DDs 5th birthday we had a sports hall at the leisure centre for 2 hrs plus half Hr either side for set up and pack up.
The package with the leisure centre included a bouncy castle, some giant games like connect4, tables and chairs.
We blew up a load of balloons to chuck around, had music playing in one corner and did really basic party food:
- sandwiches - jam or cheese
- packets of crisps (cheap multi pack ones)
- platters of party biscuits - party rings/fingers/pink wafers/jammy dodgers and mini roll type cakes
- platter of cherry tomatoes and cucumber rounds
- platter of mixed berries and melon chunks
- breadsticks
I always try to keep the food vegetarian as it just avoids having to Marshall people away from ham sandwiches or sausage rolls.
No party games or curated activists we just let the kids run wild for an hour, then 30 mins for food and blowing out the candles on the cake, then 30 mins to cut the cake, get it in party bags and start tidying away before the end.
Some parents stayed, some left so decide what you want parents to do and make that clear in the invite. If you want them to stay be prepared for siblings if they have no childcare.
Party bags we did paper bags with a slice of cake, bag of Haribo, the polystyrene glider things they assemble and throw, a temporary tattoos and a couple of glow sticks. You can get good party bag stuff at bakerross.co.uk
Everyone had a great time and went home sweaty and knackered.