Birthday party for 7 year old

[packrat]

London turns 7 the end of the month and we always do her party the Sunday after Thanksgiving. This year she wants to invite school friends. I wouldn't let her last year, but she's already been invited to 2 so far this school year, so I guess this is the age it starts. I wrote down the girls from her 1st grade class, her dance class, and the girls that she still talks about that are in her grade but not her class. 17 girls. Is that a lot? I figure since it's a holiday weekend not all of them will come.

I've never been to a birthday party or had a birthday party in my life. We didn't celebrate when we were little. I've no experience and no clue what to do. Do I have to have games for them to play? I thought they'd just all play together w/London's toys. No? If I do a party from 2 to 3:30, there's cake/ice cream and gift opening in there too, so does that leave a lot of time left to keep them occupied?

I don't want to leave kids out that she plays with at school. Some of them I know she doesn't play a whole lot with at school, but she's in dance with. I know some of it can't be avoided, but...I remember feeling left out and hearing other kids talk about things they did that I didn't get to do.

I feel like I'm wandering around all confused-like or something. I need to get invitations out asap, so I thought I better ask about some of this stuff.

Do I have to do treat bags too?

 

[MichelleCarmen]

Seventeen kids is a lot. You need help and organization. The most I've done is 15-17ish. Can't remember exactly. The deal is the HOME party with many kids is way more hectic than if you do a venue. One year we did the party at a gymnastics place and the kids had a blast. When we had the same kids (a year older, keep in mind), they were at my house and went nuts running around all over and it was very stressful. This year, we did a venue (bowling) and again it was GREAT! (ETA = everyone I've talked to has said the same - home is chaos, venue is fun. Just be MORE prepared to keep those girls occupied!)

Even though you're inviting everyone, some will be busy or won't be able to make it, so you probably won't be keeping track of that many little girls.

You gotta plan activities. Bingo is fun. Kids like that. You can also make the party an extra hour longer and include a movie.

Treat bags are fine. Usually, my kids get them, but you know, they rarely spend more than 10 minutes after they get home playing with those little pads and pencils that parents get from the party store. If you really want to do the bags, the best way to fill them really cheaply is the dollar store and then add in a few pieces of candy.

Oh, and BE SURE to ask parents to RSVP by a certain date. AND, just to add RSVPing *can* be tricky. I had parents calling me the morning of the party. Have extras on hand!

Good luck.

 

[KimberlyH]

Games/activities would be a must for me to keep the girls contained. You're talking 1.5 hours, which sounds like on eternity w/ 17 little girls but isn't that long when you including eating and present opening; I'd say you have about an hour to fill, maybe a bit less. I'd do something like a cupcake decorating table in leiu of a cake, with sprinkles, colored frostings, etc. And an art table with butcher paper, markers, crayons, glitter, stickers, etc. You could theme the party (dance party, for example) and cut out doll templates from paper and have each girl create their own doll, a spin off of the art table with a focus. You could set up a dance/music station, and play musical chairs, freeze dance. Have little prizes like those rubber bracelets.

 

[packrat]

Thanks for the replies guys! I think I might cull the list down from 17. Don't think I'll do the treat bags..the 3 parties London's been to, the things were broken/used etc right away and TBH I don't want to spent the extra money. Maybe I'll get some of those rubber bracelet deals or something. My parents and brother will be here and hopefully an Aunt/Uncle and then another Aunt. Maybe next year we'll be able to afford to have it someplace. With it being late Fall, it's too cold to do the park, and the only other kid friendly place is the fitness place to have a pool party, but they're not open on Sundays. Those ideas all sound fun-bingo, cupcake decorating etc..I might look and see if I can find some little girl jewelry making kits or something..The mom of one of London's friends is really crafty and knows where to find all the fun stuff so I'll email her too.

Thanks again, your ideas are very helpful to me!

 

[MichelleCarmen]

Hope London has a great party. FWIW, with it being a holiday weekend, many will be busy. Maybe not reduce the list too much, just in case! Some of the venue sites are pricey. For my older son, we did bowling and b/c we had the party on a holiday weekend, we got two lanes for the price of one! He's older though, at the age where kids begin only inviting their closer friends.

I think we did K-2nd where they invited large groups. And, now my older son's 3-4th grades have been just closer friends. This year he only wanted five.

Oh, and have you sent out the invitations yet? Einvites is great and super easy. Not only do you not have to shell out for invitations, as your daughter grows older and invites only certain kids, the rest of the children do not see the invites being handed out and then feeling left out. (Not sure if you have the kids emails. The schools in our district have a full directory of all the families - unless they opt out of being in the book)

 

[packrat]

Thanks MC! Yeah, I figure the first couple years would end up being a bigger group of girls until she gets more of a "core" group of friends she hangs out with. A couple of the girls she plays with I think are new to the school too, and I wonder if since they've not gone to school w/the other kids, if they're still thought of and invited to places.

Haven't sent out invites yet, hoping to do that tomorrow..gotta get addresses for a lot of the, so I'm hoping the teacher can help me out on that. I've not heard of einvites, I'll have to look that up, thanks MC!

That's true too, about some not coming b/c of the holiday, so it would be my luck I'd cull it down and then only 1 would come and London would feel bad. I'll leave it as is. One is coming for sure, I just emailed her mom to ask about games.

I'll post pics of the cake and stuff too after the party..she wanted a horse cake this year. My cousin makes/decorates cakes and always does such nice ones for the kids. Last year she wanted a princess cake, and she did Cinderella (my favorite), but she had it like an open book, and a clock, with a little slipper and Cinderella on it. Even had little pumpkins and swirlies around the bottom of the book and gold glitter lines to make pages..it was really something. Maybe I'll do a thread later on fun cakes..she's done some amazing ones and I'd love to show them off.

 

[MichelleCarmen]

Haven't sent out invites yet, hoping to do that tomorrow..gotta get addresses for a lot of the, so I'm hoping the teacher can help me out on that. I've not heard of einvites, I'll have to look that up, thanks MC!.

Oh, this reminds me...be sure YOU pass out or are in charge of the invites rather than asking the teacher. One year, my son brought his in and number of days had gone by and NONE of the parents had RSVP'd and I panicked. I asked a friend I saw every day, and had been giving me tips on planning the party, if her son had gotten his invite and she said no. Turned out the teacher misplaced them! lol

Luckily there was still enough days left that everyone we hoped would come did

 

[packrat]

I'm going to mail the invites. Not all of the girls in her class are being invited. I'll have to email the Teacher and ask if she can get me parents names/addresses, something anyway. Ooo I saw one of the girls' moms today at the school-the girl was feeling my fleece jacket and the mom came up and stood behind me and yelled the girls name right in my ear and stormed out the door. I smiled and put my hand up to wave and she glared at me. I hope that's not an indication of how the invite is going to be met. Sigh.

Anyway, went to Walmart, got some invites (well, just note cards, but I figure I can write the stuff in there anyway, they're cute glittery butterflies), and then I totally caved and grabbed several bags of little favor things...those plastic bracelets and some enamel rings and sparkly rings. I'm a sucker, really. Then I got Twister and two boxes of games, one Princess and one Tinkerbell, that each have checkers, bingo and 2 card games inside.

Whew, I feel a little better now!

 

[packrat]

Birthday party went off without a hitch! Invited 17 girls and 10 girls came. And of course, there were a few girls that she asked how come we didn't invite and I felt bad. They ran around and were like screechy howler monkeys for the first 20 minutes, then we did present and then cake/ice cream. They took all the toys downstairs and got them opened and played with them until it was time to go. Some of them helped me pick up all the wrapping paper and boxes/twisty things from the toys. Got pics of the cake so will post some in a little bit. Will do separate thread tho, cuz I want to show off some of her other cakes too!