How far would you travel for a child's birthday party?

duchy

Three miles in London can be regarded as an awfully long way.
If it's family probably no problem but if it is friends I'd have a bit of an informal straw poll to see how people feel.

I know we certainly skipped parties that were too much faff to get to.

Armchair23

Don't think in terms of miles but how long it takes to get there for most people and how convenient the journey is by public transport (and how much parking costs).

Are you expecting parents to stay, if not they have to kill two hours possibly with another child in tow.

If most of the kids have a shared 'experience' nursery, school etc., then I'd make it close to that location and settle for a less exciting event.

Remember if you're doing it on a day when Chelsea or Fulham are at home it's gridlock anyhow and road closures in place.

Plus which he's 5 and your planning in October, I'd wait a bit and see if he's been to 5 other parties there before his birthday.

Be secure in the knowledge it's all about the parents not the kids !

Make-it-3

I agree with Armchair, does seem a little early to be planning - my DD is 5 in January and I'm definitely going to wait and see whether a big party is really necessary at this age (ie if all the other kids in class are doing the same).

Its more about convenience to get to than distance, so in London about decent transport links. Also, if you are at a state school please bear in mind that an expensive party may put other not-so-well off parents in an awkward position re reciprocating the party invite.

Becles

Three miles isn't far and I'd happily travel to that.

The most costly party was one my son was invited to. I got a text while on holiday asking if my son wanted to go to a paintballing party. She said they'd put details through our letterbox and then realised we were away. I said yes as I assumed it was the paintballing place a couple of miles away from here.

Got home and found out the venue was approx 25 miles away next to a luxury hotel in the middle of nowhere, so about an hours drive to get to it. A small number of paintballs were included but not enough to play the game, so there was a request for additional cash to cover the extra paintballs.

So it would have cost me diesel for a 50 mile round trip, £35 for paintballs, a birthday gift for the child and then overpriced coffee and cakes with the other mothers in the posh hotel to fill the time in as there was nothing else in the area to do while they were paintballing.

I felt awful backing out but I just couldn't afford to attend

Spendless

Becles wrote: »

Three miles isn't far and I'd happily travel to that.

The most costly party was one my son was invited to. I got a text while on holiday asking if my son wanted to go to a paintballing party. She said they'd put details through our letterbox and then realised we were away. I said yes as I assumed it was the paintballing place a couple of miles away from here.

Got home and found out the venue was approx 25 miles away next to a luxury hotel in the middle of nowhere, so about an hours drive to get to it. A small number of paintballs were included but not enough to play the game, so there was a request for additional cash to cover the extra paintballs.

So it would have cost me diesel for a 50 mile round trip, £35 for paintballs, a birthday gift for the child and then overpriced coffee and cakes with the other mothers in the posh hotel to fill the time in as there was nothing else in the area to do while they were paintballing.

I felt awful backing out but I just couldn't afford to attend

Jeez, how much did the paintballs cost altogether if they was a request for 1 guest to contribute £35!

Becles

Spendless wrote: »

Jeez, how much did the paintballs cost altogether if they was a request for 1 guest to contribute £35!

The party was on a Groupon deal where she'd paid £19 for them to do the activity and they got a few paintballs included. Then they said the children would need at least 500 paintballs each to complete the game and they charged £7 for 100 paintballs.

I did look on the website and it would have been cheaper to book it direct as a party with the paintball company rather than go through Groupon.

emmatthews

Having lived in Fulham, I would advise (as a previous poster has mentioned) checking the football fixtures first. Fulham Broadway tube is horrendous when Chelsea are at home.

TBagpuss

3 miles doesn't seem far but it depends on where the guests are coming from - if they live on the far side of your home then 3 miles for you could be 6 for them, for instance.
Also, I think that if evenyone lives in a very small area then 3 miles may 'feel' further than if people live further apart - if it would be a 2 mile trip to get to your home and getting to the paly area is 4 miles from their home, that may 'feel' less far than if they live next door and you are asking them to go 3 miles, if that makes sense.

DigForVictory

I cheated. Ruthlessly, I got a Big Costco cake & took it to school.
There was enough cake for Every pupil to have a chunk, and every teacher & classroom assistant & the groundsman. (Small school.)

For some reason my lads were terribly popular.