Has anyone had a successful pool party? (or any other ideas for a 3rd b'day?)

[ryedalema]

Has anyone had a birthday party for a toddler at Peckham Pulse or any other local pool? Our eldest is dead set on a pool party for her 3rd in July but my husband isn't keen - thinks it won't go down well with the other parents and doesn't esp. like Peckham Pulse.

Or has anyone else any fab ideas for a good birthday? It will either be c. 15 toddlers if the nursery kids aren't included, 35-40 kids if they are.

It's my last time having the time to organise something proper and may be her last UK birthday party - so I don't mind a bit of a splash (pun fully intended :-$).

[Fuschia]

They're too young for a pool party I think, but we had our son's 2rd, 4th and 5th parties all at P Pulse in the softplay/party room. Is approx ?4.50 per child, nice staff, works very well (we did our own food)

[Fuschia]

But if it's Summer, I'd go for a picnic and games in picnic area on P Rye...

[Smiler]

Do almost-three-year-olds really insist on a certain type of (large) birthday party?!

Scary.

[ryedalema]

Ahh - I think it's because:

- she's having such a fab time with her swimming lessons

- she's in a nursery group with older children who are all having big parties.

She's not insisting. I'm just a mad, planning Mum who is on mat. leave and likes having something to obsess about. I broached the topic and now she's gotten all excited about it - stooopid me.

[GinaG3]

To do your orignial plan with 15 - 40 under 5's. Peckham pulse have a policy - one adult to every one child under 5 years of age, if over 5 years old 1:2

I say also if its a nice day, a picnic and games in Rye or Dulwich park. You could do pinata (maybe?) etc. and set up a little buffet. I think that would be enjoyable.

[ryedalema]

Fuschia and GinaG3 - I love PR for parties, thanks for the suggestion. Only problem in the past has been the weather. Even when we've been sure as sure that it'll be sunny it's let us down and all have trouped back to ours.

I don't mind too much but an unplanned ransacking can get quite exhausting ;-)

I was hoping for something weather-resilient.

[Fuschia]

how about party in softplay but a swimming trip with friends as well?

[victor]

What about Harris Girls ED for a bouncy castle party? - ring Fusion at the school, it was quite cheap when we last did it - an hour in the gym and then a room for the food.

[Fuschia]

tables and chairs at harris too big for 3 yos

[sillywoman]

ryedalema Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> It will either be c. 15 toddlers if the

> nursery kids aren't included, 35-40 kids if they

> are.

>

>

OMG ::o & any other 'completely horrified' emoticon. Please don't do it. Your eldest will be overwhelmed by too many kids & too much attention from the wrong people (you'll be busy elsewhere!) & it will all end in tears. Awful, awful, awful. You must be mad as a hatter to even consider it.

Please stick to a smaller and more manageable party with her real friends as suggested by Fuschia & ginaG3 for your not yet 3 year old. That way you can both look back on it with pleasure. If you want to have a massive party, have an adult one for you - no 3 year old on the planet really wants a party with 35-40 kids. They just don't.

[EDmummy]

Went to a great pool party for 4 & 5 year olds at Beckenham Spa but tend to agree with others that 3 may be a bit young. If you want water involved and want to risk the weather, how about a picnic at Sydenham Wells. Problem is, it IS a risk. One of mine has a birthday in the middle of summer and the last few years it has poured!

If you are looking at bouncing castle option then I prefer JAGs to Harris Girls because they help you with setting out the food and cleaning up (a god send when I had a 4 month old in my arms).

[The Nappy Lady]

....or Harris Girls and either food on disposable tablecloths on the floor in the room (easier to clear up and solves the chair size issue)...or after gym session if weather good decamp to park instead (pre plan so everyone knows where to go and have enough adults to herd the kids).

My friend did the latter and it worked really well.

Sydenham Wells also good plan if weather good, or Ruskin Park has a paddling pool. I've decided 10-15 max for all parties or it just gets totally out of hand and no one enjoys it.

M

[ryedalema]

Mmmm - smaller does sound better. I always used to hate those shared parties I had when I was little as loads of people came whom I didn't know.

There's precedent at the nursery - a few massive parties recently - but I don't think I'll bow to the pressure and will keep things separate. A cake and goodies for nursery, and something more intimate for her and her buddies.

I love the bouncy castle idea (will try not to remember losing my front teeth on one when I was a kid) and the Pinata (sorry no idea how you spell that). I saw one the other day that had ribbons so no need for flying weaponry - any idea where you get them? Toys R Us perhaps?

[GinaG3]

Yes maybe Toys R Us, also try larger supermarkets. Tesco do them online. In fact a lot of place do them online. You can get them in so many different themes. Ive seen some gorgeous mermaid ones. I cant wait till my LO is big enough!

BTW - you spelt it correct ;-)

Also the pullinis (the ribbon ones) are much better idea with younger child as not to encourage violence. The unicorn one on tesco is lovely. :-)

http://www.tescoparty.com/ShowProducts.aspx?pageid=1270

[littleEDfamily]

Sorry - can't concentrate on the question - when you say 'pool party' I think of bad US comedy movies with bimbos wearing coconut bikinis and drinking pina coladas. Or the Playboy mansion.

It would never have occured to me to have a pool party for a pre-schooler.

Are they too young for a slumber party? I used to love those. You'd only need a couple of their best mates and you could let them eat junk and watch DVDs until they fall asleep. And then send them back to their parents exhausted in the morning.

[ryedalema]

Ha ha - yes indeed it could sound Hefner/Hoff ish couldn't it. Thanks for all the advice everyone - I think I'll leave the pool side of things for another time and possibly not until we move to Oz.

(Da*n and for once if WW does its job I might look half decent in my cossie)

(Mmm - who is this party for, little monster or me??)

[Fuschia]

i also like organising parties, and with lots of adult help from my sister, niece, sil have managed 30 kids at P pulse a few times.. with 3 yos parents stay and it works quite well at Peckham, you can take a ketle and do drinks/cake etc for adults. There is a hgh counter you can serve that from as well a the party table for little ones.

[nunheadmum]

We recently had a party at the Herne - in the barn at the back - which worked well. We kept it reasonably small. Kids loved the climbing frame if the weather was good - had some games on standby if not. Kids seemed to love the balloons as much as anything - would get more next time. And the pub atmosphere helped the parents relax a little more.

[Sqiggles]

Beckenham Spa is the best place for pool parties (they can adjust the depth of the pool to suit the age and height of the children), but I agree 3 is probabaly a bit young. And rememebr you need to peusade enough adults to come in too - not everyone is keen to hang out at a party in their swimming costume.....