Kindergartener's Birthday party...I'm New to This!

Simply treat it as you always have and invite the new guests, if they come they come. If I lived where you do and was used to the environment I would probably be up for that kind of party. I see no reason to change what you do simply because "new" or "different" people may attend.

Oh and time wise 2-4 or 3-5 (depending on meal served) works for us.

Hello,
I, too, live in Western Washington and am very familiar with the likelihood of rain (and children's b-day parties). My sense is that parents and kids are up for this kind of thing as long as there is notice on what to expect. Just let them know that it will be rain or shine and to come equipped to play. Seems like afternoon parties (2 - 4 pm) usually work well. Good luck and have fun!

It sounds great. If you're going to get them soaked and muddy (which they will love), warn the parents first, because some parents freak out over mud and water. But don't let a few naysayers spoil the fun. Most 6 six year olds love getting wet and muddy, and it's free and doesn't involve a lot of organizing.

You could also do sack races and tug-o-war and egg toss, if you want more structured games..

Sounds like a blast! Go for it. 12:00-3::00 sounds best, if you want to give people time to get back from church.

Indicate gift preference on the invite, along with a warning about mud and a suggestion of possible change of clothes. (Kids usually like to give gifts and watch them being opened, however, so I don't think it's necessary to forbid gifts, but if you want to, then do so.)

Throw your kid's party the way you and your kid want to do it. No one is being forced to attend, and they can decline if they can't handle a little mud.

This sounds like a fun party. You might want to invite the other parents too- some might not feel too comfortable letting their kids go down to the water under the supervision of others since each child may or may not swim. I would definitely include something like - bring a change of clothes. Are there restrooms or changing facilities there? Also we don't get out of church til 11:50 or noon so I think i would check with churches in your area to find out what time they let out after services. If you have it at 2 you wouldn't be expected to serve food - just cake and ice cream or drinks. Have fun!

My daughter turns 6 at the end of May too :)
I've been to a park party in the rain. Or drizzle really. The mom was kinda disappointed but the kids didn't care. There was one covered area for the adults to hang in so that made it perfectly tolerable. They had a bounce house and it was all wet and muddy and slippery but the kids were fine with it. I see what you mean about going down to the water though, that's kind of another animal.
I find that birthday gifts this age are pretty inexpensive as it is, so maybe you don't have to say anything. Unless you truly, truly, don't want them. I personally feel that kids birthday gifts are just as much for the giver as they are for the receiver. Kids like to pick out things they think their friends and classmates will enjoy, sign the card, carry it in. I think its good life experience for kids to celebrate others and be the giver.
You could always do a "in lieu of gifts..." Thing and have some kind of interesting donation deal... Like bring blankets for the pet rescue shelter or something (if she is into animals, what 6 year old girl isn't, right?) One party we went to this year for boy/girl twins had "in lieu of gifts please bring one new hardcover book to donate to 'milk and bookies' ". Then the guests still get the picking and giving practice, but your not stuck with a bunch cruddy toys. Look up "milk and bookies" it was a pretty cute program and the kids got stickers and buttons and stuff with the donation.

Too many people think they have to plan stuff during a birthday party but truly, the outdoors and the water will be the most fun.

I think you sound like a reasonable mom. Let the kids come and eat cake then open the presents then go run amok and come back covered in mud to go home...

Updated

Too many people think they have to plan stuff during a birthday party but truly, the outdoors and the water will be the most fun.

I think you sound like a reasonable mom. Let the kids come and eat cake then open the presents then go run amok and come back covered in mud to go home...

I live is 'cold' weather (homes around here do not have A/C).

Anyway, do the same type of party your daughter requested and you are used to doing. I like the idea of including 'bring mud boots' for rain or shine weather. People who don't want to deal with rain will go to their cars or just not show up.

I think after 12 noon is good. If you want to make lunch BBQ, I think 1pm would be good. Also, if you want siblings to be welcome you can write siblings welcome.

Do not mention the gift. People will do what they want to do.

i love the idea of a rain-or-shine beach party! especially if you're allowed to have a bonfire.
6 year olds do NOT need a ton of proscribed activities. pinata and cake are fine. maybe have a couple of easy ideas like the beep beep game if things flag, but i'll bet they won't. parents seem to forget these days that playing is kids' default position. they SHOULD be allowed to run wild without adults telling what and how to do it.
sunday afternoon after church sounds like a great time.
'we treasure your company, gifts are not necessary' is enough of a statement. some people will bring gifts anyway, and it's not for you to tell them what they should spend. so long as your wishes are clear, don't try to control it any further.
have a wonderful time!
:) khairete
S.

Well, all these other parents live in Olympia too. So chances are they can handle the rain ;). It's not like a wedding or something, where people will be flying in from Phoenix and Tuscon and the Sahara.

Just specify on the invitation, "This will be an outdoor party, rain or shine. Bring your rain boots, rain coats, and a change of clothes." On the gift thing, I think people often say "No presents, just your presence."

I love that you're doing a simple outdoor party where kids can just run around and play and be kids.

You're nervous because this is a new experience. Know it will be OK. In fact you'll have the same kind of fun you've had in the past.

Many moms have written on this site about how few children's parents RSVP and how most don't even come. If you have a small turnout I would not think it was because of the venue.

If you're inviting a few specific friends, I suggest that you talk with each child's parent to let them know about how you'll be celebrating. That way you'll have a better idea of who is actually coming.

I wouldn't mention gifts unless you want to say no gifts. However gifts are a fun part of the party and so I wouldn't say no gifts. The parties to which my grandchildren go to and the ones they've had the gifts from are mostly between $10 and $20. That seems like a reasonable amount to me and my daughter who is on a limited budget. With this party you'll then know the amount expected in your community.

Plan the party that YOUR child wants, not what you THINK other kids want. Your plan sounds fun. Yes a pinata and cake is plenty. For a Sunday party, around 1p or 2p is a good start time. It's after church for those that attend.

I'd just like to add that you give the party when you feel it's best for you. Others can work around it, or decline to come. You can't make endless adjustments to accommodate everyone. Some people go to church on Sunday, some go on Saturday, some don't go at all or don't go every week. Pick the time that is best for your family, your child, and the close friends you really want in attendance.

Keep the group manageable in size. Don't invite the whole class just because your child is in public school. I don't think you want to be going to 22 parties this year, and neither does anyone else. Just invite - through private invitation, not a teacher-distributed flyer! - those few kids your child is friendly with. Teachers DO NOT need one more thing to do, and we've seen many posts on Mamapedia of parents who DID send an invite home via school backpack and then never got RSVPs. They'll never know if the parents are rude, or if they sent an RSVP back via the "backpack system", or if they never got the flyer because the kid lost it or it's buried in the bottom of the backpack covered in apple juice.

Don't tell people that gifts aren't necessary or that they don't need to spend much. You can't tell people what to give. Don't say anything about it at all. People won't come without a gift anyway, and some even feel manipulated by you telling them not to bring your child a present! The reason birthday parties become so expensive is that people go overboard in the entertainment and goody bag department, and that people invite too many people and then too many guests have to attend too many parties. We all need to keep the parties small enough that close friends can afford to attend, so that we can afford to feed and entertain those who come, and so that our kids aren't receiving an overload of gifts to make it a present-festival instead of a celebration. Guests (especially kids) don't want to sit around and watch a child open 25 gifts, and no kid wants to spend the next month writing 25 thank you notes. Over-indulgence actually ruins the festivities.

Your invitation should make it clear what the activities are. People in your area know about the weather. Tell them to bring boots for water play. You can do a few simple games if you want - or have them available in case there's a need. The kids in our neighborhood are going back to easy things like potato races (you need a half dozen potatoes and some wooden spoons from the dollar store) - if you don't get to the game, no problem. Eat the potatoes and save the spoons for next year. They do 3-legged races - you need enough lengths of rope or thick elastic to create some bindings. They do sack races - you need a few old pillowcases that you're using for laundry bags or are ready to throw out. Simple simple simple. Kids have more fun, parents enjoy the party instead of turning parties into budget-busters and supervisory nightmares, and everyone just gets back to basics, like celebrating the birthday child and having some cake.

If you've done it before and it's worked, I see no reason not to do it again. Just because the guest list is different, I would think the mindset of the guests would be the same.

I live in a very different climate, so I am not used to going out and doing things in the rain - everything here gets canceled if it rains. But I think that, living where you do, people are used to it and don't shy away from going out when it's wet.

Personally, I prefer parties from 10:00 - 12:00 since I have a younger one that naps in the afternoon, and I don't go to church. But we have also gone to a few in the afternoons and those work too.

My son (also in kinder, turning 6) is going to a party this weekend where the invitation said "Your presence is gift enough." Several people asked, so the mom found a website where you can give a cash donation - 50% goes to a cause of the child's choice (and can even go to a particular person in need that you know personally) and the other 50% goes to the child, who specifies a gift she's saving for. In this case, the donated amount is going to a family friend with cystic fibrosis and the birthday girl is saving for an American Girl doll.

also put something on the invite like........This is a rain or shine party. Wear play clothes!!! If it's raining, bring your boots and a towel!!!!

I would have it from 2-4 on Sunday. Don't say anything about gifts because people will bring them anyway.
I would be nervous about rain. Can you have a party in your back yard with the option to go inside? Our last party we did in the backyard, but we had a few activities inside too.

If you do it at a park, make sure they have a covered area.

What kind of "water"? Is it a lake, pond, river, or just a wading area with a fountain or something? Water can be dangerous and that might make a few parents very nervous---so expect them to maybe want to hang around. I would be nervous leaving my 6 yr old with someone else at a group thing like that knowing there were only a few adults to watch all the kids with water (potential safety hazard) being one of the main "events".

The kids will LOVE it. The parents, if they are accustomed to your area, may be just fine with it too--so long as you give them fair warning about what to expect. Be sure to include a notation to "bring a change of clothes/shoes/socks and expect to get wet/dirty" so that parents will be prepared.
For the time, if you are serving BBQ lunch, then I would say 1:00 or 1:30 until 3:00 or 3:30. If the BBQ is more of a munchie thing, then 2:00-4:00.

As for gifts... that's tricky. If you really don't want your child to have a bunch of toys and stuff then does she have a charity you could get behind as an alternative? Really simple: the local humane society would probably love any donation of used towels/blankets. Most everybody I know has a closet with worn out towels in them.... who throws out towels (even old ratty ones)??? No one I know. But it doesn't cost a dime to donate one. And it would be easy/simple to make a stack as the kids bring them and throw them in the back of the car/the back seat and drop them at the shelter. Maybe take a photo of the birthday child with the huge stack before dropping them off?
If you decide not to do a charity type alternative, then I would stay mum on the gift issue. No one is ever comfortable with the "no gifts" admonition, because it just feels wrong... and then you have some who do and some who don't and that makes everyone feel even more awkward. They will do what they do, so don't mention anything--unless you opt to do some sort of charitable alternative option.

I wouldn't want to go to an outdoor party in rain, if that's what u r asking. I'd say 11-1 but then u have to serve lunch. Maybe 2-4 "snacks and cake" have a few games planned just in case. U can say no gifts but some will anyway bc it feels awkward not to.

This year you are dealing with different kids and their parents. My guess would be they don't want their kid getting wet and muddy. I know I would not want mine to unless is 'twas 95 degrees. So I would rethink your plans.
Sunday afternoon would probably work best. Like 2-4.

Yep, as someone else noted -- with playing in water a part of the plan, that will make some parents very nervous, even if it's a little creek (and it's not clear to me if the water here means a pond, fountains at a park, a creek? Someone posted about your having a "beach party" but that isn't the impression I get....). You might think they're being scaredy-cats but frankly parents of kids this age are going to wonder how supervised their kids are going to be if there's water and the kids are invited to get muddy and wet, especially if it involves clambering on rocks etc. What's a ton of fun for kids when it's all close family friends who know the park well could turn into a ton of questions for you from parents who just don't know you, the park layout, or what their kids will be around. You can't really blame them. And if you do expect the water play to be part of this, then TELL the parents they are expected to stay -- you do not want to be in a position of telling parents to drop off kids then you find yourself watching kids you don't know well around water, even a creek; you'll discover that some kids will get pretty wild and won't listen to you because you're not their mom but a stranger to them.

If you have the park party you might have to have games and activities well planned to keep kids away from the water. You can find tons of kids' games online -- search by age so you get age-appropriate games. It really is easy to run kids' games and they'll love it. I know some folks have posted that "kids this age don't need organized games" but I've always found that kids of every age LOVE organized games if the games are right for their ages. (Our 12-year-old Girl Scouts adore games so you're never too old!) Don't do pin-the-tail on the donkey stuff -- find some different ones.

They'd also love the water play so if you go that route, it's fine, but I would limit the numbers pretty firmly; tell parents exactly what will happen (as in, "We'll be playing in the creek so kids need sturdy, closed shoes or boots and we'll provide nets to catch stuff..." whatever); tell parents that an adult should expect to stay for the party and creek fun; and be very clear: Please, no siblings. (Surely you've read here on Mamapedia about the many many posts where moms complain that siblings tag along uninvited to parties!)

I know this reply isn't as loose and fun as "just invite them and let them mess around in the water," but if the guest kids do not know the adults in charge and you don't know them well, it could end up being a lot of work for you. Only you know if this is a tiny creek on flat land or if the kids would be climbing up and down rocks etc. If it's kids you know and whose parents you know it's another thing altogether.