I really dont want to be the first reply....and to be negative but.....I did this type of thing at my daughters birthday this year.....6 kids invited, so bought a packet of plain cupcakes for about £3 ( would make them myself next time!), some decorations,sweets and then we made different icing....they didnt get as far as taking them home

The whole thing probably cost £5.00, as opposed to your £48.oo average....and we did swirly face paint moustaches to look like chefs

But it was a good way to spend the time, the kids loved it....boys and girls....and I am sure some parents have more money than inclination to do it themselves....I reckon you could be onto a winner, and throwing the cake in is a good idea.

I'm not a parent, but I will give you a bump.

And for what it's worth, I think it sounds like a nice idea.

My initial reaction was to turn a slightly funny colour at the thought of 10 or so little girlies making cakes in my house, particularly remembering how excited they get when parties are involved

quote:

Originally posted by fz:
I really dont want to be the first reply....and to be negative but.....I did this type of thing at my daughters birthday this year.....6 kids invited, so bought a packet of plain cupcakes for about £3 ( would make them myself next time!), some decorations,sweets and then we made different icing....they didnt get as far as taking them home

The whole thing probably cost £5.00, as opposed to your £48.oo average....and we did swirly face paint moustaches to look like chefs

But it was a good way to spend the time, the kids loved it....boys and girls....and I am sure some parents have more money than inclination to do it themselves....I reckon you could be onto a winner, and throwing the cake in is a good idea.

No, OK, a little bit of constructive criticism is always appreciated!

The price difference is to me because of the getting someone else in. I had a makeover party for my daughter's 9th Birthday and I could have done it a lot more cheaply had I done it myself but because I got a proper hairdresser and make-up artist it cost me a lot more but the results were great and the girls adored it! Because I run a cake-decorating company and I would also make the birthday cake I was hoping that people would be prepared to pay that bit more?

quote:

Originally posted by Growlybear:
My initial reaction was to turn a slightly funny colour at the thought of 10 or so little girlies making cakes in my house, particularly remembering how excited they get when parties are involved

Aprons and tablecloths will be provided! lol

As someone who couldn't bake a cake to save her life, I think your idea is really good and I'm sure there are other mums out there like me who get palpitations at the thought of donning a pinny and measuring out flour etc. ...

Kids (even some boys ) love messing about with ingredients and it would be so much more enjoyable for them to see satisfactory results at the end of it ...

I would go for it, I do like the idea but I will honest I would only expect to pay about a fiver a head but I am tightfisted.

Afterthought : If the birthday cake was personalised maybe I would pay more, I always get close family members a "special" cake and pay £40 for that.

I would say about a fiver each. Would you stay behind and clean up after? Serious question btw as I wouldn't want to be the one clearing up after 10 kids had been baking in my kitchen

I would make the cupcakes before the party and the party bit would be concentrating on the decoration. All the icing would be premade and so there wouldn't be a lot of flour/sugar dust about. I would put down plastic sheets under the decorating table and I would clean up after myself so yes that would be inclusive.

The cake I would probably have to keep to a range of set designs to keep the costs reasonable for me but it would of course be personalised and specially made for the party.

Posh people pay a fortune for kids parties, if you live near any, exploit them.

Btw, I got an e-mail this morning asking me if I would be interested in running a corporate team-building day in Swindon and so the idea has developed from that really! It's just a thought so I don't mind people saying it's a bad one before I go off half-cocked.

I went white at the thought of the mess LLF and surely the kitchen would have to be a big one as well.
Moreover, if the kiddies were in the kitchen, how would the hostess prepare and keep the birthday tea stuff?

I can see the potential in the idea, but my tried and tested birthday party is to take the little darlings out for the day(lol)

quote:

Originally posted by Kaytee:


I can see the potential in the idea, but my tried and tested birthday party is to take the little darlings out for the day(lol)

lol same here!

I think the concept is fab.... just the price is a bit high.

I think it is a great idea, I would certainly go for it.

It can be done after the kids have their eats and so the kitchen would be free to do this in.

I wish you all the luck with this, give it a shot, you will lose nothing if it doesnt work out.

quote:

Originally posted by littleleicesterfox:

quote:

Originally posted by fz:
I really dont want to be the first reply....and to be negative but.....I did this type of thing at my daughters birthday this year.....6 kids invited, so bought a packet of plain cupcakes for about £3 ( would make them myself next time!), some decorations,sweets and then we made different icing....they didnt get as far as taking them home

The whole thing probably cost £5.00, as opposed to your £48.oo average....and we did swirly face paint moustaches to look like chefs

But it was a good way to spend the time, the kids loved it....boys and girls....and I am sure some parents have more money than inclination to do it themselves....I reckon you could be onto a winner, and throwing the cake in is a good idea.

No, OK, a little bit of constructive criticism is always appreciated!

The price difference is to me because of the getting someone else in. I had a makeover party for my daughter's 9th Birthday and I could have done it a lot more cheaply had I done it myself but because I got a proper hairdresser and make-up artist it cost me a lot more but the results were great and the girls adored it! Because I run a cake-decorating company and I would also make the birthday cake I was hoping that people would be prepared to pay that bit more?

I really do think parents would be prepared to pay.....possibly an hour? Would that put you on par with those clowns etc that you hire by the hour?

There are some inventive parties out there now aren't there? ....in my day it was a swiss roll and a game of musical chairs, a bowl of jelly and a lucky bag.

My daughter went to one this year where the mum had bought plain square glass picture frames....put them on the table with loads of decoration bits and bobs and let the kids design their own frame....then she took photos of them, printed them off and put them in the frame in the lucky bag!!

I felt a complete failure having shop made cup cakes ....just thinking, for summer birthdays you could get the little blighters to make the decorations outside.

quote:

Originally posted by littleleicesterfox:
Btw, I got an e-mail this morning asking me if I would be interested in running a corporate team-building day in Swindon and so the idea has developed from that really! It's just a thought so I don't mind people saying it's a bad one before I go off half-cocked.

I used to do face painting (corporate bookings & fetes & festivals).... and by request that generated an offshoot doing kids parties... only not just with the traditional face painting... more the special effects side... wounds and gore (little boys parties ).

We did a few.... they were very successful. We did the first couple kinda for free... but both times the mum gave us a generous donation at the end.

I only stopped doing them cos they used to do my head in.... bless, I love kids, but I do everything I can to avoid having twenty of them running around on my own kids birthdays..

Anybody who is willing to take on 10 kids to make cakes in my oppinion is worth their weight in gold. id pay you while i retired to the garden with a large gin with the other mothers

I think if you turned up with plastic sheeting... and even a cheap set of plastic chairs (the stackable ones, and tables)..... suddenly its looking less and less messy for mums.

quote:

Originally posted by Kaytee:
I went white at the thought of the mess LLF and surely the kitchen would have to be a big one as well.
Moreover, if the kiddies were in the kitchen, how would the hostess prepare and keep the birthday tea stuff?

I can see the potential in the idea, but my tried and tested birthday party is to take the little darlings out for the day(lol)

But they wont be making the cakes....they'll be brought to the party readymade....they'll just be putting on decorations, smarties etc etc etc....I suspose they could do that at the dinner table after the birthday tea....or in the shed.

I just asked my girls. Here's what they said..

They'd love to make pizzas but cakes are good too.
They'd like to make jewelery.
They'd like to do hair and make up on each other.
They'd like to trendify (thier word not mine) clothes.
They'd like to have a dance competition. Not kids stuff...proper grown up moves
They don't want to clean up any mess after.

That's just my wierdo pair though

quote:

Originally posted by Cagney:
I just asked my girls. Here's what they said..

They'd love to make pizzas but cakes are good too.
They'd like to make jewelery.
They'd like to do hair and make up on each other.
They'd like to trendify (thier word not mine) clothes.
They'd like to have a dance competition. Not kids stuff...proper grown up moves
They don't want to clean up any mess after.

That's just my wierdo pair though

thats not so weird, i organise many of the things that you have listed for my after school club children, and they really enjoy it.

the only concern that i have for the OP is that will the cost of everything be covered by her prices, because if i remember rightly her cakes are very elaborate and beautiful and must be time consuming as well.

Pizzas are a brill idea...thank your kids for me, they may have got my next party sorted.

quote:

Originally posted by fz:

quote:

Originally posted by Kaytee:
I went white at the thought of the mess LLF and surely the kitchen would have to be a big one as well.
Moreover, if the kiddies were in the kitchen, how would the hostess prepare and keep the birthday tea stuff?

I can see the potential in the idea, but my tried and tested birthday party is to take the little darlings out for the day(lol)

But they wont be making the cakes....they'll be brought to the party readymade....they'll just be putting on decorations, smarties etc etc etc....I suspose they could do that at the dinner table after the birthday tea....or in the shed.

Back garden...wissing down or not

quote:

Originally posted by fz:
Pizzas are a brill idea...thank your kids for me, they may have got my next party sorted.

They said "pleasure" and you have to make fruit juice cocktails with straws and umbrellas too

quote:

Originally posted by Cagney:
I just asked my girls. Here's what they said..

They'd love to make pizzas but cakes are good too.
They'd like to make jewelery.
They'd like to do hair and make up on each other.
They'd like to trendify (thier word not mine) clothes.
They'd like to have a dance competition. Not kids stuff...proper grown up moves
They don't want to clean up any mess after.

That's just my wierdo pair though

My two agree with this, I just read it to them!

They added just one thing...they want a magic bag for them and their friends at the end (a goodie bag). The bag should contain; a CD preferably Girls Aloud or N Dubz, a magazine and a bracelet or necklace made of pretty beads.

Their words too not mine!

quote:

Originally posted by mozart:

quote:

Originally posted by Cagney:
I just asked my girls. Here's what they said..

They'd love to make pizzas but cakes are good too.
They'd like to make jewelery.
They'd like to do hair and make up on each other.
They'd like to trendify (thier word not mine) clothes.
They'd like to have a dance competition. Not kids stuff...proper grown up moves
They don't want to clean up any mess after.

That's just my wierdo pair though

thats not so weird, i organise many of the things that you have listed for my after school club children, and they really enjoy it.

the only concern that i have for the OP is that will the cost of everything be covered by her prices, because if i remember rightly her cakes are very elaborate and beautiful and must be time consuming as well.

Weirdos as in they are the only kids I know that prefer savoury to sweet and would buy clothes from the charity shop and trendify it rather than buy new

Stuff like that needn't be expensive either and I'd pay more for a dress up party than I would for food. If I supplied the basic outfit and Foxy provided the bits and bobs to sew on it I'd probably pay a tenner a head.

quote:

Originally posted by Lacey:

quote:

Originally posted by Cagney:
I just asked my girls. Here's what they said..

They'd love to make pizzas but cakes are good too.
They'd like to make jewelery.
They'd like to do hair and make up on each other.
They'd like to trendify (thier word not mine) clothes.
They'd like to have a dance competition. Not kids stuff...proper grown up moves
They don't want to clean up any mess after.

That's just my wierdo pair though

My two agree with this, I just read it to them!

They added just one thing...they want a magic bag for them and their friends at the end (a goodie bag). The bag should contain; a CD preferably Girls Aloud or N Dubz, a magazine and a bracelet or necklace made of pretty beads.

Their words too not mine!

Smile....they're reading over my shoulder

They are asking "when is this party then?"

Thanks everyone

birthday parties isn't something i'm used to, my son doesn't really go to any . but i think it's a great idea. seeing as the price includes a personalised cake too i think the price is a bargain.

you'll have to have a minimum and maximum amount of kids though wouldn't you?

my son loves making cakes...well he likes the idea of doing it then buggrs off after 10 seconds of starting

quote:

Originally posted by Cagney:

quote:

Originally posted by Lacey:

quote:

Originally posted by Cagney:
I just asked my girls. Here's what they said..

They'd love to make pizzas but cakes are good too.
They'd like to make jewelery.
They'd like to do hair and make up on each other.
They'd like to trendify (thier word not mine) clothes.
They'd like to have a dance competition. Not kids stuff...proper grown up moves
They don't want to clean up any mess after.

That's just my wierdo pair though

My two agree with this, I just read it to them!

They added just one thing...they want a magic bag for them and their friends at the end (a goodie bag). The bag should contain; a CD preferably Girls Aloud or N Dubz, a magazine and a bracelet or necklace made of pretty beads.

Their words too not mine!

Smile....they're reading over my shoulder

They are asking "when is this party then?"

hey ladies!!

Parties not due for many months yet, and they will be going to Pizza Express!!! very soon and yours will defo get an invite!

quote:

Originally posted by littleleicesterfox:
Thanks everyone

Your idea is a good one. Go out and price some stuff. See if you could branch out into other areas. Do the cakes but add onto it. Learn some dances. You sound creative so I'm sure you'd have no trouble thinking of ideas

I'd also say that with the way things are going today keep it as cheap as you can. Most parents I know would love to have the pressure taken off them but can't always afford to have someone do that. I'd love to sit back and enjoy my kids parties with them but I'm always running round frantic trying to entertain them

quote:

Originally posted by Cagney:

quote:

Originally posted by fz:
Pizzas are a brill idea...thank your kids for me, they may have got my next party sorted.

They said "pleasure" and you have to make fruit juice cocktails with straws and umbrellas too

orrrr monsters inc cocktails. i did that once.

small round glass for mike, tall thin glass for sulley. Get the kids to draw one eye or two on paper depending on what one they are making and cut them out. Then you make an icecream and milk mash up and add green food colouring for mike and blue food colourig for sulley. top it off with squirty can cream and stick the eyes on the glasses...really cool i wish i had a pic of them

You could do a pin the cherry on the cupcake game ( kind of pin the tail on the donkey stylee.)

quote:

Originally posted by Lacey:

quote:

Originally posted by Cagney:

quote:

Originally posted by Lacey:

quote:

Originally posted by Cagney:
I just asked my girls. Here's what they said..

They'd love to make pizzas but cakes are good too.
They'd like to make jewelery.
They'd like to do hair and make up on each other.
They'd like to trendify (thier word not mine) clothes.
They'd like to have a dance competition. Not kids stuff...proper grown up moves
They don't want to clean up any mess after.

That's just my wierdo pair though

My two agree with this, I just read it to them!

They added just one thing...they want a magic bag for them and their friends at the end (a goodie bag). The bag should contain; a CD preferably Girls Aloud or N Dubz, a magazine and a bracelet or necklace made of pretty beads.

Their words too not mine!

Smile....they're reading over my shoulder

They are asking "when is this party then?"

hey ladies!!

Parties not due for many months yet, and they will be going to Pizza Express!!! very soon and yours will defo get an invite!

57 days they tell me

They've also just told me they want to do Come dine with me for thier friends. Guess what's on the telly?

Actually, if you could combine entertaining the kids by making things with them and allowing the mothers to relax somewhere else with drinks, you'd probably have people falling over themselves.

quote:

Originally posted by Cagney:


57 days they tell me

They've also just told me they want to do Come dine with me for thier friends. Guess what's on the telly?

lmao!

I know! we are watching!! Not bad idea that eh!!

you could throw a tea party for the mothers with cakes on a cake stand and proper china cups (something im gonna do funnily enuf but mine also involves strippign...long story ...dont ask ) but you could so mums having a tea party while the kids do their cakes.

you can do my next party IF I GET CAKE