Cost of parties for four year old.

I wouldn't pay thousands, even if I had it.

we have been hosting GD birthday party in our garden since she was one. She is 5 this year and was relieved to be told they were hiring a hall this year as the amount of children invited is larger (most of class have replied with a yes). She has been invited to parties since starting school on average at least twice a month so this adds to those needing invites and cost of all the gifts! I thought since they had hired someone to entertain I was off the hook and wouldn't need to do anything but turn up, Should have been wiser- request of could I provide food like last year came at the weekend! So I will be busy this weekend. At least I wont be filling up goodness knows how many party bags. Expect it to get more costly by the year.I bet my son is thinking i was stingy with his as we only allowed him to choose up to 10 guests and he didn't start having parties till he was about 5 until then it was family tea with a cake!

I read the beginnings of the thread on MN, absolute cheeky f*****y to use their apt description that often applies.

I think children's parties can get disgracefully out of hand as to the cost. I know one friend who fretted about party bags and ended up spending a fortune on the contents, when really they were only ever intended for a bit of the birthday cake and maybe a small box of Smarties.

We generally had them at home in the early years, frankly I found them a nightmare it was like descending into hell for an afternoon. Then we moved to venues, sometimes a shared party with a classmate, these took the form of swimming, trampolining and later on their obsession with rollerblading provided good entertainment because, at the time, they and so many of their friends were into that. What they cost back then, probably too much, it was hard to extricate yourself as a parent without becoming really unpopular, it was a pressure that I'll admit to paying my way out of to keep the peace. Eventually once they hit the teen era, they went off with a few friends to Pizza Express and the cinema and that was that! Thank God. Occasionally we've attended gc's parties, but no involvement I'm glad to say.

I'm staggered that anyone would consider spending thousands on a kid's party, just shocking what an absolute profligate waste of money.

Everything these days seems to be about outdoing others, or worrying about what others will think.

My girl's birthday was always at the start of the summer holidays, and the funfair would be down.

It meant I got away with one friend invited to the fair with us.

Ridiculous quite frankly.

For our young GC and GGC who've had Birthdays this summer: lunch, cake, games at our home - we've plenty of room, ability to make meals/cake, gardens to run in, weather permitting. Prosecco for adults.

Their friend parties have been in various fun child places with small cakes, the attending parents have nibbles and Prosecco.

Parents didn't attend when I was in charge.

MissAdventure

I wouldn't pay thousands, even if I had it.

No, me neither.

My first attempt at a home party wasn't a great success. The first guest to arrive said " What a crap cake." That got me in a good mood.

My Scottish childhood version of pass the parcel involves shouting "Yer out!" when the music stops until only two kids are left to battle it out.
(I don't agree with the modern softy's version of unwrapping a layer of paper and finding a sweetie each time so that everyone gets something and no child is a loser.) The one mum who chose to stay looked very disapproving and the gang of little boys ran amok.

My children didn’t always have a party but when they did we never even considered doing anything other than something traditional ie cheap, at home, there wasn’t the spare money to hire halls food and entertainers.
I am no cook , yes it was work which all had to be cleared up after, but a few balloons, pass the parcel, tail on the donkey, musical chairs and a sandwich with a bought cake, - I did say I don’t cook, - and home again jiggedy jig. . 2 hours max.
No parents drinking fizz in the corner either, that def didnt happen.

Though now I think of it once, upon a long time ago, my girls had a joint birthday party as their birthdays are fairly close together.
They each invited about 8 children and I booked a magician. It was absolute mayhem. Never repeated.

My friends granddaughter is arranging a birthday party for her 3 year old they are having Disney characters to visit and someone to do face painting ,she is hiring a local social club. Soon mounts up .

I was thinking about my children parties and I don't think once they started School we ever had a party at home.
Both my 2 have Birthdays in winter months February and March so we always ventured out.
All the was class invited , so it was never cheap, but I don't recall ever going to someone's house for party either.

I don’t recall ever taking my children anywhere but the birthday childs house for their birthday party.
This was late 70 s early 80 s. The whole class coukd never be invited as there just wasn’t the room.
My dd on the other hand has had gc parties at home too but more recently they go somewhere with a few friends. Costs a packet, which they don’t really have.
Youngest joining sibling at senior school in September so assume things change again.

The good thing with hiring a hall is that the children get the opportunity to skid around in their socks.

And don’t forget it’s a god given rule that the birthday girl/boy will end up overwrought and in floods of tears

RosiesMaw2

Each to their own.
My GS (5) had an outdoor picnic and treasure/Pokémon hunt in a nearby country park in Walthamstow.. SIL had printed off loads of Pokémon pictures and went round before the party pinning them onto trees etc. Pizzas all round (pieces of) and birthday cake and little carton of juice to drink. They also had a Piñata with sweets in it, . It was his whole school class plus some siblings and his cousin, 30-40 children plus parents. There might have been some prosecco for mums and dads who were free to bring additional eats or drinks if they wanted to. Oh and a birthday cake.
I can’t believe the whole thing even came anywhere near £100. They had a wonderful time.
It was all pleasantly “home made” and unfussy. The children could run around and tire themselves out. Clearing up was a doddle and frankly who has houses big enough to host 30-40 children anyway.
But in reply to OP’s original question, maybe they don’t!

Loads of colour printing, Pizza, cake and drinks for 30-40 children. Piñata filled with sweets and Prosecco for mums and dads for nowhere near £100. We all need to move to Walthamstow!

Well I’m a pre school nursery teacher. And for a four year olds party this week they had a build a bear treat and an outing to pizza place. Must of cost a fortune.

Chocolatelovinggran

Ooh yes MissA - that sounds like my sort of party.

I remember we had an ‘old school’ party for adults, with face painting,Pass the Parcel, Musical Chairs, etc, and pizza,ice cream and jelly to eat. The adding of beer,wine, and cocktails made it a night to remember!

Also, there was a party for a gang of seven year olds in my hairdressers the other week, where they all had manicures, facials, makeup, and hair ‘updos’, followed by a photoshoot, and they polished off bottles of fake fizzy and mocktails. They did seem to be enjoying it, bit I wonder what the parents will do next year.

Children's parties are immensely varied. Some are big and expensive and some aren't. It depends on your budget.

DGC just had old fashioned parties and certainly no parents inthe kitchen drinking alcohol.

After they were about 8. they and a couple of friends would do something together that all the family would enjoy. DGS, 2 friends went to Flamingo land along with parents and sister.

My son is now 35. Around the age of 10 he would invite 10 close friends to Macdonalds or a bowling alley with face painting. I’m sure happy memories for him and didn’t cost the earth but then I chose to have an only child. We speak every day and usually go to a restaurant or cook at home once a month.
Times change and Mumsnet mothers enjoying a glass of something with the other mums sounds good to me as long as dad is driving.

I wouldn't ever ask a relative to contribute to my parties. But to each her own.

When my DGDs were in reception class at school, it was expected that the whole class would be invited to birthday parties. It was impractical to host 30 children to a traditional type of party at home, so most parents hired a hall with some entertainment or theme, or didn’t have parties for their children. Once they were in year1, they only had close friends and went to something like a soft play. Party bags had to be provided of course and cake! I’ve always contributed financially because I can, not because I’m asked to!

Went to the park the other day. It was a child’s third birthday. Large group of children and parents playing in the sun. Some parents had brought a few snacks and there was a cake. Great fun and laughter for around two hours. Cost negligible I guess.

Parents are anxious about leaving their young children with effectively strangers, sadly very few child abusers ‘look’ like child abusers, or perhaps even the level of safety awareness that the parents have (bleach and other caustic substances knives etc left accessible to small children). All these factors stop people having parties at home and they gravitate to organised public areas such as football at sports venues