5 year olds birthday party...

[CheeseAndBeans]

Need some opinions as me and OH can’t agree.
DDs 5th birthday party, up until now she has only ever had family tea parties at home but now she’s at school we thought we would do something with her friends.
She has asked for a bowling party. This is fine and happy to do - nice and easy! Going to let her pick 7 friends to come.
Her birthday is the Saturday and we would normally do something at home with family that day. OH is off work the Friday and Saturday and working on Sunday. He thinks I should do the family thing on Saturday and bowling party on the Sunday (will have my parents to help anyway if parents don’t stick around so not an issue him not being there). I think we should do family thing on Saturday and bowling party after school on the Friday, say 4-6pm. The kids would have an hour of bowling then food so would be having dinner at dinner time. He thinks this is too late for 4/5 year olds. I think it’s fine. Friday night so no school next day. I would be more than happy for DD to do this. Something nice at the end of the school week and they come home fed and watered and saves me a job!
AIBU? Would you be happy for your 4/5 year old to go to a Friday afternoon party?!

I would never accept a weekday party as my children are in after school club until 6pm as i work

Weekday parties mean a lot of parents can't make it as they are working. It's not the done thing really. I can't remember receiving a single weekday party invite.

Party venues are a lot cheaper on weekdays for good reason, no one wants weekday parties.

I also agree children this young will be very tired by then.

I find my 6yo is pretty tired on a Friday evening, so it wouldn't be my first choice. Plus it would be a bit of a rush to pick up, get home, changed, snack and be there for 4pm.

Deal breakers will be best friends not coming and the children you invite may have siblings who need to be elsewhere. As stated above, if there is only one parent available to do the driving around then you may find yourself with all the kids being left with you or the excuse of "just started school and too tired" may be used, I'd go for a weekend party. Parents are more geared up to weekend parties and some parents may stay with older siblings and book another alley to while away the time.

By the way I’ve had some Friday night parties and been to some. Always been good and I didn’t have a single no. In fact I had some extra turn up who hadn’t replied so I assumed wasn’t coming (always the way). See what her two best friends think x

4 -6 on a Friday would be ok in general but maybe not for kids who have just stated school and will be exhausted and grumpy.

I think at that age and relatively new back to school, a Friday would be a bit much. Plus if you're taking 8 kids be aware they'll have to wait a while between their turns and could get extra mardy. Tbh if you give parents loads of notice, a weekend is fine

my son's just started reception and he is exhausted and it seems from chatting to mums that most of them are the same so I would go for the weekend to be honest as it's so early in school year and they are just getting used to school and are very tired.

Thanks all!
Going to speak to best friends mums at pick up today and see what they think. But am thinking we probably won’t go with the Friday... I don’t want to make it difficult for anyone, and totally getting that even though mine would be (she is literally full of beans 24/7!!) many kids wouldn’t be up for it after a week at school.
So new to all this... like I said we have only done family parties at home before. Welcome to the joy of school age kids I guess!