Does anyone still have birthday parties at home? (party, parents, girls)

[nuala]

The birthday topic reminded me of this question. We have had a limited exposure to birthday parties, and they were organized in a bowling alley, in MacDonalds, in a cinema (this last one is kind of easier on the parent because of a good time chunk is spent in the dark )

It's a rule to drop off the kids and pick them up 1.5 or 2 hours later (with the exception of MacDonalds, parents were sitting and yakking).

I'm wondering are there at all any b/d parties done in people's houses anymore? Like in older times? Especially if people have houses, not condos?

[Inthesierras]

My kids parties have all been at home or my mom's home, except for a beach picnic party one year. Last summer my son had a slip-n-slide party. We had cake and ice cream, a few snacks, and the kids played outside in the water. It was SUPER easy! My mom makes the nicest cakes, so she usually helps me make the cake. The kids and I sit down and they decide what the theme will be and we make decorations for their parties. We keep it simple and make sure everyone that comes is well fed. Everyone has a great time and I don't have to spend a fortune.

[maciesmom]

When my kids were birthday party age, their parties were typically at home. Fortunately for me they have summer birthdays and could usually be done outside! Cake, hot dogs on the grill, watermelon and squirt guns. Parents could stay or not and it was always limited to 10 kids. A great time was had by all. We have a small house so indoor parties would have had to have been smaller. As they got older it gets to be 2-4 friends for pizza and a sleepover....

[gentlearts]

I think at home is nice, up until a certain age. Then, it seems like we either skipped a party or did an activity party. My last one was a boy, so going bowling or to laser tag or to a baseball game, etc. was what we did after about the age of 10 or so. Boys need an activity.
I can see older girls enjoying just a sleep over party or tea party/garden party, etc. but not boys.

[*Danielle*]

I am having my dd's 5th bday party next week...at our house.

[maciesmom]

Boys need an activity.

Yep - that was why the squirt guns! Older boys do still enjoy a sleepover - we have a firepit in the backyard so they hang outside listening to music and poking at the fire, eating junk food then come in and play X-box or watch a movie....my son and his buddies are all pretty athletic so there is always some kind of physical activity going on....

[VegasGrace]

I used to have them at home until the 4th birthday when the MESS got me.

That's why I don't have them at home.

[mrstewart]

We have our kids birthday parties at home and they have a blast. I usually have some of my friends come over to help manage some of the activities while I get pics and get food ready...works for us.

[KH02]

We have them at home, but only invite family and 1 or 2 CLOSE friends. They aren't old enough for friend parties yet, BUT i think when they are old enough, i will have them just pick 1 or 2 good friends and take them wherever the bday kid chooses...movies, sleepover, golf...etc.

[Shwa]

I think the "at home" thing is great if you keep it small. If you go large (i.e. 15 -25 kids) it's almost necessary to have it somewhere. I think it depends upon the area where you live and what people do there. It's not to say you can't be different, it's just that the kids usually want to do what they see (of course, there are exceptions).

I find that as the kids get older, however, they want to keep it smaller so I think in the next year or two we'll be having parties at home often.

The largest party we ever attended was at Buid-a-Bear at a local mall. There were almost 40 kids and it was during the holiday season in the late afternoon on a Saturday. After the bear-building we trekked to another area of the mall for food. It was chaos! The kids had fun... the parents were exasperated!