Ideas please for DS's 5th birthday party in October

[TheSweetLittleBunny]

He has always had home parties, and I would like to do this one at home too. But I am not sure if this is just getting a bit predictable. He seems to like the pass the parcel/musical bumps stuff and 5 is a good age to do it because they understand it more than they used to I think.

On his 3rd birthday I did games for half of the party and had a lady clown for an hour. I think some of the children were a bit young for this. For his 4th we did all the games ourselves and the theme was Kings, when they arrived they made their own crowns and all the traditional party games had a royal theme. Both of these parties went down well with both kids and parents.

I normally have up to eight or ten children and their parents, make most of the sandwiches and food myself and have adult snacks and wine for parents if they want it.

He is starting school in September so will have left his nursery friends and may not have made firm friends yet at school (his birthday falls just before half term) and is actually on the day that he will be going to school for whole days, although the party will be on the weekend before anyway. So it is a big milestone for him.

Should I just stick to what I know and what he knows and have our usual home party with or without a theme and invite his current playmates that he sees outside nursery or should I try something different this year - if so what?

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That's what I thought. But with this particular group of children he knows, I know all the parents quite well - and some of them know each other, so I might let them stay.

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supersoakers

Whats a supersoaker - if it involves getting wet - bear in mind party is in October.

ALthough we had a great spur of the moment party one sunny day last August with his bouncy castle and pool which involved lots of water guns and paint.

Yuo guys who can have summer birthday parties are so lucky

The advantage of having a birthday early in the school year is that you can use it as a way of getting to know other parents and children. If your budget allows, could you hire a hall and invite the whole class? Take every opportunity of saying to parents, 'We thought we'd do a bigger party just for this year, from here on it's a dozen pals max.'

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!

If I weren't a cat but a mner in disguise, that would be my birthday too.
Him, me and Freddie Mercury.
But I am a cat.
Mieux.
See?

Bit of a sod of a birthday as often the very day schools go back.

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yes that's right it is.
Again, mieux.

I want a scratching post and I'm not interested in any of that 'it's a birthday and christmas present' rubbish.

SweetLittleBunny I think inviting mostly new school friends is best for his party, forging new friendships and all that. What's the budget?

I have just had this problem, DS is 5 on 12th Sept. I felt that it would be good to invite the whole class and try to cultivate some of the parents seeing as will be stood with them for next 5 years.

Am lucky in that DS's best friend will be in same class and his birthday is 4 weeks after, so we are going for a joint party at end of Sept for the whole class, in village hall with a clown. On his actual birthday his nursery friends are coming for lunch.

Realistically, no more than £250-£300 max. I don't think I could afford to do a whole class thing, and I'm not sure if I'd want to TBH. All that faffing around and he might not even become friends with half of them anyway! I'd rather wait and see who he makes friends with.

I thought that as his birthday falls on a school day, and that is the first day they will all be together full time (after five weeks of staggered half day intake) I would speak to the teacher and see if I could bring cakes in for the whole class.

The thing about inviting new friends is the whole unknown about what the children like and dislike, what their temperaments are like, etc. And the parents too!

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See I think if you invite someone to a party - anaphilactic type food allergies aside - they pretty much can like it or lump it.

If you do the party after his birthday - even if after half term - it'll give you a week or two longer to suss out who his best pals are.

I'm not sure I would have done whole class if wasn't doing it with friend so see your point.

Ours so far is £15 for hall hire , £95 for entertainer, £15 for party bags (Tescos have various rubbish plastic bits on special offer so you get 12 for £1). Then will need a few prizes for games, food and a cake, all of which are going to be basic ie. Cheap.

I tend to buy useful stuff for party bags that they can use and keep afterwards, like a little colouring book, some pens, craft things, stickers, etc. I think those "rubbish plastic bits" are a waste of time. Ditto for pass the parcel presents - they have to be good. Hobbycraft or the craft aisle in Tesco is good for bits or Wilkinson. Each party bag costs us about £3 or £4

DS has just announced he wants a dinosaur themed party. He's very into dinosaurs at the moment.

Well I agree about the plastic rubbish and usually do Book People packs of books that work out a pound each, wrapped and stuck in box as lucky dip with a slice of cake. But times are tighter and DS has always loved that plastic crap which will work out 50p a bag. As Cod says they don't remember their 5th party so I refuse to spend a fortune - friend who is sharing party has just found that her DH has 13k on credit cards she didn't know about and many people are stretched financially here atm so I wouldn't dare spend much on party bags as suspect wouldn't be well received atm. Guess things vary a bit area to area.

I think children do remember their parties when they grow up. They might not remember the little things like the party bags, I agree, but they remember the feeling of having a good party, and their parents making a fuss over them.

DS remembers his 3rd and 4th parties still and hopefully remember the ritual of going out in the morning with DH to collect the balloons from the card shop, with one special one for him, and stuffing them all in a quilt cover so they don't fly away!

My view re party bags/parties etc is that if I am going to give someone something it has to be something they can use, value or benefit from - whether they remember it or not - it is the time they are living now that counts surely?

I'm sure you are right, they remember the concept of a party. DS remembers his last party but DD who is 9 hasn't got a clue about her 5th one- I will never forget it as there was a power cut when I was cooking the food which was all a bit of a nightmare! DS doesn't remember his birthday ring which is a German tradition (my Mum is German) that I introduced last year. But hopefully he will in year or two.

And absolutely nothing wrong with looking at it as the now being important . If you enjoy doing party bags and are happy spending £3 or £4 a bag (which is what I try to spend on a present when DS goes to a party by shopping in the sales), then fair play ! I wouldn't dream of paying more than a pound a head for a party bag but then I am an old hag who grew up in the 70's when the contents of what you give out for a party bag was pretty much the contents of my Christmas stocking.

Back to your OP, it sounds as if a party for his nursery friends would be what you feel most comfortable with so gofor that - maybe a bouncy castle, you can probably find dinosaur ones to fit your theme.

Hope it goes well and your DS enjoys his new school.

My DSs birthday in middle of October and for last 2 years he has had an early Halloween party, everyone as loved it because is an excuse to dress up and/or wear Halloween costumes.

Good for games as can do apple bobbing, biscuit hanging etc. We always get a pumpkin pinata and the boys love beating the hell out of it with light sabers...