Help! Childrens party and its raining.

[charlie82]

Its my sons 2nd birthday and we're having a party for him at home. The plan was it have a bbq for all the adults (16 of us) and childrens picnic nibbles for the 9 children. We've hired a bouncy castle, outdoor connect 4 & jenga. Obviously to entertain the adults too. We have lots to do for the kids in the garden like sandpit, tractor, electric car slide swing etc. BUT........ its forcast rain all day and its cold! What do we do? Our house isnt big enough to have everyone inside and I have no idea what games I could play with a group of 2 year olds. Well, actually daddy could play I'm 9 months preggers lol. Any ideas would be appreciated. x

[annie0000]

We had an outdoor party every year when my kids were younger and the forecast never seemed to work out as bad as you expect. You will find that the bouncy castle should be supplied with a rain cover - check with the supplier - you only then need to work out how to get them from the door to the castle without getting wet. What we did was beg and borrow awnings/gazebos and use one as a cover for the kids to get to the castle and the rest as cover for the patio area and went ahead anyway - adults will enteratin themselves and will be busy supervising kids anyway - kids will be happy enough jumping about on the castle and will really need very little else - if you can get one room in the house reasonably clear and fill it with balloons that'll occupy them for ages. Just remind everyone to dress warmly and it will all work out fine. Stick the sand pit under cover and that will be plenty to entertain them.

As for games to play with them - I would forget it for two year olds when there is a bouncy castle there, they wont settle to anything - better just to have one idiot, oops volunteer, run about in the garden and let them chase him about - remember they will be hyped up and full of energy!

[charlie82]

Hi annie, thankyou for your reply. Weather wasn't great but we all had a fab time. Children wrapped up warm and we had our bbq underneath our awning. The day was a great success. x

[annie0000]

Glad it turned out well charlie - thanks for coming back to let me know - Nothing beats a summer party in the garden - we have great memories of them and in fact was speaking to the mum of one of my boys friend's the other day and she was talking about one of the parties we had and what a fab time they'd had. We moved it indoors at 10pm and it carried on until 3 in the morning - that was after a 2pm start! Anyway, my boys will be 10 and 9 this summer and have asked for garden party again - haven't done it for the last 2 summers, but may give it one last fling before they are too big for a bouncy castle.