Timing of birthday party?

chocolatechip06 · April 2012

Would you prefer a party that ran from 3-6 pm or from 3-6:30 pm (people can stay as long as they want afterwards). E is turning 2. The party is family and close friends with kids.

Over half the kids are 2 and under and have a 1 hour drive to come/go back home.

I was thinking the later time so people could get their kids ready for bed and they could sleep in the car on the ride home.

We are serving an early dinner with either option.

JGirl2005 · April 2012

I would put 3 to 6pm, but that is usually when I put my parties but my kids go to sleep late, late. Also, my friends stay later than 6pm.

LIAngel · April 2012

We had just my sister and BIL, niece and nephew and mom for the kids birthdays. They were here from 3-6:00 (or ,6:30 I forget). My sister needed to get her kids home to get ready for bed/school the next day.

If I was invited to your LO's b-day, I'd prefer the earlier time.

kittylove · April 2012

Honestly I don't feel like it would really matter. Your still talking about the same start time and your letting people stay longer. IMHO, your overthinking this. It will be a great party!

Ali212 · April 2012

I would definitely say 3-6. A 3-hour birthday party is long for toddlers so I definitely would plan your activities within the shorter time, especially with guest under 2. We had a 3 hour birthday party this week for one of my 4-year old's friend's and we left at 2.5 hours and it felt like we had been there forever (we, honestly, we had probably arrived 15 min late)! With kids, I would not underestimate how quickly they get tired in general and also tire of specific activities. You may want to plan for cake or whatever other festivities you want guests to participate in, assuming 3 hours may be long for them to participate so you can adjust accordingly.

desabean · April 2012

Did you mean to write 3:30- 6:30 or are both parties starting at the same time? I think 3 pm is tough for 2 year olds....at least it would have been for mine. 3:30 -- or later would work better for us or else we need to skip or cut short the nap.

With that said, this may be just me but I wouldn't want my kid to sleep in the car on the ride home right before bed time because I would be afraid she would not go back to sleep after we got home.

But, in all honesty-- it's a birthday party, people will adjust and do what works for them...you should do what works for you. Enjoy!

EastCoastBride · April 2012

Yeah, I'm confused. Both start at 3? I don't know that I'd list an end time anyhow if you're letting people stay as long as they want - parents are going to leave when they want/need to leave no matter what. If it "ends" at 6 or 6:30, if a parent wants to leave at 5, they are going to leave at 5.

leslie&brian · April 2012

I never put an end time on Matt's birthday invitations. I also echo what Desabean said about 3pm being a bad time for a 2 year old. We went to a birthday party yesterday that started at 3pm, and because of the start time Matt didn't go down for a nap. He fell asleep in the car about 5 minutes from the party location, and we had to wake him up. He also was trying to doze off in the car on the way home, and we had to crack his window, and I had to talk to him a lot to keep him awake.

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