Have I organised enough for children at a work BBQ?

[ElinorDashw00d]

I volunteered to organise a family barbecue for my colleagues which is next week.

It’s in a local sports club, we have a hall and a beer garden. We have a caterer doing the BBQ.

About 20 adults and 10 kids.

I’m already a bit stressed because the catering is costing slightly more than I had initially budgeted for and this is coming out of the work social fund that we all contribute to monthly. So I feel the party should be really good!

Some of the guests have been asking if there is anything on for the kids. I had initially thought we would have more outdoor space for maybe a game of rounders etc but we don’t have that (the sports club is using it of course!)

Ive got bubbles, stickers and punch balloons ordered which probably only the younger kids will be interested in.

Ive asked the guests to bring any lawn games they have eg. giant jenga, connect 4

Im not sure I could/have time/certainly not budget to do anymore?

I don’t think I’d have much success in organising games, I was just going to let people mingle, eat, drink and the kids can play with what we have.

Does that sound ok? I don’t want the guests to be bored! But the food will be delicious at least…and there’s a bar.

Have you checked out the weather forecast?

Yes looks like it’s 18 degrees and it’s 20% chance of rain. Better than I expected to be honest (Scotland). We have the indoor hall if it does rain so there’s a wet weather plan. No idea about the BBQ but the venue must have a back up plan for that.

Scotland next week…. Honestly, I’d be preparing for indoors

I'd mentally get together a list of games you could organise them to play, so like capture the flag, rounders, whats the time mr wolf, many can transfer indoors.

Do you have kids? I'd honesly expect the parents to organise stuff like this, its never something I'd expect a works social fund to cover as many of my colleagues wouldn't benefit from it if they don't have kids

I am going to guess you don’t have kids

So seems very unreasonable to expect a colleague who volunteers to arrange a family bbq to also entertain their children!!! Suggest they bring a ball or some inside activities and leave it at that

How old are dc?
scavenger hunt around the sports ground?
something commonwealth games themed!
face painter dependent on ages
some craft tables?

Yes you’ve done enough. The kids (ages?) can just run around and someone should bring a football (if no space not a lot you can do about that).

Most importantly are they expecting you to organise and supervise the kids!?

I would be inclined to send an email round to see if anyone is bringing a teen that might be interested in earning 50 pounds to organize some games for the 4s to 10 yr olds for a couple of hours. Then let the parents know that beyond that its a watch and entertain your own kids event

Some of the guests have been asking if there is anything on for the kids

Cheeky fuckers. I think you should laugh in their faces and assume that they're joking.

Thanks all. Sounds like I’ve done enough then and I’m sure people will bring stuff.

Oh no one is expecting me to supervise the kids! I think it was more to see if older ones would want to come or not eg. if we had space for rounders/football.

I have young kids who would be happy with colouring or bubbles or what’s the time mr wolf, but some of the kids are pre teens so I didn’t have much of an idea for them.

not your problem. Leave their problems to worry about that