Joint birthday party food

[Anonymous]

Both of my kids are born in October and I think this is the last time I can get away with a joint birthday party (older one in K and younger turning 3). Planning to have it at my house, invite all kids in both kids’ classes, some family friends with kids, and neighborhood kids. All told, will be about 50-60 kids invited. Will be in the afternoon, maybe 2-430, with an entertainer for 45 minutes, Cake for 15 minutes, and something that I need to figure out for the remaining 30.

Questions:

(1) Can I just do popcorn, fruit and cake for the kids, or do I need to order pizza?

(2) Was planning on having drinks for adults (beer, seltzer, water), do I need to offer food? And should I do cocktails and wine or is just beer and hard seltzer fine?

(3) Crazy to invite so many people? I have a busy October and thought planning one large party would be easier than 2 medium ones, especially because family and neighborhood friends would be invited to both.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Both of my kids are born in October and I think this is the last time I can get away with a joint birthday party (older one in K and younger turning 3). Planning to have it at my house, invite all kids in both kids’ classes, some family friends with kids, and neighborhood kids. All told, will be about 50-60 kids invited. Will be in the afternoon, maybe 2-430, with an entertainer for 45 minutes, Cake for 15 minutes, and something that I need to figure out for the remaining 30.

Questions:

(1) Can I just do popcorn, fruit and cake for the kids, or do I need to order pizza?

(2) Was planning on having drinks for adults (beer, seltzer, water), do I need to offer food? And should I do cocktails and wine or is just beer and hard seltzer fine?

(3) Crazy to invite so many people? I have a busy October and thought planning one large party would be easier than 2 medium ones, especially because family and neighborhood friends would be invited to both.

You can't do popcorn at a party with preschoolers. No way.

And serving alcohol and no food at a kids' party is horrifying.

[Anonymous]

Provide real food.

[Anonymous]

Yes, you need food.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Both of my kids are born in October and I think this is the last time I can get away with a joint birthday party (older one in K and younger turning 3). Planning to have it at my house, invite all kids in both kids’ classes, some family friends with kids, and neighborhood kids. All told, will be about 50-60 kids invited. Will be in the afternoon, maybe 2-430, with an entertainer for 45 minutes, Cake for 15 minutes, and something that I need to figure out for the remaining 30.

Questions:

(1) Can I just do popcorn, fruit and cake for the kids, or do I need to order pizza?

(2) Was planning on having drinks for adults (beer, seltzer, water), do I need to offer food? And should I do cocktails and wine or is just beer and hard seltzer fine?

(3) Crazy to invite so many people? I have a busy October and thought planning one large party would be easier than 2 medium ones, especially because family and neighborhood friends would be invited to both.

Answers:

(1) NO popcorn, and do have some sort of food. Fruit is going to be sticky and possibly a choking hazard. Stick with pizza & cake.

(2) I'd do beer and wine, no cocktails, plus water and also soda.

(3) YES. This is a crazy idea. I have twins (grown now) and never invited both of their classes. I'm astonished that you'd invite 60 kids to a party. I strongly suggest you reconsider.

[Anonymous]

OP here. What do parents want to eat at 2:30? Sandwiches (though we wouldn’t serve meat so this is tricky)? Cheese board? Snack bags like chips or pretzels? Dominos? I didn’t realize offering a drink without a meal is so problematic, happy to cut the beer and just have water and soda for adults if that makes more sense.

[Anonymous]

2-430 I don’t think you need to do pizza or real food. Snacks, fruit and cake is fine.

[Anonymous]

Consider inviting only the boys/girls (which ever your kids are) to cut down on the size. I would not think of cocktails for a kids party at 2 30 in the afternoon. I would but out a variety of chip bags for the kids, fruit, cheese, maybe mini bagels and cream cheese...

[Anonymous]

I don't drink and even if I did, it wouldn't be at a kids party in the afternoon.

I would be 👀 all the lush's in my kid's class, though.

I'm laughing that you won't serve meat at your party but booze is all good.

[Anonymous]

I did a joint party once and it worked out great. But I split it into two parties in one day.

I had the younger child's party 11-2. I rented a bouncy house -- pizza and cake. Then the older child's party was 4-7. Bouncy house, pizza and cake.

The idea came from wanting to rent a bouncy house -- seemed expensive so getting two parties out of it worked well. We only had about two kids that lived in the neighborhood - so they stayed all day

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Consider inviting only the boys/girls (which ever your kids are) to cut down on the size. I would not think of cocktails for a kids party at 2 30 in the afternoon. I would but out a variety of chip bags for the kids, fruit, cheese, maybe mini bagels and cream cheese...

This is a good idea, can cut in half and my DD prefers playing with girls anyway. I could also cut the 3 yo class, not sure my son would care much. The party is over Columbus Day weekend so I assume a lot of people may not be able to attend.

For the K parents, I was going to add a note that they’re welcome to drop off or stay, whatever they’re comfortable with — but I think neighbors will all stick around to chat.

[Anonymous]

My nieces birthdays are days apart( when they were little my sister would do their birthday parties back to back, so family only had to come to the area once. Both were either at the house, or one would be at a local place and the other at the house etc.

[Anonymous]

I don't have a big house, but 50-60 kids is a huge party to me, I couldn't do it. It would stress me out so much thinking about the mess and whether I had enough food and if a kid would be in a different part of my house messing things up and I didn't even know it.

I like the idea of the split party/bounce house all day thing. So the 3s in the morning, have muffins, mini bagels, strawberries, water. Coffee for grownups. Then the k kids in the afternoon and offer double cut pizza and pretzels and water. No alcohol.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I don't have a big house, but 50-60 kids is a huge party to me, I couldn't do it. It would stress me out so much thinking about the mess and whether I had enough food and if a kid would be in a different part of my house messing things up and I didn't even know it.

I like the idea of the split party/bounce house all day thing. So the 3s in the morning, have muffins, mini bagels, strawberries, water. Coffee for grownups. Then the k kids in the afternoon and offer double cut pizza and pretzels and water. No alcohol.

+1 I think this is a good plan. Neighborhood friends/family can come whenever works for them. I probably still wouldn’t do whole classes but my hosting sweet spot is 5-20 families so YMMV.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I don't have a big house, but 50-60 kids is a huge party to me, I couldn't do it. It would stress me out so much thinking about the mess and whether I had enough food and if a kid would be in a different part of my house messing things up and I didn't even know it.

I like the idea of the split party/bounce house all day thing. So the 3s in the morning, have muffins, mini bagels, strawberries, water. Coffee for grownups. Then the k kids in the afternoon and offer double cut pizza and pretzels and water. No alcohol.

I like this idea, too, of two parties split morning and afternoon and those are good menu suggestions. I had a whole class party for my then-1st grader. It was something like 25 kids at a venue. I found it overwhelming. I can't imagine have twice that many at my house at one time (and most parents stayed even though I said drop-off was fine). Booze isn't necessary and definitely NO popcorn if preschoolers will be there. Major choking hazard for kids under 4yo.