4 year old ds birthday party- am really worrying about it!

[cheekymonk]

Hi Everyone.
Ds and I have just written birthday invitations for a party at home (his request). Trouble is I have agreed to 10 kids coming and we only live in a 2 up, 2 down... There will be parents as well and in this weather the kids can't go in our tiny garden.
I just don't know how its going to logistically work?? Longe has virtually no space due to huge settess but dining room is very central. All rooms are very boxy and I just think you can't have 10 4 year olds upstairs and all the parents downstairs can you?? I plan to do games to keep it as structured as a kids party can realistically be but am worried. Also worried as they are doctors, teachers etc and loaded and am afraid of being looked down upon. I just want the kids to have a good time and have already got the jungle themed party hats etc but aargh!! Dh is away with Navy too so it is all down to me. Mum will help out a bit but it feels like a major task!! Any tips/advice would be greatly appreciated.

bump any tips?? please ???

I certainly wouldn't worry about anyone looking down on you for a start.

Secondly, could you do some activities in different rooms - i.e. a craft activity in one room, decorating biscuits or something in kitchen (if big enough). Is upstairs big enough to do a treasure hunt then you could start with the downstairs stuff, send the children with some adults upstairs to do the hunt (even if just gold coins) then whilst they're doing that you can clear downstairs for pass the parcel and tea ?

The point about different activites in different rooms means hopefully you can spread them out.

Its worth thinking about wheelbug but crafty activity sounds brave with that many children! Thanks for advice. Definitelt good idea to have diff activities and have no yet been to a party with a treasure hunt!

I wouldn't give a flying stuff about folk looking down on you.

BUT, I would change this venue to a local church hall, leisure centre or community centre.

10 kids is not huge if you break them in to two groups of 5 but could you be arsed with the hassle?

Maybe just do something simple like colouring in jungle pictures - or cut out some animal shapes and they can colour/stick things on them. Or, you could look on the Baker Ross website and get some make your own animal masks and they could make those and then that's their take home gift. You'd have to do it in batches admittedly !

LOL at teachers being loaded. I wish!

Think organisation will be the key. Why can't they go outside if warned to bring warm coats (obviously for a short time only)?. You could set up a treasure hunt outside, where you could hide a nmber of small tokens/cards, etc, for them to find.
A theme is a good idea and you have already chosen a jungle theme with your hats.
Could you make/buy blank paper animal masks for them to colour / stick decorations on when they arrive. You could have all that set out in the dining room to start with. Feed them, cut up pieces of fruit etc while they do this. This keeps early arrivals busy while late comers turn up. Also gives them something to take home.
Then send them outside to do the treasure hunt. Make sure everyone gets some 'treasure' and have some spare for children who are a bit too slow to get their share. Help out with clues where necessary.
Bring them in where they stick their cards/tokens into a ;jungle explorer's book (or do something else time consuming with them).
Play a game such as musical statues with jungly music, maybe another lively game. Calm them down with a listening/joining in type activity eg one child says/shouts/sings 'I'm a gorilla' CLAP, CLAP, CLAPCLAPCLAPCLAP and the others respond 'Daniel's a gorilla' and clap back. Each child feels important as all the others call their name. Maybe sleeping lions to calm then even more. (Move back furniture in a bedroom for this?
Move back to the dining room where your Mum has put out tea eg pizza and fruit, crisps etc
Birthday cake, sing happy birthday, move into lounge to watch suitable jungly themed dvd with suppy of healthy non-staining snacks to nibble.
Home time.
If you are worried about doctors and teachers looking down on you, keep up organisation, provide (reletively) healthy food and something grown-up for the adults (bottle of bubbly and posh crisps?) Can you appeal to one or more of the other parents? "I've never done a party at home before and I'm so worried it will work for ds. You have so much experience with children/controlling a class, would you help me out?" Teachers are very used to organising groups of four-year olds and will probably be quite happy to help marshalling if appealed to.

How about a pinata (sorry don't know how you spell it but one of those papier mache things with sweets/toys inside. so what if its cold outside, the kids won't notice, hang it up in the garden, get their coats on and get them to take turns bashing it to get the stuff out. Keeps them busy for ages, they are out of the house and all in one place.

Gather all the stuff in a tin and divide into party bags at end! Viola, saves on party bags too!

Agree treasure hunt and some sort of craft (making jungle hats/crowns?) a good idea too so they are not all running about going wild in your house.

Pass the parcel good as sedate and keeps them in one place.

RacingSnake - you need to be a party organiser, is that what you do for a job >! Are you free anytime in March for my lad?

Quick question: do the parents have to stay? IME it's the parents who're fussed about leaving the los, not the children being left. As they arrive, say "As you you can see we don't have at of room, why don't you have a couple of hours to yourself and leave him/her here?"

My dd stays by herself at most parties these days.

Oh and all racingsnake's ideas are fab btw

Great ideas, thanks everyone. Love the idea of keeping the jungle theme going through the activities. BTW, I have a degree myself so intellectually am not massively intimidated more financially/status wise really. I feel inspired now, thanks guys! x

Yes may suggest parents going. I would be more relaxed with that and feel less "judged".

Wow, excellent post from racing snake!!
Could you move any of your furniture? Either upstairs or to your mums?
And I agree with getting the parents to leave, I always limit numbers of adults and this frees up a lot of space.
And don't feel intimidated by anyone,if you send their kids home fed and happy (ie worn out!) they'll love you forever!

I had fifteen at one, lucky we have a big back room. I wanted about half the parents to stay - i needed them to help. Only two parents went though and as my friend pointed out they were the ones with the most demanding children, it was fine, though and everyone was really helpful. The thing that went down well was parachute games - got a cheap parachute from ELC - but there must be some other kind of sitting in a circle games e.g. Name games like "I wrote a letter and I sent it to xxx (name of other child) then has to swap places with other child. Also decorated gingerbread men. A friend did a party with lots of different activities to move around in small groups - crown making, 'Elefun' game, cookie decorating and something else...great as you can enlist the parents who stay to supervise an activity each. Everyone will be pleased to be there I reckon.

Innocent - I am nothing as exciting as a party planner - I'm a teacher.
Parachute is a great idea if you have got room to spread it out. Also like the idea of collecting up and sharing out stuff from the treasure hunt/pinnata to send home. Then it is all fair and no-one feels miserable.
From personal experience - this is ds's party. Do not expect to enjoy it yourself. It is hard work. Organise a treat for yourself to help you get over it.

Hi ALL,
Just thought I would update...
Diff activities in diff rooms worked really well!
Did animal masks in one room then treasure hunt next door and in other downstairs rooms...
The parents that stayed were LOVELY and supportive and didn't look down at me at all!!
They did end up in the garden so well done there Racingsnake!!! Thank god I tidied it up. The boys clearly felt couped up and needed to run around!!!
The girls really enjoyed the mask making but the boys got a bit bored with it so I led them on to treasure hunt whilst girls carried on with masks and a couple of the mums helped them. The girls joined in later.
We did pass the parcel to calm them down (should have done another parcel for later as they loved this) then moved them back to lounge to finish masks whilst we got food out.
I had planned for them to help themselves but boys were too hectic for this so a mum dished stuff out to them. The girls sat at one table and the boys at another!
We did this then jelly then cake and then quickly moved all this out of the way for musical statues. Boys were bored and were most indignant at not playing the hokey cokey and similar games so went outside! Some of the girls stayed in and danced and I did let them have some free reign (within reason). They were all happy with this so I was too. The parents that stayed were really helpful and were a godsend. I did suggest staying/going to parents and alot went which also helped as it was a squeeze!
All the parents wanted a cup of tea but the posh crisps were quickly eaten up which I was pleased about!
I moved loads of furniture and again, that was excellent advice. Upstairs was banned which helped to keep tabs on them.
I learnt many things. Next time I would have even more activities, I was suprised how quickly we got through everything and I would cater more for boys needing to be active!
DS opened all his presents straightaway which I was frustrated by but I couldn't control as was greeting everyone (thanks Nana!) and battery went in camera half way through but it was a success and kids really enjoyed it. Ds clearly loved having party at home but would hire hall next time as the boys really needed space to run around!
Thanks everyone again for your advice. I tried to use tips from everyone! [smile}

It was really hard work but with my Mum and parents help (dh was away)I survived! It was worth all the effort and I tried not to cry as I bought ds's cake out and all the children were singing. It was priceless to see him with his friends in our home. He has great social skills and his friends clearly love him as he does them. I was so proud and thought about how much I love him and how I cherish being his Mummy xx