https://boards.hellobee.com/ Pregnancy, Baby and Parenting blog, by Hellobee en Mon, 19 Oct 2026 09:32:41 +0000 https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/small-home-and-birthday-parties#post-1584044 Tue, 22 Apr 2014 14:27:42 +0000 sumer08 1584044@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Last year we held LO's bday party in our home, but we rented a tent for the backyard to keep the party (mostly) outdoors. It worked great! This year, we are switching it up and hosting his party at a park pavilion. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/small-home-and-birthday-parties#post-1581942 Mon, 21 Apr 2014 20:30:45 +0000 Mrs. Sketchbook 1581942@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Does your condo unit have a clubhouse? A friend has a townhouse and had her sons BD party at the neighborhood clubhouse. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/small-home-and-birthday-parties#post-1581889 Mon, 21 Apr 2014 20:12:59 +0000 seabsher 1581889@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We have a small house also, so we have used the fellowship hall at our church. I think a park during this time of the year would be great! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/small-home-and-birthday-parties#post-1581739 Mon, 21 Apr 2014 19:09:44 +0000 Mrs. Lemon-Lime 1581739@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Our house and backyard could accomodate a party, but we plan to use our neighborhood park for birthdays. The park is just outside our development and has bathroom facilties, a covered picnic table area. Every weekend there's a bounce house inflated over by the park for a party. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/small-home-and-birthday-parties#post-1581696 Mon, 21 Apr 2014 18:44:14 +0000 honeybear 1581696@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Foodnerd81: Yeah, it can be a tricky proposition in some parks. I'd say for a party that lasts couple of hours, it's usually no big deal for adults, but if you've got toddlers/preschoolers coming, I'd try to find a spot close to a bathroom. Maybe a park with a nature center or a ranger station would be the best bet? </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/small-home-and-birthday-parties#post-1581682 Mon, 21 Apr 2014 18:36:41 +0000 Foodnerd81 1581682@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@honeybear: bathrooms are my primary concern with this idea! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/small-home-and-birthday-parties#post-1581321 Mon, 21 Apr 2014 15:34:24 +0000 Dandelion 1581321@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Mrs. Confetti: ditto...around here we can rent a pavilion for $50. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/small-home-and-birthday-parties#post-1581314 Mon, 21 Apr 2014 15:32:25 +0000 honeybear 1581314@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We do parties at parks. Our apartment is 1100 sq ft, and the living area is a decently sized, but when you've got multiple 2 or 3 year-olds involved, it's really nice to have some space for them to run around in. The chief consideration in most parks is the proximity to bathrooms, so I'd keep that in mind when reserving a spot, especially if toddler-aged siblings are in attendance. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/small-home-and-birthday-parties#post-1581313 Mon, 21 Apr 2014 15:32:01 +0000 regberadaisy 1581313@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Foodnerd81: go on your local towns Park and recreation site. They'll let you know which parks have shelters for rent. Or call your local town they might have rooms in municipal buildings for rent. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/small-home-and-birthday-parties#post-1581239 Mon, 21 Apr 2014 15:05:12 +0000 deactivated_account 1581239@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Foodnerd81: If there are kids invited to the party, I would definitely do a park. Good luck! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/small-home-and-birthday-parties#post-1581233 Mon, 21 Apr 2014 15:04:06 +0000 Foodnerd81 1581233@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Mrs. Jump Rope: Summer-- end of July, and we are in New England so the weather is usually pretty good then. </p> <p>Our condo is about 1200 sq ft, so not tiny, but a lot of that is bedrooms. It would be fine for 15 or so adults, but when you factor in toddlers it sounds less fun and most of the friends who would come have little ones. I do like the park idea and am looking into it. Then our condo would be the rain plan if need be. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/small-home-and-birthday-parties#post-1581191 Mon, 21 Apr 2014 14:45:32 +0000 Mrs. Jump Rope 1581191@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>What season is your child's birthday in?</p> <p>Chloe's bday is in the fall and sometimes we have snow on the ground in October! We held her first bday at my parents house because so many people were coming. </p> <p>Her second birthday was super low-key but even with immediate family we had about 30 people. My house is tiny and we made it work, but ideally wouldn't host another party here. </p> <p>If she had a summer birthday, I'd rent a pavilion at the park! I've looked into firehalls, local rec centers &amp; the library for room rentals too. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/small-home-and-birthday-parties#post-1581189 Mon, 21 Apr 2014 14:44:56 +0000 looch 1581189@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Even though my house has enough space for a party, my son had a December birthday and the thought of having people over in "high" season is just too stressful, so I am looking into a hall of some sort.</p> <p>Is there any space near you that could be rented out, like a community center or possibly a private club? </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/small-home-and-birthday-parties#post-1581181 Mon, 21 Apr 2014 14:42:15 +0000 hotchildinthecity 1581181@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I'd definitely look into a park. I live in a small place (550 square feet) and my max for a party is about 12 adults. So if a restaurant was not an option, i would have it at the park near my apartment where i see lots of people having parties. Also do you know anyone who has a community room in their building? That could work too! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/small-home-and-birthday-parties#post-1581155 Mon, 21 Apr 2014 14:32:43 +0000 deactivated_account 1581155@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Foodnerd81: I sometimes sneak alcohol everywhere. :silly: My condo is small (maybe 1000 sq ft total with two floors) but we do have a patio. We've had up to 12 or so people over and when people are having a good time, then the small space doesn't matter too much. Also, sad as it is, people in Southern CA hang out in their garages, too. Extra space is extra space, people! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/small-home-and-birthday-parties#post-1581152 Mon, 21 Apr 2014 14:31:25 +0000 Cole 1581152@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Look up your local parks and recreation department. Ours has a number you can call and they have a person in charge of rentals, try neighboring towns too. We have the space but still frequently have get togethers at the park. Some churches rent out space too, if you don't belong to one try asking friends and neighbors if their church does it.</p> <p>ETA- I was surprised at how reasonable it was to host a small party at a local pizza chain too, friends hosted for about twenty people and even picked up the tab for beer (although only a few people had one) and it was under $350 for dinner for everyone, they were allowed to bring a cake in from outside and the dinner included soda, salad, bread sticks and pizza plus they served the cake. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/small-home-and-birthday-parties#post-1581151 Mon, 21 Apr 2014 14:31:21 +0000 matador84 1581151@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We had ours at a local restaurant and it was the best!!!! so glad I decided not to do it at our home. It would have been so stressful! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/small-home-and-birthday-parties#post-1581140 Mon, 21 Apr 2014 14:26:51 +0000 TemperanceBrennan 1581140@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Also public libraries usually have meeting spaces you could use. A Hellobee blogger hosted a birthday party at one and it turned out great. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/small-home-and-birthday-parties#post-1581135 Mon, 21 Apr 2014 14:24:33 +0000 mrsjazz 1581135@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We held LO's first birthday party at a cafe nearby. If her birthday was during the summer we would have held it in the park nearby (if it wasn't deathly hot or we'd find a shady area). For her 2nd birthday we had a small thing for family (about 8 other people besides us). It was packed but nice. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/small-home-and-birthday-parties#post-1581134 Mon, 21 Apr 2014 14:24:15 +0000 Raindrop 1581134@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Depends what you think is small. :) We think we have a small house, well we have a townhouse. The main part of the house is the second floor and it's about 500 sqft (30 ft x 16 ft) Some people might not consider that small which is why I asked. We have an open floor plan so it's kind of the living room and dinning room combined. We don't have an outdoor space because it's a town house.</p> <p>We were able to have a small party with about 20 friends and family. It worked out well. We pushed our dinning table to a wall and put all our dinning chair against the wall for people to sit on. Some people sat on our stairs too. I think when it is close friends and family everything will work out. You are just trying to celebrate your LO's first year and that's all you should focus on.</p> <p>Good luck! :) </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/small-home-and-birthday-parties#post-1581128 Mon, 21 Apr 2014 14:22:51 +0000 Foodnerd81 1581128@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@MrsMcD: Oh, we are definitely doing something with his family, but it's just them and I want to celebrate with our friends too (but not all together). And we are proud of our home-- we just bought it!- but it would just be uncomfortable with a lot of people and kids. </p> <p>We did discuss sneaking in alcohol... :) </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/small-home-and-birthday-parties#post-1581125 Mon, 21 Apr 2014 14:22:03 +0000 Mrs. Confetti 1581125@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Park!! We are renting a small room at a local park district park Building. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/small-home-and-birthday-parties#post-1581122 Mon, 21 Apr 2014 14:21:15 +0000 deactivated_account 1581122@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I think you could do something with DH's family when they are in town, and then do something entirely different with your friends. If there aren't too many friends, do it at your home! Be proud you have a home, even if its small. Otherwise, a park is a great option if you don't mind sneaking alcohol (or you don't drink alcohol.) Call your city and find out about reservations and permits. Hang some cheap paper pom poms from Etsy off the park canopy and get table cloths. You will have a great time! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/small-home-and-birthday-parties#post-1581105 Mon, 21 Apr 2014 14:15:46 +0000 Foodnerd81 1581105@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>If you live in a small home, what do you do about things like birthday parties? I'm thinking about C's first birthday. At first we weren't going to do anything, other than an informal get together with DH's family, who happen to be visiting nearby around her bday, for other reasons. So, not a party, and it's the side of the family I am least close with anyway. </p> <p>But, now I'm sort of feel like, you know, it has been an incredibly big year for us and I want to celebrate it, dammit! I don't want anything big and fancy and don't even want gifts, I just want to have some friends together to celebrate our wonderful little girl. But we live in a 2 bedroom condo with no outdoor space and her birthday is in July. We don't have family nearby with a house or anything like that.</p> <p>What do you do if you have a small home? We don't really want to have it at a restaurant or anything since that would be a much bigger to do than we want. I'm going to see if there are parks where we can reserve a space but not really sure how to look that up. </p>