Can I Have a Birthday Party in My Backyard Only, and Not Let People Come INSIDE?

D.:

What will they use to wash their hands and go to the bathroom?

If you limit the inside time for that only - yes...outdoor parties ARE possible. I would probably do it at a park instead - this way you have parking and facilities.

You can plan all the activities outside and the kids will mostly stay where the fun is. And set up chairs outside for the adults. But there will be traffic to and From the restroom.

I would say keep all the activities and food outside so everyone knows. They will have to go inside to use the restroom though so put toys out of sight and close bedroom doors and if needed put up a sign pointing the way to the restrooms. As long as it's warm enough I don't see a problem with it. We went to a party where some of the food was right inside the house but everyone stayed outside (except the restroom) and there were over 30 people there. =)

NO. Don't do it.

I realize you don't want people inside your house but how can you possibly have a party and not have parents wanting to help but you shut the door in front of them, or children having to use the restroom and you say no. You do lose some control when you host at your home.

We've had parties with up to 200 people in our back yard and they do come in to use the restroom or help me in the kitchen without going through our house for the grand tour.

I would feel really weirded out if I were at a party and not allowed to go inside if needed to use the restroom, wash hands, etc. It would wonder what the host was hiding.

Find another venue if you don't want people at your house.

Well, it's incredibly rude to deny a bathroom. Kids and adults drinking anything, will equal lots of needing to pee. Yeah, I would be offended if I was not allowed to use a restroom. I'd just leave, actually. (And not come back. Why would I go somewhere just to hold it?) If you don't want people in your house at all, you need to have the party elsewhere.

How would you feel if you were at a party, and you had to hold your pee, or find somewhere else to go. SO tacky. I hope you didn't mean not allowing people in ever.

Personally, I couldn't do it. If I am inviting people to my place, it would have to include the house. They don't have to have the run of your bedrooms, and such, but kitchen, living area and bathroom should be available.

That is nearly impossible since people will have to use the bathroom.

Sure, just keep all the activities/food outside.
If kids start going inside to play just shoo them out with a friendly "the party is outside, we're not going to play inside today."
Of course they will need to go inside to use the bathroom :)
Have fun!

Unless you are planning on renting a port-a-potty, there will be people in and out of the house. But you can plan for the activities to be outside, and you can try to keep it down to just potty trips. I don't think that is unreasonable at all. But 5 year old girls have small bladders and I can guarantee that one of them will have to go.
For my kids' parties we are very clear about where the kids can and cannot go -- and we do try to keep most of the activity outside.

People will need to access the bathroom, and you will need a plan for bad weather. Other than that, guests shouldn't be in the house if the host is outside!

Probably not... I think that to do so would be kind of rude & unwelcoming. Plus, what if the weather doesn't cooperate? What would you do?

Hmmm maybe close all the doors for the rooms and put up a sign for directions to the bathroom. A five year old might still wander around, so keep all valuables and breakables out of sight. I personally would feel welcome inside the house as well, since the party is at your house. I mean not go to all the rooms (nobody does that) but atleast your living area. If you DONT want people entering any part of the house then you would have to mention it , or maybe decorate in such a way that people can see that they are not welcome go there. The restrooms should be made available though. If your restrooms are way inside the house(from your back door) , how will you stop kids from wandering inside? Will you watch when each one gets inside the house and how long they take to get out? In such case where you just DONT want people in the house, the safe and wise option is to host it outside at a park etc. People might get confused why they are invited to your house if they were not allowed inside the house. It's not rude if you make it clear it's just a backyard party but strictly NOT allowing them inside the house might not go well with everyone. Also, if people are not allowed inside, your family should be staying out as well.It should be a complete outdoor party , even food ,drinks except for the restroom. I would personally find it rude if your whole family is all around the house but the invitees are strictly made to stay outside. Wouldn't feel very welcome in that party and wouldn't want to go to such a party.

I don't really think you can. What will you do if someone needs to use the bathroom? Or if it's warm outside, and no shade, then you need to be able to let people in so they don't get over heated.

We did this successfully. We did let them come in for the bathroom, but I roped off all areas of the house with crepe paper and passed it off as "decorations. We just told them not to go anywhere that is roped off which was everywhere except the path to the bathroom.

you can set up a moon bounce at a park. not sure how the electric works but i have seen ppl do it and they just use the public bathroom and its free location!!!!

Absolutely.
I did that for DSs 3yr old party. Just set everything up outside.
You'll have to make the bathroom available.
Apart from that, if you don't offer to take anyone in the house, no one will even think 2x about it.

We've had lots of parties where it's mostly outside (except for the bathroom of course--I'm assuming you wouldn't deny anyone access to the bathroom!)

We LOCK all the bedroom doors. This keeps kids from wandering (you'll always get a wanderer)

Pick up anything valuable and move it out of sight, behind one of the locked doors is good.

Post a sign pointing to the bathroom.

We've had many parties that have been outside because we didn't want people running around inside. Except for bathroom trips, the kids and adults stayed outdoors. Even bathroom trips were minimal, as usually the kids were having so much fun they didn't want to leave to go to the bathroom!

If you want to totally close off your house, well then you'll want to just choose a different location. I would suggest a park. Then you wouldn't need to rent a bounce house as the park has plenty of things for the kids to play on!

It never works. I've tried and tried and tried...but you'll always have the kid(s) who sneak in, or your child who invites the kid(s) in to see their bedroom, playroom,etc (even tho you said the party/guests are to stay outside), and of course, the bathroom trips. ALWAYS have a kid who has to pee, and then gets distracted and decides to go on a tour. *sigh.*

Wish I had a better answer for you. But unless you literally lock yourself out of the house, just grin and bear it. (And with that luck, you'd probably have a mom or dad who was a locksmith! LOL)

I agree with the bathroom needing to be available. I understand not wanting people to run in and out of the house, but what if it's too cold, or it starts to rain?

If your house is too small, and/or you don't want people running around in there, why not have it somewhere else?

I went to a child's party in July where we were not allowed in the house (although I'm sure if someone had to use the restroom, that would have been fine). They opened up their garage and had their patio and backyard available. That said, it rained and we all ended up crammed in the garage for part of the party. Thank goodness it was decent sized and they had clearly cleaned it all out! I think it's okay provided you have a plan for rain and the bathroom.

Just lock the front door, put up a sign that says "The party is around back!" and put balloons on the fence/gate or where you want them to end-up.

Know that children may need to use the bathroom, but have an adult go with them. Have everything you need for the party outside and have a tent up so that there is a shady spot to eat or do a craft.

We went to an outside party last weekend- none of the kids went inside and it was a lot of fun!

The house has to be used so people can use the toilet. And what if it rains? What's your back up plan? It's fine to have the party in the backyard but you have to allow people to go in to use the toilet and use the sink and so on.

K. B
mom to 5 including triplets

You can, but you still have to account for people needing to use the bathroom. And if you do plan on having it at the end of October as your other post suggests, the weather at that time of year is changeable and moderate-coat weather. My own birthday is mid-October and I was never able to plan outdoor parties.

You could try renting your local rec. center and seeing what they do for birthday parties and then bring in your own food and cake and drinks.

You could, but what the heck are you going to do when they need to go to the bathroom???? I wouldn't come if I was not allowed to come in the house etc, I find that rude.

They'll have to go to the bathroom and thus have to go into your house. But we've had outdoors parties and if the fun, food and drinks are outside, that's where people mostly stay. If the kids start hanging out inside (not likely w/ the bounce house outside), you just shoo them back out where the fun is.

Depends. If the your guests can go inside to use the restroom, I think it's fine. I have been to yard parties before and because everything was set up outside, no-one went inside other than to go potty.
However if you are planning to keep your door closed and not let anyone in... I think that's pretty rude. If you really don't want people in your house at all, consider reserving a picnic shelter at a public park instead.

I try and keep people out of my small house when I have parties too. The adults just come in to use the restroom, but the darn kids keep coming in to search out our toys or find the TV or to hang out on the beds. So annoying. Good luck!

This has always been tricky for us, and pretty stressful. You might be ok with the small number of guests you mention. However, you'll have to watch like a hawk so that if kiddos go to the bathroom they don't 'wander'. Or if it gets a little chilly, grown ups may migrate as well. I've tried this twice and it never went as planned, so I don't try anymore! But again, small party, so it's possible. Just keep stationed by the door!

Would they have access to an outdoor bathroom? If not, you might want to rethink.

I don't think so. What if someone has to use the bathroom or it starts to rain? Everyone will be running inside without a second thought. If you think the weather will hold out for you that time of year, it may be possible.

unless you provide a porta potty and a sink for washing hands you have to let them in your house.

As long as there is access to the bathroom, I think that's fine.

If you don’t want people going inside then you need to rent a portapotty. They are not very expensive, we had one for a large party when we lived in PA. We had a well and septic at that house and we didn’t want anyone burning out any of the pumps. It worked out just fine and no one had a problem with it.

Difficult to do but can be done..Keep all doors closed including your doors to your home.Do all the decorations outside tables chairs balloons banners cake food etc all outside so for they will know it is an out doors party.But keep in mind you'll have the I NEED TO PEE so walk them in tell them where the bathroom is and tell them see you outside.

I assume you mean you just want all the action outside, and you're going to let people go in for the restroom. Even if your party is very short, someone will have to use the restroom.
I've had backyard parties and been to backyard parties where all the activities stay outside. You have to make sure your kid understands this or he/she may lead kids inside. Or a party guest my ask to see your kids room and he/she needs to be prepared to say "not right now, the party is outside!"
I don't think you can bar them completely from going inside if they need to but you can keep the action all outdoors for sure.

We've seen this done a lot, and have no problem with it. The town houses near us have a second kitchen, family room and bath in the basement which opens to the backyard. Backyard parties are limited to the backyard and basement bathroom. No one goes upstairs. A grandma/ aunt is sometimes milling around the kitchen to make sure that food gets passed out/ replenished, but also to make sure that kids don't wander upstairs.

Good luck to you and yours,
F. B.

My parents had a big party every summer. They rent a portapotty with a sink to wash hands and lock up the house. They have never had an issue doing it this way. Or you can let people go in to pee and close the doors of the other rooms. We have a big party for my dds bday every year, something always gets broken. One year someone killed one of our baby rabbits (my guess was it was petted a little too vigorously) and this year the handle of our sliding glass door got broke. I dont blame you for not wanting people tramping around your house, but it just kind of goes with the territory of having a party.

Potty breaks are allowed, right?
I would NOT let the kids play inside because it will be a mess fast.