Five year olds party - how many to invite?

ali99

Hello

I just wanted to get some different opinions on the best thing to do about my daughters fifth birthday party which will be in two weeks. She still wants the usual party with party games which is fine by me, we usually do a theme with fancy dress. We usually have around ten children who she has known since she was little. But now she has started school and I don't know who to invite. She is in a class of 30 children, most of whom she didn't know before starting in September. She seems to hang around with all of them equally and doesn't mention any particular friends. I have tried asking her who we should invite but get a different answer each time! As I see it we have three options
a) Don't invite anyone from her class
b) Tell her she can choose a few eg. five to invite
c) Invite all of them
We have 2 reception rooms which have big doors between them so I guess we could make space for quite a few kids but would the mums all stay because the kids wouldn't have been to our house before? In my experience the mums are more trouble than the kids because they mill around and chat! Or I could try to hire a local hall, but then I am more scared of losing control of them all, I think it would be easier at home.
Should I invite them all and assume that it is such short notice that a lot won't come?
Quite a few of them were in kindergarten together so knew each other before and I don't want my daughter to be left out of the party loop.
What to do? What do you think???
Thanks for any advice
Ali

miserly_mum

It'd be a bit mad with 30 kids plus a few of their Mums

Personally i'd give her the option of picking 5 children from her class and then invite the rest from friends outside of school.

Most 5 year old girls won't want to invite boys so that should narrow it down a bit

From personal experience if you invite all the class then they in turn invite your child and its an endless chain of party invites. Like most 5 year olds your daughter will want to go to all of them.

This can work out verrrrrry expensive over the year and I know it sounds awful ,but you can get a bit cheesed off having to accompany them all the time.

Moominmamma

Hi

My dd (also 5) had a party a couple of weeks ago and there were about 15 kids there - any more than that and I think it might've got a bit out of hand!!!

We had it at the village hall, which I would definately recommend, because a) you're not gonna stress about them dropping/ spilling stuff on your carpet and generally wreaking havoc in your home and b) depending on how big your house and local village hall are there's probably more space for them to run around at the hall - I had planned loads of games etc for dds party but for the vast majority of the time the kids were quite content to chase each other around and play with balloons! Which means less work for you

None of the parents stayed either. It was dd's first party since she left nursery, so previously the parents had all stayed. It was only after blythley inviting all her new school friends to her party that it came to my attention that they were all going to leave me to it :eek:

One more thing, how ever many you invite (and if it's the whole class + other friends then you're a far braver woman than me:rotfl: ) I'd recommend that you put a date to rsvp by because I didn't and a lot of the mums didn't let me know until really late (if at all) which made how much food to get/ party bags etc a bit of a nightmare!!

Good luck, hope she has a fab party!

M x

ali99

Just did a long reply and due to server difficulties it vanished! Try again! Thanks for your replies, very helpful. I would like her to invite just a few people but she is finding it impossible to choose, and I don't know many of them so I can't help. I don't want to go to 30 parties a year but on the other hand I want her to be invited to some - about half of the class were in kindergarten together so they are already in the party loop. Unfortunately she does still like boys - I already tried that idea with her!
Would all the mums really leave their kids with me if they didn't know me?
Any more advice gratefully recieved.
Ali

jackomdj

Why not ask the teacher who she gets on with...my DD has just turned 3 & is at creche. When she had her party all her friends except one were girls (& only 1 boy & 1 girl were from creche) so I wanted to invite an extra boy to play with Oliver, I just explained to the lady incharge of her room & asked who my DD & her friend both got on with.

Have a fun party
Nicky

fifikav

my son is 5 a week on friday..i am having the party at a playgym but same thing as you..did not know who to invite/how many etc...

i asked his teacher who he played with and invited them

total at the party, if everyone comes...including my son, 16..

good luck..ask the teacher

fesdufun

My son turned 5 last week. We had 25 children (including my two) only 6 from his class though. About 6 mums and dads stayed. I was very glad for a few extra pair of hands. I knew that some would stay because they also brought their younger children with them.

It was in a sport hall with a large bouncy castle. 1 1/2 hours in the hall and 1/2 for food in the viewing area. Free play for 1/2 hour, then 1/2 hour of games, 1/2 of playing then pass the parcel before the food which I did in advance in food boxes as there wasn't a kitchen to use.

Very pleased with how the party went. Wouldn't have wanted that many at my house thought. They are far too lively at that age!

How about asking a few of the mums/dads to stay to help out if you are worried or asking on the RSVP whether they will be staying or going. At that age some children are fine to be left whilst others will prefer a parent to stay.

Good luck

caroleiw

Hi fesdufun

What food did you put in your boxes and where did you get them from? I've got a joint 4th and 6th birthday party for my two on Saturday and meant to look online but like always never got round to it. Might still be able to get some.

Carole