4 yo bday party - question & dilemma

[Rosehip]

Ok, not a HUGE dilemma...but
DD will be turning four 12 days after DS turns 2. I'm planning to have a friends' party for DD. No reason to make it a joint party type thing, right? We can have a family party for DS on/near his actual bday, right? I wouldn't plan a friends party for a 2 yo.

My question - I need ideas for a 4 yo bday party that fits these criteria:

-indoors (it's in January in the Northeast)
-Can potentially accomodate a big crowd (there are 10 kids in her class, plus a couple of neighbor kids) I could probably host in my apartment, if I can come up w/a plan. I have a very big living room, and think I'd be ok spacewise, but what to do there? My kids don't have a ton of toys.
-Not too pricey
-Mama has limited crafty skills...

any ideas? Thanks!

[The4OfUs]

Bowling? I know our bowling alleys have bday packages that aren't too expensive, they do bumper bowling, and my 4yo and his buddy LOVED doing it for his 4th BD.

In fact, I think that's what we're goign to do again for his 5th, but will invite a few more kids this time around...

[Rosehip]

What's bumper bowling? This sounds like it has potential!

[proudmamanow]

One of our big chain grocery stores has a big cooking class space they will rent out for $90--this includes cake, coffee, tea and loot bags, iirc. You can bring all your own food otherwise. A couple of local community centres will rent out big playspace for under $100 as well...not sure if that fits your budget, but it helped us out when we lived in a much smaller house.

[janasmama]

bumper bowling is when they put blockers in the gutters on the sides so the kids don't actually get gutter balls...the ball will just bump down the alley way.

I don't really set too much stuff up at that age...the kids just like to play and even though you don't have many toys, all of your toys are new to the other kids.

If you did do it in your house, you could just do musical chairs (we do this at church and although it sometimes doesn't go just as it's suppose to they get the basic idea and have fun with it.) Ring-around-the-rosey is another fave game of kids this age. A pin the tail on the donkey sort of game would be fun also.

My dd loves using glitter pens so you could always just get construction paper and a bunch of glitter pens and let them have fun with that.

[birdie22]

DS was just a guest at a dance party for a 5yo. She takes ballet at the dance studio, but they'll do parties for anybody. They have different themes available, and they do the whole deal, even the invitations. I was surprised, it wasn't much more than I'm spending to throw a "homemade" birthday party in the park.

Our gymnastics school also offers birthday parties for a very reasonable price.

I think simple parties at home are the best, but I get so stressed out about having everyone in my house. Many of ds' friends can't come to our house anyway, because we have cats and they have allergies.

[The4OfUs]

Originally Posted by birdie22

I think simple parties at home are the best, but I get so stressed out about having everyone in my house.

Yeah, I get this too - I'd rather have 10 kids and parents out somewhere where I"m not obsessing over stuff, and then get to all go HOME, and I don't ahve to clean up when everyone is gone.

Actually, I just realized that I did bowling with DS's bussy on his actual birthday and that was a huge hit, but then we had his preschool class to the local hands-on science museum for a "party"...it wasn't that expensive really, when I consider the $ I would have spent on cake, decorations, crafty/other activities at the house, plus I didn't have the house chaos issue either.

For DD's Bday, it's in June so it's outside and totally cool to just do a BBQ in the back yard - that will work for a LONG time. But winter bdays are harder in wintery climates...