to hold a 7th bday party at 6-8pm on a Friday?

[floridadreaming]

As above really.

6-8pm on a Friday night in the autumn. Private hire of a swimming pool with a flume and an inflatable assault course for 1hr, get changed etc, followed by hot food, drink and cake. Children will be mostly 6, a few 7 yr olds.

Would you bring your child or would it be a logistical nightmare at that time / too late for that age group?

Personally i wouldn't think swimming at that time with that age group is the best idea, especially on a Friday when they've been at school all week. Accidents will be bound to happen.

I'd have brought DD but she was a good swimmer by that age. Know other kids who wouldn't have gone. I'd be thinking that she could shower after swimming and then be exhausted and straight to bed when home might bring on a Saturday morning lie in

I would be ok with the time, but I wouldn't be thrilled about my 6/7 year old going into a pool with a flume etc without direct supervision. I'd probably decline.

I would bring mine.

It might be logistically difficult for parents with babies and toddlers. If they don't have anyone who can mind younger ones.

Do parents have to get in the water with their children? Most swimming pools require an adult with an under 8. That might prove trickier. But that wouldn't change with the timing.

Personally I'd prefer the timing to being slap bang in the middle of the weekend.

Dd's friend had a swimming pool party for 7th birthday. It was very popular and every single child in the class turned up. I'd said no to my dd because I wasn't sure how it would go down with the parents but she will be doing it this year, having seen how popular it was.

Will parents have to get into the pool? I think that would put a lot of people off!

The time is OK, but I think the swimming aspect isn't the best idea. What about soft play, or hire a bouncy castle in a hall?

not for my late to bed kids!!! but some of these will be in bed by 7 so don't be too sad if people decline

I probably wouldn't just due to logistics (Younger siblings bedtimes). If a little older - May 8? - I'd see if I could split drop off/pick up with another parent but 6 is too little to leave them at the pool which would mean hanging about with grumpy younger children or arranging a babysitter...

That said, if my DD really really wanted to go I'd find a way to make it work. But I would (inwardly!) curse the organiser. Sorry!

Lots of kids can't swim at 6/7, and even those that can might not swim very well. Are adults supposed to be accompanying their children?

My 7 year old is still running around in the garden at 9pm on a Friday night with the neighbours kids so it wouldn't be an issue for us, he'd be there.

The timing is specifically for the pool party because it's when they do their private hire. I'd prefer a Saturday afternoon or something but that's not possible.

There are other parties we could consider but we've done lots of hall parties with entertainers / bouncy castles etc but we're all pretty bored of them!!

Nope I would swerve this

I would bring mine as long as I didn't need to go into the pool.

Re:adults - there should be enough adults to cover the ratio, might need to ask a friend or 2 to help out.

It's not late at all, but lots of 6 year olds can't swim very well so how will they be supervised?

I doubt they would eat the food. They would have to have their tea before 6 so probably not hungry at 7ish

Gosh i'm surprised at pp reacting negatively to this.
For me it wouldn't be a problem at all, 6-8pm on a friday night is not too late imo (dd's regular swimming lesson is 7-8 friday eve's)
Swimming parties are also really popular here, there's an adult/child ratio so around 4-5 parents usually go in. Children who can't swim must have an adult in with them in our pool.
I've just booked ds's 8th birthday party for a friday night 6-8 at bowling, not anticipating any problems as it's a normal time in his class.

My Brownie unit's meetings are on Friday evenings. We've taken them swimming several times and everyone turns up (7-10 years).

No one is too tired.

I have an almost 7 year old and that would be too late for him (usually fast asleep before 8), plus he has a younger sibling so logistics of drop off/pick up would be difficult even if we kept him up for it. Also, my DS is a good swimmer but he is very much the minority among his peers - lots of that age can't yet swim well (if at all) so you may find the safety aspect off-putting for many. I'd save it for a future birthday.

I've never accompanied my DS into the water, swimming pools usually have armband floats, life vests or shark fins that children are free to use so he was always in one of those before he could swim. Surely a few adults of party child or two life guards will be in the water with them?

But then you've got a load of six year olds who find it tricky to get dried and dressed after swimming being supervised by strangers.

I think this sounds more suitable for slightly older kids.

We did it for my eldest, but he was turning 9, the kids loved it and had a great time, most kids invited came, but then parents could leave them as there were trained life guards there who organised games for them

a couple of parents brought little ones and went in with them in the small pool, so it was quite convenient for them (they payed for themselves and the little kids, though)

Wouldn't be a problem for me. Not for 7 year olds.

There would be about 15 kids and enough adults. If a child couldn't swim then an adult would need to get get in with them. We live near the sea so much kids can swim at least 25m by 6.

We've been to 3 swim parties in the last 18m so the logistics of parents attending, getting in the pool and getting dressed didn't really come to mind as it's never been a problem for anyone before at other parties - it's more the timings I wasn't sure on.