anyone got ideas for a 6th birthday party which don't involve me being left with 25 kids to look after?

[HonoriaGlossop]

DS is having his 6th birthday soon and is absolutely fixated on having a party. I don't want to deny him a party, but I find it really stressful being left to have responsibility for loads of other kids. I know people are glad of a couple of hours without the kids but I don't want to look after them. Just lazy I guess or maybe I have responsibility issues

So looking for ideas for good SMALL parties you've done if poss! Thought of a swimming party for about 8 kids but looked on archives here and found a thread basically saying that it is the worst idea in the history of the world to expect parents to come in the water with their kids at a party

TIA for any thoughts

cinema party
expensive but you pick a time when you can have the cinemato themselves and then buy party bags, sit and watch film, ignore mess and noise, pass outbags and go home

oooops sorry, just saw you said small

what about going to see a movie and then lunch afterwords? or make your own pizza at pizza express? bowling? or a movie afternoon at your place?

I'd start with not inviting 25 tbh!! Last few years we've had small parties for dd (5th and 6th parties) at home - crafts, decorating cookies, treasure hunts, dancing - all girls though - not sure if that would make a difference!

We;re off to a party at a local farm tomorrow, ride on a tractor, meet the animals. That sort of thing.

if you can spare the cash I would really recommend getting an entertainer in
just did this for ds and it was hugely successful from my POV

Hi, am same as Hana, I have just had a pamper party for 8 girls and a fairy party for 7 girls. Something like this but a boy version may work. Example: For dd's 5th (2 weeks ago) we had pass the parcel, waft the fish, pin the tail on the donkey, musial bumps, musical islands, and themed food and party bags. Took up two hours was small and intimate and went well. Maybe a Pirate theme, or a monster party with green jelly, green fairy cakes etc.

Do you want an idea that involves the parents as well then HG?

If so, how about delaying until later in year (sunnier hopefully) and having a barbecue outside in your garden, or a picnic at a local park or a trip to an adventure playground???

Or how about an outing on a steam railway or an aeroplane museum or interactive science centre (always good for tempting fathers along)?

My nephew went to a place (it's in Essex somewhere I think) where small boys can drive trucks and diggers etc (I think it's called digger land or similar - worth a Google)

Any good?

entertainer definitely

then food and running around games

thanks all....I am hoping for a small party, yes - no more than about ten kids including ds and his 2 cousins...

I would LOVE to get an entertainer, play party games etc at home but to DS a party at home is not a party

why don't boys like pamper parties

yes I want the parents to STAY and I DON'T WANT TO LOOK AFTER THEIR KIDS FOR TWO HOURS

I think if you're having the party then you just have to accept loking after them for a couple of hrs.Could you get someone to help you,a couple of parents may be.
Local recreation centres do birthday parties where they have staff do all the entertaining.

Or someone I know arranged for her ds and a few friends to participate in a cycle-awareness day (loads of organisations do this) it was on an old air-field and they had mock traffic lights and mapped out routes etc etc (poss a bit on expensive side) went down a storm ...

or a trial tennis lesson or trial mini-go karting or similar (perhaps for older children)

Or if more home-based activities required:

how about messy cooking? too girly perhaps?
water pistol fights
pirate treasure hunt around house and garden

or all small boys working on one major project like constructing huge wigwam on lawn? Or going to woods and making dens?

....

Hi again, my friend had a treasure hunt in a local field (at the weekend just past), she had 10 kids there and then she had a bbq in the garden. This is not an in the house party and you could say that you need parents to stay to help with clue reading etc. Just a thought

oh sorry - you don't want it based at home - x posts

has to be some sort of organised activity then I think where scout-leader types take over

zoo-keeper for a day?
theatre workshop thingy for half a day?
"try an instrument" work-shop?

Put Wine and Nibbles for adults on the party invitation - ALL the mums will stay!

or how about going to a theatre production aimed at young children and ask parents along? anything like that in your area?

half a day at local yacht club under supervision of RYA instructors??

mini-assault course type outing with instructors?

thanks for the ideas everyone I do appreciate it

I think it really has to be somewhere away from home or ds won't think of it as a party so I'll have a look at the outdoorsy sorts of things I think....

I did love the idea of a swimming party but was so downhearted on reading that thread about how people really hated the idea of coming in....my responsibility issues certainly stop me from wanting charge of other people's kids in WATER but I don't want to give out party invitations that will drive parents to leave the country rather than come (as some posts stated!)

magic show?

Puppet theatre?

Invite parents too?

counting you are coming up with some great ideas, thank you! The theatre workshop thing sounds great (and if they did stage 'fighting' like in peter pan DS would be in heaven!) And yes, milge, funnily enough I had thought about tempting the parents with wine etc!

or how about (last one I promise ) inviting select friends and parents out to an upmarket but relaxed Italian restaurant one w/e lunchtime or early Saturday evening ....???? At least you might be able to down a glass of red at the same time ....

hope your ds has fun anyway!!

(preferably restaurant with tables outdoors or garden/play area/sculpture park attached!!)

a glass (or ten) of red sounds GREAT

need that now and I'm only thinking about the damn party!

probably more suitable for older age group though that last one ....

so I'm allow myself one more go
horse-riding??
trip to beach - dads playing cricket/rounders (or whatever they call it nowardays and kite-flying?? making monster sand sculptures/sand castles ...

(always more enjoyable to organise people's parties!!)

Cineworld do sat morning film for £1 if you are anywhere near one. There may be deals to be had if pizza hut nearby.

What about the PartyBus?

Kidspartybus

They run all over the country, so you could just type in party bus, and search for your area.

We had one booked for my DS last year, accept it broke down. I had 20 kids in the garden in November, but luckily it was mild. The bus people were mortified, refunded me and have given me a free party for this year. result, eh!

just a thought.

this is the one I will use

Playbus