Active discussions

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Sponsored threads

This topic is for sponsored discussions. If you'd like to run one with us, please email [email protected].

See all MNHQ comments on this thread

MNHQ

NOW CLOSED Share your top party tips for children aged 3-6 with My Little Pony, and you could win a £100 Argos voucher.

169 replies

KatieBMumsnet · 02/04/2012 10:16

We've been asked by the team at My Little Pony (www.mumsnet.com/microsites/my-little-pony) to find your top tips for kids' parties - specifically for children aged 3-6.

This could be anything - from using a theme, to party foods, venues, drinks, present etiquette, and cake or the all important (or not-at-all-important) party bags. So, do share your top tips and funny stories on this thread, and everyone who does so will be entered into a prize draw to win a £100 Argos voucher.

Please note your tips and stories may appear in an email MNHQ will be sending out in April.

OP posts:
StarlightMcEggsie · 05/04/2012 02:41

here

lagoonhaze · 05/04/2012 09:02

Picnic in local park if good weather predicted

BlackAffronted · 05/04/2012 11:22

Jelly boats always amuse kids! I had them for my DS's 3rd birthday party that was pirate themed. Cut an orange in half, and scoop out the insides to create a clean shell. Fill to teh brim with jelly & allow to set. Once set, cut in half again, and voila! jelly boats! I added little pirate flags to finish them off.

Have a "lucky dip" as party favours - Fill a box (or two and split into boys/girls) and fill with shredded paper. Wrap up small gifts, such as books/hair clips/toy cars etc and hide in the box. Let the kids rummage for a gift on their way home, they love it :)

miaowmix · 05/04/2012 13:25

Don't:
Do what I did and have the entertainer turn up really late, then drink too much as a result; not good at a 5 year old's party; cue loads of milling kids and parents in a church hall and me shouting out for anyone to do some entertaining.
Fail to specify no siblings on the invitations; suddenly the pizza and cupcakes don't go too far when there are an extra 10 greedy 2 year olds stuffing their faces

Do
Rope in nice uncles/aunts/friends to make lovely food like home made pizza and help clear the tables
Have back up entertainment eg face painter
Keep it organised with proper games
Decorate the room with loads of balloons and similar tat
Have a dancing competition at the end of the party as you're winding down
Give out party bags as kids are leaving (so they get the hint to go)
Provide alcohol - parties are unthinkable without!

miaowmix · 05/04/2012 13:30

And also don't hire a bouncy castle unless you have a stack of willing adults to watch/clear up sick/wipe nose bleeds and generally pick up sobbing kids. Not worth it!

miaowmix · 05/04/2012 13:31

I must add that next year we're going to Pizza Express Grin

camaleon · 05/04/2012 13:31

Make a room dark, give a torch to kids who have to enter the said dark room, which is a 'cave', where a monster is sleeping with a toy. If they manage to get the toy without waking up the mosnter the toy is theirs.

Of course mother or father is monster, and of course he/she wakes up after making several snoring and then waking up monsters. Kids run away until eventually they manage to get their gift.

This can be the last stage of a treasure hunt. It works until they are 6. After that they are not scared ant they jumped all together over monster.

QOD · 05/04/2012 18:28

Buy cotton party bags
Take a photo of each child with host child as they arrive
Print out and iron photo of child and host child onto bag

Use fabric puffy paints, glitter etc to decorate said bags

Whilst they dry, feeeeeed children
Party games, put cake and sweets into each bag and hand them over as they leave

houseoffallenwomen · 05/04/2012 18:49

Do a joint party with your DC's friend - share the stress/fun!

Only invite children the same age as your DC (roughly) so you only need to cater for one age group.

Springisoutthere · 05/04/2012 18:53

Don't leave anyone out, boys and girls can mix, Im fed up of just girls and just boys parties, it is nice to foster opposite sex friendships, the children should be friends with the person not the gender and get to celebrate accordingly.

minceorotherwise · 05/04/2012 19:15

DO NOT....play any games that involve small children being told they are 'out'
Musical chairs etc

Cue many many crying children and one happy one

May not be very PC but hey, who wants lots of upset children for the sake of competitive games?

MummyAbroad · 05/04/2012 19:41

A pinata is an absolute must at a pre-schooler party. You can make your own with your DC by covering a ballon in paper -mache, then let it try and then burst the balloon and you are left with a hollow egg shape which you can paint or cover with tissue paper/old christmas decorations/stickers etc. Fill it with sweets and LOTS of confetti. Let the kids each take a turn at hitting it with a stick, make sure you go in order of size starting with the littlest kids as these pinatas break really easily and it will all be over a bit quick if a big kid gets in a big whack. Little ones will love chucking the confetti about more than collecting the sweets afterwards, so you may want to do it in the garden. but even so you will be picking confetti up years later

EgguStudent · 05/04/2012 20:53

A note with pinatas - if you are holding the party in a venue, check there's actually somewhere to hang it Grin

It's no good turning up only to find out the ceilings are too high or they're the suspended sort that won't support the weight/being whacked with a stick.

And never, ever ask the 14yo party host to hold it on a stick so they end up getting whacked in the face

Bert2e · 05/04/2012 21:11

Hold the party out in the garden - the children are fine just running around and don't need any entertaining!

stigofthelump · 06/04/2012 12:18

Pinata is always popular and kids are generally good at waiting their turn to whack it! it lasts quite a while too. Get a free whacking stick from material shops by asking for any inner cardboard tubes from rolls of fabric.
Wrapped books (cheap from book people) with parcel tags with names on went down well one year, instead of party bags.

Lilyloo · 06/04/2012 14:21

Hits at both design parties this year were bingo and the Chocolate Fountain!

Lilyloo · 06/04/2012 14:22

'design' ? 'dds'

thrinhughes · 06/04/2012 19:54

Instead of party bags full of tat, give each child a little plant pot potted up with sunflower seeds, personalised with their name written on a lolly stick (big packs of coloured ones available from craft section in supermarkets). It's cheap but lovely and a great project for the kids to carry on at home.

Petrean · 07/04/2012 07:28

Hosting my first ever party today for my 2 year old DS... I'll come back later and tell you what I did wrong!? Sad

Although my mistake already is 6 children and their parents, as well as my parents and in laws and a not big enough house!

Silverlace · 07/04/2012 12:38

My first and most important rule - make sure the parents are catered for. A party is always judged as good if there is tea, coffee and cakes for the grown ups who are staying to keep an eye on their children. If they are happy and occupied they won't be so tempted to "helicopter".

As previously mentioned plan the party over a traditional meal time.

Ensure the invitation covers all relevent points, start and end time, date, how to get to venue and any special instructions eg wear old clothes as they may get messy. Also give your number for RSVP and request parents let you know of any special dietry requirements.

Don't do too much food, they are generally too excited to eat much.

Keep food simple and for really little ones give them a plate with their food already on so they don't have to reach over the table to get what they want.

Use drink cups with lids on or you will spend most of the time wiping the table.

Pass the parcel. It takes some working out but this has always gone down well: Get enough small presents for one per child. Wrap each present individually. Parcel them up two together, then parcel up two twos into a four and carry on until you have one large present. Wrap this a few more times. If it is too big put it in the middle of the circle and ask the children to get up and take off a layer at a time. The result will be that there are several parcels going round and at the end every child will get the same type of present - result - everyone happy. Hope you understand that!

Go home, collapse on the sofa, swear never again but find yourself planning
another next year.

EmilyPollifaxInnocentTourist · 07/04/2012 16:58

Always have a craft table in the corner somewhere for those who are shy, tired, cranky etc.

Always increase the adult ratio with peo

EmilyPollifaxInnocentTourist · 07/04/2012 16:59

Always increase the adult ratio with people who will actually help and who know how to deal with children as opposed to relatives who insist on being there for appearance's sake.

aristocat · 07/04/2012 22:41

Forget the party bags and give the children a nice book each and a slice of cake.

EmilyPollifaxInnocentTourist · 08/04/2012 07:29

Or, if you insist on party bags, get some brown paper bags, put in stuff to make Paperbag puppets and a piece of cake.

It's good for entertaining the kid whose parents are 20 minutes late.

Books are better though.

EmilyPollifaxInnocentTourist · 08/04/2012 07:30

Or, if you insist on party bags, get some brown paper bags, put in stuff to make Paperbag puppets and a piece of cake.

It's good for entertaining the kid whose parents are 20 minutes late.

Books are better though.