Birthday Party Time - Lake Andes,SD

2-4 totally works. It's right after lunch, and right before dinner. That way YOU don't have to pay for actual "food" - it'll just be cake. It doesn't ruin the day - in fact, about 1/2 the parties we've gone to are at this time because it's in the middle. It's a nice break, actually.

Getting up and out of the house for 9:30am on a day off sounds like a huge chore. A birthday party should be fun, not a chore. Go with the 2-4pm. How does it ruin the day? It is right between nap time and dinner time.

That is way too early for me and since a 4 year old is not going to know what they missed,I would be inclined to skip it.

I would not go to a morning birthday party. Your younger son naps at noon. Has he never missed a nap? If he must nap, get a sitter and have party at noon. Or have your husband stay home with him.

wayyyyy too early.
how on earth can a 4 year old's birthday party ruin a day?
khairete
S.

I don't see how a party at 2 "ruins the day." Most of our parties were 2 to 4, and we always had a great turnout. It's after lunch and before dinner so cake and light snacks are sufficient.
Also, kids often have classes or practices on Saturday mornings, and church on Sunday mornings.
I wouldn't do a morning party, unless it's a small group of good friends that you know for sure will turn up.
ETA: I never planned things around my kids' naps either. Sure they had a regular routine but life didn't stop because baby had to nap at x time (if they were young enough they just fell asleep where they were, usually in the stroller.) Just something to think about going forward.

Well...our local base theater rents out the space for birthday parties. On Saturday they are from 9-12 or 1230-330, and on Sunday they are from 10-1. I have done all 3 time slots for different reasons and they all work well. People with young kids are up early anyways, so really, it's not horrible and it does free up the rest of your day, and theirs.

So that's just a different view of the time. Like I said, I never had a poor turnout because of the early party time. Maybe you could put out a feeler though?

Yikes! 9:30 on a Saturday morning? Way too early.

2pm is perfect. It won't "ruin the day" - it will be the highlight of the day.

Yes, 9:30 am is too early. We would never be able to get to that party.
I would do 12pm-2pm (and let your youngest nap or skip the nap) or choose 2pm-4pm. It's not usually a problem if it's in the middle of the day for other people. So either one works.

I also think 9:30 is too early on a day that is meant for relaxing. If one of my kids got an invite (especially my 4 year old from her preschool class) for a 9:30 party, I would probably avoid going. I might reconsider for the older kids, but my 4 year old, nah, she doesn't need to go. Let your son skip his nap, or take a later nap after the party. Or go with a 2 pm party. That's a very common time.

I get what you mean about a 2 pm party ruining the day. I might have phrased it a bit differently to avoid all the negative feedback you are getting - a 2 pm party limits the other activities you can fit into the day.

Yes - 9:30 is WAY too early - I would have declined any invites that were that early. 11-1 pm might work - I would have had no issues moving my son's nap an hour later. 12 pm - 2 pm - I would have declined because my son was generally napping at that time as well.

9:30 is early. Kids with older siblings may not be able to attend due to soccer and baseball games.

You could do something at dinner time, say 4:30 - 5:00p during the week. Most bounce places, Chuck E. Cheese, etc have discounted prices for during the week.

You mention "he has told me he doesn't want to have a birthday party when he turns four"

So, why are you having the party if he doesn't want one?

Yes, I agree with others, 9:30 am is TOO early. How can a 2pm party ruin the day? 2pm is a popular time frame because you are not providing a meal like you probably would at 12-2 or 4-6. I would be a bit more flexible and think of the people you invite vs thinking about your personal schedule. Plus, I don't understand throwing a party for a child who does not want one.

Way to early. Maybe you could do 11-1 and try to push the nap back a little?

We did my son's 4th birthday party (and my daughter's 4th and 5th birthday parties) from 9:30-11:00. It was perfect! Everyone was fresh, no one was over tired, the small pieces of cake kept everyone from getting hungry and cranky. We didn't have any tears until the party was over and no one wanted to go home! And it ended early enough that I didn't feel like I had to provide lunch. Everyone we invited came (except those who were out of town) and several parents commented that it was great to have a morning party because they could get home, eat, and have nap/rest time.

I think it is a good idea to put out feelers to "the most important" guests to see if it works for them. (I'll probably get slammed by someone for implying some guests are more important than others.). We usually try to make sure that one or two best friends can make the party before we set a date and time.

Yes, that's too early for nearly everyone on the weekend. They don't want to get up, feed everyone, get dressed, put on makeup, get the kids ready, all on the only day some people get to sleep in and run around most of the morning in their jammies.

Either have it around have it around 1-2:30pm or right after nap time, 3-4:30. At 4 the kids won't last more than an hour or an hour and a half at best.

I think 10:00 - 12:00 is a great time for a party. You'll have to push the baby's nap a little bit, but it works well for kids this age. Most of them are used to having morning activities and then napping/resting in the afternoon. My kids are 6 and 2 and we've only been to a couple of afternoon parties. Almost everyone does them in the morning.

Most bounce house places have set times that the parties can start. So go for mid-morning and you'll be set.

ETA: Wow, I am surprised by how many responders recommend a party from 2 - 4. When my son was four, 75% of his friends still napped and the other 25% did some kind of quiet/rest time in the afternoon. A 2:00 party would have left us all with some seriously cranky preschoolers by dinnertime!
Yes, older siblings might have sports, but one parent can take the big kid to soccer and another can take the little one to the party. No big deal at all.
9:30 might be a tad early, but I would never think 10:00 was too early. Almost anyone with a four year old will be up by 8:00 (and most by 7 or 7:30), so it's not a crazy rush to get out of the house.

Honestly, I would ignore all of the replies on this page (mine included, if you want!) and do whatever time works best for your family and friends.

I have a 4 year old (and 2 younger ones also), and 9:30/10 would be perfect! Doesn't take up the whole day, we wouldn't be spending the day 'waiting around' for it to start, and it's not too early either! I never understand those who say it is way too early. Maybe their kids sleep in?? Or they like to have a lazy morning, watch cartoons for a few hours? IDK. I like get get my kids home before naptime, which can be up to 3 hours long, so I'm with you on that. It irritates me when something is at 12/1/2, that is prime nap time! I don't get it....most kids are up by 7 am, so 2 hours to feed everyone & get ready isn't enough? :-) I say you're right on!

I wouldn't make the party any earlier than 10:30am. I think a lot of people don't get up and ready until then. We are early risers at our house so by 10:30 all errands are done but I've run into problems with friends when I want to get the kids together.

wow that would be way to early for a bday party..11am or noon?

My 4-year old is going to a birthday party at Chuck E Cheese this coming Saturday from 10am - 12noon. I wouldn't decline a birthday party invite simply because it starts at 9:30am ~ in our house that is not too early to be up and out of the house on a weekend =) I'd say go with what works best for your family!

9:30 is early. Who cares what we think, what about your friends who you plan to invite? Expect some to be late (getting kids out the door on a sat AM is not super easy for some). My friend just had a 10am party at a bounce house and he son was a bit sad because everyone was late. I showed up at 10 on the dot sans my son, who was at a 9am activity. The little sister was happy to see my daughter though. She was the only kid for the first 30 minutes.

Run it by the main friends you will be inviting. This might be a wonderful time for them.

Since my kids had b-day parties, from about 4.... in terms of inviting their Preschool friends, I have ALWAYS had their "parties" in the MORNING.
And yes, from about 10:00am.- 12:00pm or 1:00pm.
And we served a little lunch and cake.
AND all the parents of the invited kids, always LOVED the timing of our morning parties. Why? Because, yes, when young, their kids napped in the afternoon. AND when parties are in the morning, then the little kids do not have ALL day long to wait for it.

Morning parties, especially for young kids, are great.
Common sense.
I personally do not like parties in the middle of the day.
I have always planned things like that, in the morning.
And per young kids, parties are typically 2 hours. Then kids are tired, go home and nap.
And young kids are typically better in terms of energy, in the morning.
By afternoon, young kids get tired and/or fussy.
And all of the families/friends we know with 2 or more kids, they ALL are already up in the morning, early, anyway, starting their day already.
I do not know anyone, who sleeps in. Parent or child.
Especially at that age.

girll, you are right on target! 10-12p is my primetime this year for my son's 5th bday.
the last three bday parties i've had for him were fr 9a-11a. we only had approx 8 ppl there anyway so i checked before i sent out my evites but earlier IS better for younger kids. my boy still has quiet/rest time too and although some weekends we can PUSH through that time for a 2p bday party, i'd rather it be earlier like 10a when i know he'll have fun & look forward to it. by 2p, he's like whatev...i just wanna play w/my cars, lol :)