Etiquette for Birthday Parties in Reception - gulp

[Eggrules]

Hopefully some of you will have experience of children's parties and can help.

My DS has a class of 22. As there were only 2 kids he didn't specifically add list to invite, we asked them all. There are 5 others coming from nursery so 27 in all (yikes). So far 17 have responded with 2 weeks to go.

The party is in a church hall and space is limited. I was expecting a parent to stay with the child. A mum asked today if she could bring her other child. I was a bit but said I would need to see how the numbers go.

My DS is an only. Question is - will people bring siblings without asking?
Anything else I should be aware of?

tgger Check fridge was last on my list - remembered everything.

I know this post is a couple of weeks old now but I've been reading through and it's packed full of sound advice.

Basically my 4yo DS started Reception back in September and today he's come home with a party invitation in his book bag. It's being co-hosted by two parents of Reception kids in a local soft play on the 4th Jan so I'll have to ask DH to attend because I'm working that day.

My question is - what's the etiquette re presents? I don't know many of the parents there and I've only had a brief conversation with the mum of the boy in his class whose birthday it is so I haven't a clue. I only have one DS (who's autistic btw) and despite being a member of the Parents' Association am finding this school life thing really tricky.

Grateful for some parental wisdom...

I would get presents for both boys as you know that it's a joint party and they are both in his class. I have been caught out when I have found out that what I thought was a single party was, in fact, a joint party. The only time I would not buy a present for the "other" child is if we don't the child at all, e.g. it is a joint party for two children for were at nursery together and are now at different primary schools. (Those parties tended to be a bit of a nightmare, btw, and I would not recommend them but that's another topic.) In this case, I used to buy a very nice card for the "other" child and write birthday from a friend of x.

I would buy a presents for each of the two children.

For what it's worth my DS was lucky enough to receive presents from each guest. He has played most with a light up blaster, magic set, Pig Goes Pop board game and a play doh type set. He has also loved some treats from party bags including slime, a pencil and balloons. Are there any toys that your DS loves that you could let him pick for his friends?

Thanks :) Great ideas for gifts - I think I'll get them the same range of stuff, probably bought from Hawkin's Bazaar or someting similar. My DS is a bit strange and obsessive so I haven't a clue what conventional children like (although I doubt any child could ever be described as 'conventional'.

Generally if the party invite comes from two children from same class then give both a present. If you know it is a joint party but invite only from one person then just gift for that person, e.g. Dd1+2 have birthdays 2 weeks apart so sometimes do joint parties, but only send invite from each dd to their own friends, but esp for younger dd I make it known that older ones will be there so not a shock. Twins in separate classes may have joint party but only expect present from their own classmates.

At that age I have found bug catcher type things go down well for boys, or dinosaur stuff. If one is a special friend I might spend more on that child than the other one. Generally, esp at soft play, toys are bundled into car and opened at home, so don't worry if giving different gifts.