Kids Discos - how much for 2 hours? What else can you think of?

blue_monkey_2

Hi all,

I am just trying to work out what I would roughly have to fork out for a disco for 2 hours without ringing all the numbers in the directory. I wondered how much you have paid for a 2 hour disco.

I have around 40-50 kids coming from age 2-6 but dd informed me this morning (it's her 5th) that there were a few older kids she wanted to invite as well. The food side I am not too fussed about, that'll only be an extra £5 but I thought the hall (£50 to hire), bouncy castle (£50-60 to hire) and disco with someone who can do games such as musical statues, bubble and snow machine and the like would do fine. This way there will be something for the younger and older kids to do - I'll have a ton of food to prepare so I won't have time to organise everything.

I usually do a party for the kids and then a seperate party for family but this year I have so many kids to invite I thought I might as well get them all done of the same day and have it done with!! I am hoping that the family will pitch in and help out with something - we are not super close but it is way too many people to have in my house and as her birthday is November it is too cold to stick a load of 5 year olds in the garden in the Gazebo!!

Any other thoughts would be most appreciated. Oh and I am sticking a note on the invites asking if there are mums who will be staying that are handy with face paints and can help out that would be appreciated - I thought that would be better than paying someone specifically to do faces. I am also going to get one of those electronic pass the parcel games as there is a huge group of us as friends and it can do the rounds and saves not having enough presents and having disappointed faces when the paper comes off and there is nothing for them (what happened with this - when we was kids it used to be one present in the middle only, LOL, now everone gets something!! Was it just me or were parents might more heartless or tight back then). This is turning into an expensive day!! Was shcked at the hall hire of £12 an hour though, do you reckon half hour before and after is fine or would we need longer??

Becles

We would charge around £120 for a childs disco.

Bubble/snow machines are iffy these days. We have been told we can't use them in a number of places with hard floors in case the bubbles make the floor slippy and someone falls over :rolleyes:

To be honest, I wouldn't both with a proper disco for 2-6 year olds. They're usually not interested in dancing, and I'm sure you and your helpers can organise musical chairs etc. Take your own CD player and a couple of "Pop Party" type albums. I've done parties like that myself before I married a DJ!

We did the school Christmas parties and the infant group (up to age 7) were more interested in running round and round the hall playing chase than dancing or playing games

ktflosspot

Hi agree with becles if you have anyone willing to look after the music on a cd player it might be good. Woolworths (well the one here in sunny glasgow) has party cd's at a pound got the for my ds some have pop type songs macaerena and sclub7 and such like and some have more traditional younger ones like heads shoulders knees and toes.
How about a piniata to keep them occupied for a while (also saves on party bags) i know you are supposed to use a blindfold but i have always found it safer at that age not to !!!!!!!

blue_monkey_2

Thank you for your replies.

Yes, thats the thing, I don't have anyone that can help with the music unless I rely on the other mums and I don't want them to think i am taking the mick but asking loads of them, while the kids all know each other from 2 years at school I am not really into the playground thing and only go as far as saying hello. As I'll be having to do the food I won't be able to organise agames - I am sure something will come right though and I might see if my sister can organise it all for me if she is coming (not got so far as asking yet).

I have since found a local company that charges £85 (they do castles as well ) and they are more 'a party games' with music disco which is what I was wanting I guess - that is cheaper than an entertainer which are around £80 an hour!! There is one cheaper one but I think she is a little disturbing to be honest, ha ha. We have been to a few parties with the kids, entertainers are great but really expensive - although the kids love it. The local soft play is £9 a head and with so many kids that is a definate no-no, I did not think about the bubbles, the place we usually go for parties in the village is part carpeted thats why we always have bubbles there and never thought about it. I do understand about the disco thing and the kids - we have a disco at the school and the boys want to run around or do the (peter Kaye) knee skidding thing while the girls (and their mums) love a little dance - hence getting the 2 things. I thought this way would be easier with a little buffet as it would not matter if people say they were coming and then did not arrive.

Thanks for your advice and for the price, it is most appreciated and has also given me something else to think about. The bloke I have called is (LOL) my hairdresser who also does discos and his wife is a childrens nanny so they get the kids party bit down to a T between them but I was getting impatient on knowing how much it might cost. They are on holiday!! Bit inconvenient of them!! LOL. I did not think of a pinata, they are getting quite popular now - LOL, thre is no way I'd have them blindfold and weilding sticks though!!

Thanks again. Some great ideas, now I just have to steel myself for it!!

nikki&asha

If no one is confident with face painting, try getting some one to do nail painting (own nail varnishes/beg and borrow) and temporary tattoos ( try ebay/toy shops). These went down a treat at my daughters last 3 party's and are very easy to do. Teenage girls are especially keen to help with nail painting if you can borrow any!

blue_monkey_2

Great idea, thanks, I did think of this briefly but there will be boys there and I did not think of the tattoos!

[thanks button is not working else I would thank you all. x]