2004 19:31

No. I wouldn't put them in a party bag - they do pop with some force & wouldn't be nice if they we fired at someone.

NomDePlume · 20/11/2004 19:32

JJ, they contain a small amount of explosive material which propels the streamers and makes the bang, which means that they can indeed be very dangerous if accidentally (or purposely) pointed in the wrong direction.

SoupDragon · 20/11/2004 19:33

JJ, they're the ones with a string and what is basically a v small explosive which makes them go bang. If you point it at someone's face at close range they can be dangerous

Original poster
Easy · 20/11/2004 19:34

JJ, they do just pop out some streamers, but if a child holds them up their face (or someone else's) the cardbosrd bit in the end can do real damage to an eye as it comes out at high speed.

If you hold the thing wrongly it can burn your fingers too.

I would use them with kids around (have done for New Year) but not give them to a child to use without supervision.

I think I'm surprised that the party mum didn't just say "there's a party popper in there" or someting.

Oh, and dh would have wet himself if ds had let it off in the car on the way home I think !!

OP posts:
JJ · 20/11/2004 19:37

Ah! The same ones. I have to admit I'm very casual about those things (let my kids use sparklers and my eldest light fireworks, too).

Original poster
Easy · 20/11/2004 19:38

JJ,

I let ds use sparklers, but I'm always watching while he does.

I was just surprised, cos you know, ds was emptying his party bag while I got him a drink, you know the sort of thing.

OP posts:
Original poster
Easy · 20/11/2004 19:39

No, I'm just being a bit of an old woman I expect.

OP posts:
codswallop · 20/11/2004 19:43

No ! ;)

Twiglett · 20/11/2004 19:45

.. just came back to this and realised I posted and lost the last paragraph .. it wasn't so brusque to begin with honest .. can't remember what I said now though

lou33 · 20/11/2004 19:45

i hate them. Got one in my face a few years ago, and it bloody hurts.

WideWebWitch · 20/11/2004 19:46

I'm with twig too.

Original poster
Easy · 20/11/2004 19:46

Oh 'eck, It seems like you are used to me being an old woman

OP posts:
JJ · 20/11/2004 20:03

Easy! I don't think you're an old woman. Things like this usually fall into one of two categories unless you're neurotic, which you're not:

  1. things you're used to yet
  2. things that you're irrationally afraid of

Anyway, won't give you my irrational fears as I don't want people to justify them (!) iyswim. And I don't think yours is irrational, just that you're not used to them yet.

JJ · 20/11/2004 20:04

oops, should be not used to yet....

KangaMummy · 20/11/2004 20:14

I wouldn't expect it in a party bag for a 5 year old

DS has been given them in party bags but he doesn't have the strength to pull them so we do it for him.

We always tell him that they mustn't be pointed at our cats or at people

I think it would have been quite dangerous in the back of the car without warning the driver.

misdee · 20/11/2004 20:16

dont think your being over protective. wouldnt want my kids having them in party bags at the same age.

Lonelymum · 20/11/2004 20:35

When my ds was six and had a party, we put party poppers on each child's plate and they pulled them before starting to eat. There were no accidents and everyone seemed to enjoy them. I have to say it would not have occurred to me that they were dangerous although we did tell the children not to point them at other people before pulling the strings.

doziduck · 20/11/2004 22:15

ds2 (50 came home with one in a party bag last week and i too removed it. I was in the supermarket once and buying a pack of party poppers (not for the kids) and as i had ds2 with me the lady on the till asked me if they were for the children (i was buying a childs birthday cake too)and said that if they were she wasn't allowed to sell them as they weren't suitable under the age of 16.

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