A ninja turtle disco at The Burys Scout and Guide HQ, and a garden party in Staines

A Ninja turtle party at The Burys Scout and Guide HQ

The first of the week was at The Burys Scout and Guide HQ, and it was a turtle-themed disco for twenty-odd children. The main room is a good square shape with a hard floor and a big circle painted in the middle of it, which is genuinely useful — it does half the work of getting everyone into a ring for the games, and at that number they filled it nicely without anyone getting elbowed. Long trestle tables with green covers and turtle plates went down one side, which is the sensible way round in there: it leaves the whole circle clear for the running about, and the tables are ready when you want everyone sitting down. Plenty of stacked folding chairs on hand as well, so extra seating for grown-ups isn't a problem. It went well from start to finish, and cake was enjoyed by all (entertainer included)

A Peppa pig party at their home in Staines

The second was a Peppa Pig party at a home in Staines, and this one was outside in the sun on a paved patio, with a lovely balloon display over the table and bunting along the garden wall. Threes, mostly, and a very busy group of them — that age doesn't pace itself, so the drinks were going down almost as fast as the games were! If you're planning something similar in a garden in August, have more water out than you think you need and a bit of shade for the sitting-down bits.

The party table there had bags and prizes laid out ready before anyone arrived, which is always a good sign of a well-organised host. Two nice afternoons, one indoors and one very much not.