Please help with ideas for ds's party. Not done one before

[StressTeddy]

He will be 3 (aren't we dreadful parents not doing one before?)
Have hired large church hall
There will only be about 7 children and lots of adults

Thought we could put lots of big toys out to play with (sit on cars that the church have got etc)

Apart from food and drink, what other suggestions do you have?

Have to say, that sounds perfect. Exactly what we did for DS's 3rd birthday - hall, hired the local toddler group's toys for a fiver - left them to it. Some people might suggest organising games, but ime, they're quite difficult to organise at this age, and they're quite happy just to mill around . Hope it goes well

JackieNo - that's great to hear. Thought it might be enough but so good to hear it from someone who's been there and eaten the jelly and ice cream so to speak
Thanks for your advice

Bouncy castle, about £45 to hire you need lots of supervision at that age though.

Well, dd's 3rd birthday party is next week and this is what we've got planned (sounds similar, about 30-odd adults, 6 older children, 10 3yr olds (so far!)) -

4pm - 5pm, let them run amok on assortment of stuff - bouncy castle, paddling pool filled with balls, seesaw, slide, tunnel and tent, mini-trampolene (surrounded by crashmats), plus tables set up for colouring in (for those who don't want a rest/don't like bouncy castles)using printouts from various telly sites/free online colouring pages and Asda's smartprice coloured pencils (so not too expensive or messy!).

5pm-5.15pm, party games - NOT my idea, I hasten to add - dd has gone mad for the idea of musical chairs/bumps/statues, so we will be doing some version of them (quite like the sound of the musical islands game mentioned on the Pirate Party thread!), plus we have a game involving sheets of big bubble wrap - split the kids into teams, assign 1 adult/older child to each team to manage them, then relay race to see which team bursts all the bubbles first.

5.15pm-5.30pm action songs/rhymes & dancing - most of dd's friends go to nursery so they all do this kind of thing

5.30pm-6pm - throw pizza and icecream in their general direction

6pm - cake, candles, party bags and home!

Of course, it's highly likely they'll be so excited by the bouncy castle that they won't want any other entertainment (suits me, quite frankly!) but I have it all prepared just in case....

parce the parcel>

include adults as well

bubble machine if it wont make floor to slippy

Agree cars etc good as long as theres enough for each child to have something. Then all you need is a CD of cbeebies theme tunes and blow up a packet of balloons. If you want them to calm down a bit before or after tea get them to sit in a circle and have 10 minutes songtime- we always finish a party with the okey kokey which my childen love as long as all the grown ups join in too.

lovecat that sounds so organised and so good. Can my ds just come to your party instead?

I love the idea of the bubble wrap thing. V good idea
what's the pirate party island thing? sounds intrigueing

Thank you so much for the ideas and suggestions. Hope your dd has a fab time (it won't be for lack of trying on your part will it?)

chocspider - bubbles always good. We have an asthmatic friendly smoke machine which may do the trick. (Don't ask why we have one - I blame my dh!)

hokey kokey with everyone - great idea snice

I'm so glad I asked this question of you all I'm getting some great ideas
Thank you all

DD's third birthday was last year (nearly a full year ago, haven't even got a flippin' venue yet this year), entailed:

• bouncy castle (big success)
• table with playdough (big success, DH's idea, he's sooooo clever)
• couple of ELC outdoor games (hoopla and bouncing frogs, mostly ignored, also DH's idea, not THAT clever)
• totally overcatered but entirely yummy finger food mostly courtesy of other birthday girl's grandma
• completely stupid giant pink cake courtesy of me

Oh, and there was wine knocking about for adults.

It really didn't need any elaboration, it was great. We've been to a couple of third birthday since that have included pass the parcel, they really don't get it at that age. It's kind of funny to watch though.

another great idea dcmb - playdough table.
There will defo be wine at ours for the adults!

i think the first three birthdays are really all about the adults anyways. the kids arent actually that bothered.
depending on budget, you could get a bouncy castle. hire soft play equipment. have a colouring corner?

Probably not going to work if you're in a village hall(unless they have cooking facilities) but for my son's third, there were 6 kids. They each got to make their own pizzas.

I made my own dough and pizza sauce but you could buy the plain bases to save time. Chopped up some ham, peppers etc with bowls of cheese. They had a ball putting all their bits and pieces on (bought little pizza baking trys for 79p each at Tesco).

While the pizzas baked in the oven, they each got to decorate their pizza boxes (which I ordered off the internet - can't remember where). Had stickers and colouring pens for that.

Pizzas cooked. they ate. Then ran around (had a few toys out like a small trampoline and a rocker, push alongs etc). Then gave them each a fairy cake that they got to decorate with icing and sprinkles. Stuck a candle in my DS's. Happy birthday song.

The end.

Oh - and instead of party bags, they each got to take home a little apron and mini rolling pin that was in their pizza box.

Never would have thought 3 year olds would manage it - but they did and loved it!

jandj that sounds like a great party. Might do that next year as don't think could do that in church hall
Like the idea of individual cakes though
Thanks for the ideas

Cheers, Stressteddy, your ds would be most welcome (still waiting to hear from about 16 parents with 1 week left to go, mutter mutter, stressing over party bags...)!

Anyway, Musical Islands, as nicked wholesale from Franny&Zooey's post on the Pirates party thread:

"get several sheets of newspaper and put music on for dancing. When music stops they have to jump on an island. Each time take a sheet or two away so the children have to share islands. Everyone must have at least one foot on the island. Take islands away until only one left, everyone must attempt to get on island or be eaten by sharks"

I figured I'd have the older kids cruising around as 'sharks' who could do some tickling when they catch their prey (if it doesn't leave me open to lawsuits, that is...!)

Must confess, I considered playdough for the party but was warned by DH/pretty much every other parent I spoke to that it gets everywhere and is a bugger to clean up, so I passed on that one. How did you find it, Don'tcallmebaby?

One small ref to smoke machines below. Don't use one without checking first whether it will set the fire alarms off.

I didn't check. It did.

Some small children can get quite upset by loud noise, can't they?

if you dont want party bags you could do lucky dip by wrapping books up or small toys... and they pick one out... i have done this before

Hm, I don't actually know how the playdough was to clean up, was too busy hacking the giganto-cake into lumps and insisting people take them for housebound elderly relatives, dogs, anyone they might pass on the way home who looked a bit hungry ... but I didn't hear any swearing at the time, or complaints afterwards.

Thank you all for these great ideas. Am off now for ferocious party planning session!

Thanks

Any more suggestions/ideas always welcome