Pass the Parcel Etiquette

[LisaLessLumpy]

Right, having ds's 3rd birthday party on Saturday. Amongst other things will be doing a pass the parcel, but what is the etiquette nowadays? When I was a kid it was totally random and the only prize was the last one. Nowadays it seems every layer has 'something' in it and you make sure everyone gets to open a layer. Now who gets the 'big' prize?

Any help appreciated

DH is intending the child with the fittest mummy to be the winner

Or person operating the music shuts their eyes before they stop it the last time.

thanks for replying, not having done a childrens party before it seems to be a minefield and I wouldn't want to offend anyone

at your DH

I have been to several parties where the birthday child has "won"-really not sure where all the fun went meself....

Whoosh - I know, I have too. I think that's a bit unfair though, I mean they have loads of pressies as it is.

A good friend of mine who's very experienced in these mattters tells me that 8 is the optimum number of layers!

We tend to do a sweet when they open a layer and then anyone who doesn't get a layer to open gets a sweet at the end.

My top tip is to make sure the last layer (so first as you wrap it!) is wrapped in very distinctive paper so you can remember when you're down to the last one...who wins is always a fix in this house! Top pass the parcel prize is a wee bubble machine (hand held) with batteries already in and ready to go...then when you've done PTP you send them out to the garden to play!

A work cplleague once told me that he always lets 'the kid with asthma' win pass the parcel at his dss birthday party- 'cos he aint gonna win the running around games!'

the b'day child would never win in this house!

Put chocolate in each layer and try roughly to make sure everyone gets at least one bit who cares if some get more, then your final layer is proper wrapping so you know and close your eyes.

Or skip it and just throw chocolate into the air and leg it.

8 layers.... I have 14 kids coming, is that a nono then, having that many layers? If so, as you say, at the end the ones that didn't get anything could be given something after.

Lol at slur, I like that idea, let them fight for it, who needs PTP

I've been to a toddler party where the host tried to have two parcels going simultaneously in opposite directions.

That was hilarious.

but not for her, because she is uptight.

Ahh, can't be dealing with that idea

What other things are you doing to amuse them?I have 10 toddlers coming on Friday for DD's birthday and dont know what to do cept pass the parcel..(I am putting little sheets of stickes in my layers BTW in the hope that they will keep them amused later on and also because I have one Mum coming who doesnt allow her kid chocolate so dont want to cause a scene when all the others get it and he isnt allowed..its like planning a ruddy military coup!)

beware you will need LOADS of paper,though tis a good way to use up all the old xmas paper!
You can also put the pressie in the middle in a box which makes it all easier to wrap.
You can get pre wrapped ones now from woolies eg like this

lol @ military coup

We are having a bouncy castle and I am putting ds's swing ball, sandpit, tent and balls and ride-ons out too. I am hoping they will run themselves ragged, a bit of food and ptp and hopefully the two hours will fly by. I just hope the weather stays dry or I am fubared

I put a small present in each layer for DS1's party. Each child got exactly the same prize and there was no grand final present, but then I am abit tight Seemed to go down OK though.

With 14 children - are they all 3 yr-olds - you need to do two separate parcels. You can send them round the circle at the same time (in the same direction!)

If you put something in which is obvious - you can get medals on ribbons from Tescos and other shops, or a lollipop - then if the music stops and a child has "had a go" then they pass it on to the next person who hasn't had one yet.

There should be enough prizes/layers for the number of children coming. Then the last one is done 'blind' for the winner.

Yes they are all three year olds. I have bought little pressies to put in rather than chocolate. Won't two parcels be more confusing though?

Me too re the weather..I am counting on all the kids playing out on the trampoline and in the sand pit.If it rains we will be stuck indoors and I will have to add some serious layers to my pass the parcel to pass the time..

Its bizarre..I have hosted lots of grown up parties before no bother, but this is my first kids one and I actually feel quite nervous..

Are you doing party bags OP?What do you put in them apart from a bit of cake?

I put a tub of bubbles in every layer for dd's 4th party. There were 23 children. Blimmin' daft idea. It made the parcel so big with each layer that I was sellotaping 4 sheets of newspaper together just to make them big enough to wrap. And then when they played it they could hardly pass it round.

I stood behind each child when it was their turn to have a go at unwrapping, so the person doing the music knew when to stop. I think the last one was just random.

I didn't bother for her 5th!

Yes I'm doing party bags. Inside for the girls there are a couple of glow in the dark bracelets, a rocket balloon, some bubbles, a milky way and pkt of magic stars and some cake. Same for the boys except instead of bracelets there is a water pistol. The theme is Rockets as DS loves them. Pity there will be 9 girls to 4 boys though, but I don't know many people with boys.

at surfermum. I have a picture in my head of this huge parcel that is bigger than the kids