How to plan a party for the whole class

Having a class party with 20-30 kids might seem really daunting and you might wonder if it is worthy. Each person will have their reasons but in my opinion those class parties are a great way to meet some of the other parents outside of school hours and get to know them on a more personal level which has now made school pick up and drop off that little bit friendlier.
Here are some tips on how to get organised in advance:

1. Location, location
 
Deciding on a location was the first big decision. Ask at your local Church halls or a soft play area as those will offer the party room and the kids entertainment all in one. Check with them what decorations you are allowed to put up as some of the venues will not let you use any tape on the walls. Also, check how long in advance you will be allowed in the venue as it can be just 10 min so you will need to make sure that you have everything prepared in advance. If time is limited, we would recomend having some balloons inflated and scatted around the room.

 

2. Decide on a theme:

If your child has a particular character that they like it may be tempting to choose that as the theme for your child’s party. However, bear in mind that not all children like the same thing. In order to make everyone feel included at the party, pick a generic theme.
For example, if your child likes Superman, pick a superheroes theme and all the children can come dressed as their favourite superhero.
Some other ideas that work well are:

• Favourite Book Character
• Animal party (farm or wild animals)
• Magic or circus party

 
3. invites
When inviting a large number of children I find it easy to send an e-invite (paperlesspost.com). you will be able to keep a list of the attendees, chase people who hasn’t replied and send a reminder closer to the date. You can ask about any allergies or dietary requirements so you know what you will need to plan for food.

4. Food
When catering for large numbers it is best to keep the food simple. Sandwiches, pizza slices, pastries, cut fruit and vegetables is easy to put together. You can get creative and cut sandwiches into cute shapes and arrange some fruit and snacks in skewers to make them more fun and interesting.

 

5. Party bags

And last but not least, the party bags and what to include in them. My advice is to keep your party favours generic. This avoids potential arguments over ‘who got the better toy’.
If you want to move away from small plastic toys, here are some ideas for alternative favours to give to your guests at the end of the party:

• A set of colouring pencils
• A re-usable bag with sweeties
• Seeds to plant and grow your own herbs or flowers
• A book
• Travel board game

 


I hope this helps you planning your next class party.
Have fun,
Natalia