https://boards.hellobee.com/ Pregnancy, Baby and Parenting blog, by Hellobee en Tue, 02 Jun 2026 07:50:34 +0000 https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/entertainment-at-4th-bday-party#post-2736020 Mon, 15 May 2017 10:50:24 +0000 yoursilverlining 2736020@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>This is the first year we are having entertainment - LO is turning 5 and we are having a face painter and balloon animal maker come. </p> <p>For her previous birthdays the kids all just seemed happy enough playing with LO's toys, both inside and outside (and with chalk outside!)</p> <p>We thought about a bounce house or inflatable water slide but holy hell. I am not paying $450+ for entertainment for a kid's party! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/entertainment-at-4th-bday-party#post-2735993 Mon, 15 May 2017 10:10:52 +0000 hellobeeboston 2735993@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We had a fourth birthday party at our house - we had a bouncy house, but of course, it rained... We got one with a cover but it leaked, so we cleaned it with as many towels as possible... The kids still jumped in it! We also had ALL of our outdoor toys out on display - and we had a ton of toys/crafts set up inside too. Our house was destroyed, haha. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/entertainment-at-4th-bday-party#post-2735948 Mon, 15 May 2017 08:51:31 +0000 Mamaof2 2735948@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>DS - we had a piñata, dinosaur dig, and then the kids played tag, hide and seek, and on the hammock - haha - I had a few more activities but they liked just running around</p> <p>DD- we did a few crafts inside then a piñata and then they played hide and seek for the rest of the party (their choice)</p> <p>Both kids have bdays too cold for water play but if it was summer I would set up pools and water toys and let them at it! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/entertainment-at-4th-bday-party#post-2735944 Mon, 15 May 2017 08:47:33 +0000 looch 2735944@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I personally have never had a party at my home, so take what I am writing with a grain of salt, but I have noticed that kids behave better when there are a few party game stations set up, rather than letting it be a free for all of just playing with toys.</p> <p>You could do an obstacle course, my son and his friend loved them. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/entertainment-at-4th-bday-party#post-2735942 Mon, 15 May 2017 08:45:36 +0000 bushelandapeck 2735942@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We also did a bounce house for DS and it was great! He's still asking at 4.5 if he can have another one at his 5th birthday this summer :) We've been to several parties where they had characters come (Tinkerbell, Ariel, pirates) and my son wasn't at all interested in those so it's not something we would do. We also went to one recently with a musician and all the kids loved that but I didn't think it was totally necessary since the kids had all been playing nicely together up to that point. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/entertainment-at-4th-bday-party#post-2735895 Mon, 15 May 2017 07:43:10 +0000 mediagirl 2735895@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We did water themed parties for the last two years (age 3 and 4). For age 3, we had two baby pools - one was an Intex one that had a little slide in it and the other was a plastic walmart baby pool that we put pit balls into. We had a play house and some cars out back and that was enough to keep them occupied. At age 4, we had a big backyard "pool" party. It was so much fun, we couldn't get the kids out of the pools to eat dinner. :)</p> <p>[attach=251/17/opzvby.600x450.20160611_170449.jpg] </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/entertainment-at-4th-bday-party#post-2735873 Mon, 15 May 2017 03:20:52 +0000 Kemma 2735873@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>At my daughter's fourth birthday the only "entertainment" we planned was a game of Pass the Parcel and the kids were perfectly happy! If it was raining I was going to shut the curtains, crank up the music and get out a packet of glow sticks for the kids.</p> <p>In my experience kids are happy just to be tearing around together and playing with somebody else's toys! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/entertainment-at-4th-bday-party#post-2735867 Sun, 14 May 2017 23:10:42 +0000 PinkElephant 2735867@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>It depends on the number of kids, I think. Prior to this year we had smaller parties (6-8 friends plus their grow ups) at home. I tried to just have something "extra" out to play with - a water table full of water balloons, battery powered bubble blowers or ribbon wands that double as a favor, sidewalk chalk, etc. I've also set out really simple crafts that kids can do as they please (crowns or fairy wings to decorate with stickers or stick on gems, for example) - something that requires just a few moments attention span and little to no adult supervision. That way kids can do it if they're interested, or they can just run around.</p> <p>This year the trend has been to invite the whole class, so we've been to mostly venue parties. We just went to one where Elsa came - she sang, painted faces, made "snow" to throw around, read a story, did a coronation ceremony where everyone got a crown....it was pretty full on. some of the kids were enthralled, some flitted back and forth between whatever Elsa was doing and the play structure, and some ignored her entirely. I think that in a backyard rather than a play space, she would have gotten even more attention from the kids, and kept the party flowing nicely. If you have a big group, I'd consider an entertainer like this, maybe? Just because I have no clue what I'd do with 15 or 20 kids in my backyard, and I don't want to have to take on the "cruise director" role to keep so many kids occupied and out of trouble - my swing set can only handle 5-6 kids, max. :)</p> <p>I have considered the bouncy house idea, but on my own property I would be worried about liability with a big group/school friends. I'd probably only do it with very close friends. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/entertainment-at-4th-bday-party#post-2735865 Sun, 14 May 2017 22:35:39 +0000 GoGoSnoGirl 2735865@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We went to a 4yr old's party recently where they hired a magician. The kids loved it. He also made balloon animals/hats at the end. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/entertainment-at-4th-bday-party#post-2735860 Sun, 14 May 2017 21:57:59 +0000 Mrs. Champagne 2735860@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>My friend hired a face painter for her daughters bday. The kids loved it. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/entertainment-at-4th-bday-party#post-2735835 Sun, 14 May 2017 19:33:20 +0000 MrsRoo 2735835@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We just had a joint party for our daughters' 1st and 4th birthdays. It's not the norm in our circle to hire entertainment for parties, and we've never been to one with hired entertainment, so ours was pretty simple. We had a pool, piñata and an epic water balloon fight. Had we held the party at our home and not had pool access, we would have rented a bouncy water slide, set up our slip n slide, water table, kiddy pool, etc and still done the piñata and water balloon fight. It was a huge hit! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/entertainment-at-4th-bday-party#post-2735790 Sun, 14 May 2017 16:52:09 +0000 caterw 2735790@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We have been to the petting zoo birthday parties too and they are super awesome....</p> <p>However my daughter's absolute favorite party that she has ever attended was a "make your own mud pie" birthday. The mom got a bunch of big spoons from the thrift store, aluminum pie plates, a bag of dirt, and some grass/ flowers from her yard. The other "activity" was just to play with the little girl's outside toys. I think there were some balloons too. Super casual but my kiddo talks about it ALL THE TIME. I think kids don't expect a ton and the elaborate stuff is more for the parents at that age (although no judgement for those that like to go over the top since I definitely love to have fancy parties for my daughter!) </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/entertainment-at-4th-bday-party#post-2735759 Sun, 14 May 2017 14:45:56 +0000 Madison43 2735759@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We had a balloon twister come to our last party and it was a huge hit. She did toddler size "huggable" balloons like Elsa and Elmo and even made made a little car that the kids could get it. Not only was it the best party favor ever, the kids were totally transfixed by the process. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/entertainment-at-4th-bday-party#post-2735743 Sun, 14 May 2017 14:01:16 +0000 abbydabbydoodlebug 2735743@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>For my daughter's 3rd birthday we had a petting zoo at our neighborhood park. All the kids loved it and the one I got was really organized and only let 5 kids in at a time and each animal was handed to the kid and they held it on their lap to pet. We had kids from 2-8 and no one wanted to leave the pen! It was such a hit that I'd totally hire it again for her next birthday. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/entertainment-at-4th-bday-party#post-2735731 Sun, 14 May 2017 12:14:08 +0000 Anagram 2735731@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>a bounce house is a great idea! Or cool water sprinklers/slip n slide things for an outdoor water party.</p> <p>You could also order supplies to make those enormous bubbles that can go around a kid. I saw it on a blog and then saw supplies on Amazon. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/entertainment-at-4th-bday-party#post-2735729 Sun, 14 May 2017 11:46:47 +0000 JMOM 2735729@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We had a party for my 5 year old son and we did have a Jedi and Princess Leia (we got 2 for the price of 1). One good thing about having characters is they basically are the entertainment so you don't have to plan a lot of activities. I had a Scooby too party when my DD was 5 and it was a ton of work planning a scavenger hunt. I second the bounce house idea, then maybe an easy craft and a piñata. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/entertainment-at-4th-bday-party#post-2735726 Sun, 14 May 2017 11:35:07 +0000 Foodnerd81 2735726@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Purpledaisy: that's a good idea! Her friend had one at a 2nd bday then we brought her to an indoor bounce house place last year. She loves to bounce. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/entertainment-at-4th-bday-party#post-2735719 Sun, 14 May 2017 11:12:33 +0000 Purpledaisy 2735719@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We had a bounce house. It was awesome, the kids (and adults!) loved it, and no further entertainment was needed. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/entertainment-at-4th-bday-party#post-2735718 Sun, 14 May 2017 11:08:40 +0000 Foodnerd81 2735718@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Now that we finally have a house and my old r daughter will be turning four and actually understands what a birthday party is, I am excited to have one for her! But I am not sure what to expect. How much "entertainment" do you need for a 4 year old bday? </p> <p>I'm envisioning it at home, mostly outside in our backyard and back deck (weather permitting), morning to lunch time probably. Do I need to plan games and such, or other entertainment (we've been to parties with petting zoos and appearances by Anna and elsa, which seems over the top...). Not sure how many people we would have at this point. </p> <p>What have your experiences been with parties for that age? </p>