HELP- party in a week

[Anono34]

Ds2 4th birthday was at the very beginning of September, he asked for a party so I booked it (and paid a deposit) for the 17th September thinking I could get a list of names on 2nd when the school nursery reopened and then I could get the invites out with 2 weeks notice. I think I probably underestimated how busy the nursery workers would be because I’ve emailed, spoken to them on the door twice and added it to the online account thing we have and they still haven’t given me a list of names (despite saying they would). I’m thinking it’s just over a week to the party, even if they give me the names now it’d be less than a weeks notice by the time I got the invites sorted which is too short notice and no one would be able to come which would upset DS. Is my best option to cut my losses and lose the £30 deposit and do something small as a family instead or plough on with the party and hope that some kids would be able to come even with such short notice?

Do you see many other parents at drop off / pick up time? Maybe you could write a load of invitations out, without actual names on them, and hand them out when you see the parents. Briefly apologise for the short notice, explain why it's happened but say you really hope they'll be able to come.
Alternatively, ask the staff to put them in the children's bags?

I'm guessing there's no parents WhatsApp group set up, or you could invite everyone on there.

It's hard, isn't it. My DDs birthday is early September too.

I see maybe 4 or 5 other parents but probably not enough to fill a party room. i like the idea to do invites with no names and ask the nursery workers to put them in their bags tomorrow, my only worry would be that not all the children go to nursery full time and I don’t know who doesn’t go on a Friday so possibly some of his friends wouldn’t get the invites until next week anyway?

There might be a WhatsApp group but I’m not in it if there is 🙈 I was sort of hoping this would be a bit of an opportunity to get to know some of the parents because I haven’t really got to know any of them yet.

It is hard, this is the first year we’ve even thought of a party for him and I think I was a bit naive about how easy it would be to organise!

Of course you're right about not all children being in every day, mine are both at primary school now, I forgot about that possibility.
ah, it's a shame but maybe cut your losses in this case. Have a lovely, fun family day with your DS instead.

Mine are a little older but, with my DD, I always get caught out. End of summer term to too early to give out invitations, but first week back at school is too late. I spent the last two weeks of the holidays pestering parents over WhatsApp 😬

In August, I received a 'save the date' for a 6th birthday party in November. I will never be that organised about anything 😂

Hope your DS has fun, whatever you end up doing.

Goodness, that is very organised! I will also never be that organised!

I agonised over whether to send them just before the summer hols but thought everyone would have forgotten by September, I’m now thinking there’s no ideal solution!

Thank you, I’ll get thinking of something nice for us to do to soften the blow! X