Help me decide - clown + hall or soft play for 4 yo party

[MrsFogi]

I can't decide - clown + hall means I can invite siblings but means a great deal more effort (catering, own party bags etc) or soft play where food and party bags included is less hassle but further away and then opens the whole sibling question. What should I go for? I think the budget will work out about the same (bloody expensive either way)

Possible problem with the clown is that some children may be scared of him - I once had to phone DH to come and take DD2 away from a party where the magician was blowing up balloons (she has an irrational fear of balloons bursting when they are being inflated - absolutely fine once they're blown up). And there was no way I'd've got DD1 out of there as she was having a ball......

I had this dilema and my heart said, hall and (in my case) bouncy caste/entertainment. For the 4 yr party I chose the hall option but it was really hard work (fantastic party though)
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This time I just can't face it agin so have gone for the soft play option. For 12-15 children (which is what I am going for ) the soft play option is MUCH cheaper when i add it all up.

5 yea olds od need a bit more entertaining then 4 year olds though and a lot of the cost is the entertainer in a hall. Last year we just did party games, bouncy castle and a home-made puppet show that dh did.

In my heart of hearts though I think the hall hire option is somehow better.

Soft play is a lot of money for what you get. The thing I don't like about them is that it's all quite impersonal ifkwim - half the children don't play with the birthday child because they never manage to find them in the soft play for more than 2 minutes. I think if you asked the invitees at the end of the party 'whose party have you just been at' they'd be hard pressed to give an answer.

And the food at soft play parties is very poor quality imo.

Depends what everyone else doing for their parties - here a clown in a hall would be a welcome change from all the soft play parties (if a lot of hard work). For catering in the past, we've had a really good deal on chicken nuggets and chips from the local chippy - saved all the sandwich making.

we have had the same dilemma and have gone for soft play,just so much less hassle,no worrying about catering ,blinking party bags and you dont have to clear up.

I think it depends whether you generally enjoy parties or not.
If you do then you will get some enjoyment out of doing dcs' parties yourself, doing the planning, organising, shopping for it, hosting it, and hte satisfaction of a good time had by all, etc. Although yes it can be stressful too.
But if you feel that you have to give your dc a party but just want it over and done with, then yes, pay someone else to do it for you.