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Original poster

What is a good time of day for a 3 year old birthday party?

63 replies

hottchocolate · 06/03/2024 15:15

If options are 10 or 1 or 2 what would you go for?

Last year a lot of the 2 year old parties we went to were in the morning (as was our DC party) and that made sense because of nap times but now they are 3 is that still the best time or is it a pain to get out somewhere by 10 am? For most people it would be at least a half hour drive.

I think 10 is good as people can then do what they want with the rest of their day but also 2 pm means we can have a leisurely morning, open and play with gifts, and then go to the party. I know some people are not morning people but 10 is not so early when you have a toddler!

OP posts:
DrCoconut · 06/03/2024 17:48

I'd always go for an afternoon if it's a weekend. Saturday has always been our lie in day and it was (still is!) awful having to drag the kids out of bed to drive somewhere for a 10 o'clock start. That's breakfast time on a weekend if you're not morning people!

OnceinaMinion · 06/03/2024 17:40

10am here, no waiting, no hyper child waiting to go. Hopefully DC is then tired in the afternoon as a bonus.

mynameiscalypso · 06/03/2024 17:39

2pm here. My 4 year old doesn't get out of bed very early at the weekend it would be a rush to be out the house by 9.30

sexnotgenders · 06/03/2024 17:37

Another vote for 10am here. I've just held a party for my 3 year old DD and we started at 9am. She still naps 1-3, so afternoons don't suit us, and as others have said, entertaining a child all morning when they know they have a party to go to is a ballache. We had 100% attendance so it clearly didn't cause too many issues being early in the day

FilthyforFirth · 06/03/2024 17:34

I have a 3 yo and absolutely 10. I'd like to be able to get on with my day/weekend.

DS went to a party that STARTED at 4 pm couple of weeks ago. Nightmare! All day asking 'muuuuuummy is it party time yet?!' Bed time routine not long after being back, too hyper etc.

Concestor · 06/03/2024 17:33

10am. Much better when they are little. Then afternoons when they are year 2 onwards.

Caravaggiouch · 06/03/2024 17:32

I’d prefer 2pm in this scenario, if it’s going to be 30 mins drive for people to get there it would be even longer by public transport so chances are some people might not be able to get there for 10am on a Sunday.

SgtJuneAckland · 06/03/2024 17:31

10 is about the earliest I'd say yes to a party, but definitely preferable to 2

Megifer · 06/03/2024 17:29

FamilyTreeAndMe · 06/03/2024 17:17

Do you mean you didn’t have hours before because you were asleep or something or that you just didn’t end up doing something? Sorry, just being nosy. 😂

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No just literally that it's slap bang in the middle of the day so hard to work around if we wanted to do stuff together or just me and the kids or just me.

No big deal. It never stopped the DC going to parties, I just disliked it very much 🤣

ohpumpkinseeds · 06/03/2024 17:26

10am. No one wants a bunch of 3 YO who've been waiting for a party all day!!

I went to a 3YOs party that started at 9am, it was awesome as far as I was concerned. So many parents were super happy as young kids often wake early, and it's horrible keeping them going all day when they're excited for something.

FamilyTreeAndMe · 06/03/2024 17:17

Megifer · 06/03/2024 17:12

We didn't, otherwise we would have done and I wouldn't have quietly seethed 😬

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Do you mean you didn’t have hours before because you were asleep or something or that you just didn’t end up doing something? Sorry, just being nosy. 😂

Megifer · 06/03/2024 17:12

FamilyTreeAndMe · 06/03/2024 17:09

If a party is at 2pm, you have hours to do something before it.

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We didn't, otherwise we would have done and I wouldn't have quietly seethed 😬

FamilyTreeAndMe · 06/03/2024 17:09

Megifer · 06/03/2024 16:23

Same it used to put me in a bad mood when we got invites for the afternoon 😬 life flashing before my eyes as it is only for 1 of my 104 free days off work a year to be wasted hanging around for a party 😩 cant do anything before, too late to do anything after, all for 2 hours. Proper bummer 🤣

I had a few pals who just refused invites after 11.30am (which seemed extreme but I was secretly jealous).

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If a party is at 2pm, you have hours to do something before it.

vincettenoir · 06/03/2024 17:04

I like a 3pmer myself. We get a day to ourselves and then I bring them home give them dinner and then bed

Flittingaboutagain · 06/03/2024 16:58

hottchocolate · 06/03/2024 16:23

My DC would most likely nap in the car on the way there if it is an afternoon.

It seems you can't please everyone! I think we need to just pick a time. DH would prefer afternoon. I was leaning to morning but I don't mind.

It is one of those places where you can stay and play before or after the party as well if that makes any difference.

I've just asked 20 mums in a what's app group and it's almost 50/50 so basically do what suits you!

BertieBotts · 06/03/2024 16:54

Just pick the time that works for you.

I also have a child who gets extremely wound up due to excitement and it would be a draining morning, then by 2pm he would be totally exhausted and liable to become hyperactive or easily triggered into meltdown, but arguably this isn't a huge issue if your party is at soft play. It would be a problem if it was a party at home and there was a structured activity they were supposed to follow. Also at 3, parents will probably stay, I guess. So 10am would work better for us in that scenario. But we didn't have naps any more by age 3.

Blondeshavemorefun · 06/03/2024 16:52

2 is a bad time as if food tends to be 330. Too early for tea and kids hungry later

So 10/12 and 1130 lunch. Tad early but kids more likely to eat and not waste food

Original poster
hottchocolate · 06/03/2024 16:49

I did think 10 am might be better so people when the rest of their days but was surprised to see the first few responses were for afternoon and DH much prefers the afternoon option so now I'm not sure!

OP posts:
IDontDrinkTea · 06/03/2024 16:48

I like a party as early as possible - otherwise I spend hours with an overexcited child. She’s been known to wake up at 5am shouting “IT’S PARTY DAY” and it then feels a long wait for everyone if the party isn’t until 2….

Megifer · 06/03/2024 16:45

hottchocolate · 06/03/2024 16:39

@Megifer @Pinklanternspiral

I think @PeloMom has it right - fine to have a preference but you sound slightly dramatic - surely just say no if the time is not convenient

Absolutely a dramatic post, that was my intention anyway.

Time not convenient, couldnt say no cos its not about me, so I was 100% internally dramatic about it whilst turning up with a huge smile on my face 😆

NotForMeTY · 06/03/2024 16:43

I’ve booked my soon to be 4 year olds party for 10am. He will be up by no later than 6 as I imagine most kids that age will be, and he will be bouncing off the walls waiting for party time!

Food will be around 11.30 which is when he has lunch at home, waiting til 1.30 would probably mean the kids filling up on snacks beforehand and wasting the food we’ve paid for.

I like covering a mealtime at parties as it’s one less thing for parents to do and if the kids go home and need a nap after it, hopefully its early enough that it won’t disturb their bedtimes.

That was my thinking on it anyway x

DinnaeFashYersel · 06/03/2024 16:40

hottchocolate · 06/03/2024 15:15

If options are 10 or 1 or 2 what would you go for?

Last year a lot of the 2 year old parties we went to were in the morning (as was our DC party) and that made sense because of nap times but now they are 3 is that still the best time or is it a pain to get out somewhere by 10 am? For most people it would be at least a half hour drive.

I think 10 is good as people can then do what they want with the rest of their day but also 2 pm means we can have a leisurely morning, open and play with gifts, and then go to the party. I know some people are not morning people but 10 is not so early when you have a toddler!

10am would be my first choice

Original poster
hottchocolate · 06/03/2024 16:39

@Megifer @Pinklanternspiral

I think @PeloMom has it right - fine to have a preference but you sound slightly dramatic - surely just say no if the time is not convenient

OP posts:
PeloMom · 06/03/2024 16:37

Pinklanternspiral · 06/03/2024 16:17

10am. My heart sinks when we get an afternoon invitation as we end up trying to occupy an excited child for hours whilst the whole house clock watches

Same. These days I decline afternoon invites as the hassle isn’t worth it

Megifer · 06/03/2024 16:23

Pinklanternspiral · 06/03/2024 16:17

10am. My heart sinks when we get an afternoon invitation as we end up trying to occupy an excited child for hours whilst the whole house clock watches

Same it used to put me in a bad mood when we got invites for the afternoon 😬 life flashing before my eyes as it is only for 1 of my 104 free days off work a year to be wasted hanging around for a party 😩 cant do anything before, too late to do anything after, all for 2 hours. Proper bummer 🤣

I had a few pals who just refused invites after 11.30am (which seemed extreme but I was secretly jealous).