4 year old's birthday party - at home?!!

DFWJane

The guest list looks like 16 children from 1 to 4, possibly with 2 dozen parents in tow. I need to keep costs down, am I mad considering doing this at home? The hall we used last year cost £26 for 2 hours, others are about the same.
It's for my son's 4th birthday - all his friends are having soft play, Pizza Hut, clowns, magicians etc but I refuse to pay out that much, don't have it anyway, and think it's unnecessary to be giving children this sort of party at this age.
But how can I pull off a good party, entertain them and stop it descending into chaos?

dazzle21

My Sister held a party at home for her dd when she was 4 and 5, and all the children loved it as it was 'different'. Plan a good list of party games(pass the parcel, musical statues, grandma's footsteps, pin the tail on the..(doesn't have to be donkey!) etc , and be prepared if they start to get bored move on to something else! If your son likes a particular thing could you theme it? i.e. pirates - get them to decorate an eye patch/sword to take home? (you could also do a small treasure hunt using a 'map' and when they find the treasure they all get a share - mini packs of smarties work well here!)
Decorating fairy cakes might work well to, as my DS loves this and he is only 2 (so might be fun for the younger members attending?).
Hope you have fun!

kazwookie

(I don't have kids)

But do you really need 2 dozen parents as well!! I would get some helpers in, and send the rest home, that would cut costs in half. 16 kids and maybe 5 helpers or so.?

If it is a nice day, footie in the garden, bat and soft ball games, outdoor jenga (or whatever it is called) cowboys / girls and your on can be the sherrif

Have fun!

Threebabes

kazwookie wrote: »

(I don't have kids)

But do you really need 2 dozen parents as well!! I would get some helpers in, and send the rest home, that would cut costs in half. 16 kids and maybe 5 helpers or so.?

If it is a nice day, footie in the garden, bat and soft ball games, outdoor jenga (or whatever it is called) cowboys / girls and your on can be the sherrif

Have fun!

If the kids are from 1 yr old - 4 yr old the parents probably dont want to leave them. Also my DD got invited to a house party whilst in nursery, she was 4 and I didnt feel that I knew the parent well enough to leave her.

Is the party in the summer? If its summer and youve a garden things would be a lot easier.

DFWJane

Some useful things, thanks. We have now decided to hire a hall because the amount of kids alone would be too much for our house - we can't get the list any smaller. But to keep costs down, Mum is doing cakes, food will be simple sandwiches, asking a family member to do face painting, hubby can do disco from his laptop and amp, a friend has a scooby doo costume (don' ask!), musical statues, pass the parcel etc - I think we should be sorted.
Will search forum for cheap party bag ideas but went to one recently where they just got a balloon animal and a piece of cake - and have just remembered a friend who can make them!!

deejane

My ds had his party today, he was 4! I nearly always have them at home, we hired a bouncy castle, invited 9 children, 7 came, a few parents stayed (children aged between 3-4, although we had a little brother who stayed and he is not yet 2)

I had planned to do pass the parcel, but they didn't seem to bothered, my other got a few toys out, had the gazebo up and everyone seemed happy.

Did the usual food-cheese, ham and jam sandwiches, cocktail sausages, mini sausages rolls, carrot, cucumber, tomatoes, grapes and crisps. jaffe cakes and party rings. I did buy some mini milks but I forgot about them! lol

For the party bags, I bought them a bucket and spade, few wee chocolates, a pencil, finger monster, bouncy ball, and put in cupcake, they all went away happy!

Rainey_LB

I have had loads of parties at home (38 children one year :eek:) and I don't have a big house), I would suggest you pick a theme, and then make sure you plan what you are going to be doing party wise for the time so you haven't got them running aimlessly...which they will if you don't entertain them.

Games : Pass the parcel, I always put a little sweet in each layer an make sure there is enough layers so they all get something, sleeping lions, pin the tail on the whatever, musical bumps - littler ones don't always get how to do statues but the all know how to bump, I always make a pinata with balloons and paper mache......

This website is fantastic for ideas (I have posted the link so many times people will think I have shares, I don't honest, it just has so many great ideas on every type of home party you can think of!!!
http://www.birthdaypartyideas.com/html/party_ideas.html

For my daughters 5th birthday we did Mermaids & Pirates which the kids loved, this year we did a Mad Hatters Tea Party for her 6th......I'm as big a kid as they are and get very carried away..... but I like the idea of making memories, the kids & their friends still talk about the parties we have done, whereas we have been to 6 bowling parties this year already.... they just blur into 1.....not to mention our home parties may involve a bit more effort and preparation but have cost far less than the local playcentre, bowling alley, gym with bouncy castles etc.

I wouldn't go overboard with the food, keep it pretty basic especially if they are young, I always find cherry tomatoes, cucumber & carrot sticks are eaten by the ton, little sandwiches, cocktails sausages, pizza slices, grapes (sliced in half if you have little ones there), strawberries, fairy cakes.

My DS is 8 this year, I am more worried about this party than I have been with any of the others, 7/8 yr old boys are so excitable and boisterous I am planning it with military precision!!! lol

Good luck, have fun & enjoy!!

wornoutmumoftwo

I had a party at home when my two were 3 & 4, and the kids pretty much occupied themselves. It was a nice day, had all the bikes and garden toys out and they all sort of just played together. Picnic outside. They loved it.

Kazz81

just an idea for food-I was at a party recently where the kids had mini pitta breads filled with various things instead of sandwiches. The mother commented to me that they always get eaten and dont go hard like sanwiches do after being out for a while!

Ricekirsty

A few organised games and some adults to help out is all you need. Thank god you are not going to Pizza hut. You can make far better. As a parent I hate pizza hut.

Ricekirsty

You can easily make your own thin based pizza and kids can eat cold. Its really really cheap and tastes great. Another great idea is ask parents to cook 1 small dish each. Most people have one thing they like to show off. The like doing