To hold a 3 year olds party from 11-12.30

[Cookiecrumblepie]

First time hosting a party for a three year old! Is this time reasonable? Or is it too late?

@UpToMyElbowsInDiapers

I’m organizing my DS’s 3rd birthday party at the moment, and we’re opting for 2:30-6pm. One of his friends still naps from 12-1:30, and I couldn’t face a party before 10am. 😝 Plan is to just have his two best friends from nursery over for a glorified play date. They’ll do whatever 3-year-olds do for a couple of hours (but better… because there will be some low key truck themed decorations haha), then we’ll order pizza and serve a small birthday cake.

That’s too long imo. 2 hours is standard and PLENTY along enough OP I think yours is on the short side

Sounds perfect to me!

A word on the games -

My son's 3rd birthday we had four guest toddlers (youngest was 2 and 5 months, oldest a month off 3). I enthusiastically announced Ring a Ring o Roses and was completely ignored by all but my own child. They all had a lovely time playing individually with the toys I'd got out.

(Then we moved into the dining room and S1 exclaimed "ooooohhhh it's Thomas! Thank you, thank you!" which made the two hours dyeing the icing and two hours assembling bits of sponge entirely worth it [/misty-eyed])

We did 10.30 - 12.30. 2 hours is perfect for a 3 year old anything longer is too much and they're getting tired/fed up.

I'd shift it 10:30 to 12, though it does depend on the ages of the children you invite or if they still nap.

Morning parties are a pain. It's difficult getting everyone dragged out of bed and ready. 11 might be doable but no earlier. An afternoon is much better to me.

@DrCoconut

Morning parties are a pain. It's difficult getting everyone dragged out of bed and ready. 11 might be doable but no earlier. An afternoon is much better to me.

Surely everyone will be long out of bed and ready.

I’m organizing my DS’s 3rd birthday party at the moment, and we’re opting for 2:30-6pm.

Are you bonkers?
Three and a half hours for a 3yr old's party ?

@DrCoconut

Morning parties are a pain. It's difficult getting everyone dragged out of bed and ready. 11 might be doable but no earlier. An afternoon is much better to me.

DS was a night owl as children go and never slept past 8am, even on a weekend.

I would shift it to 10.30-12.30 … a little longer and caters for early afternoon naps.

I've just been to a 10am to 12pm party. I rocked up 15 minutes late and we were out by midday. It was bloody perfect, in my extremely limited opinion. Meant we got home early and I could still do stuff, and DD was tired enough after running around like a loon that she left me alone for a bit.

Kids don’t get tired at parties once they’re hyped up on sugar and e numbers

Made me chuckle, my eldest dropped nap at 13 months, couldn't work out why you thought it was too late, naps wouldn't have entered my head!!

I think its a bit of a strange time. Afternoon is better. Say 3 - 4.30 is a more standard time.

I think it’s fine! Small children have all different schedules anyway. So no time you could pick would suit everyone.

It’s a perfect time as long as you feed them. Reckon 3 year old napping at 11 are a tiny minority. They wouldn’t be sleeping then at nursery.

Do it in the afternoon. Weird time for a party.

Surprised at all the people saying it’s a weird time for a party! Really? I would say it’s a totally standard time for a party. Morning or afternoon, either is completely fine. Just depends on venue, type of party, your other plans. Invited people don’t have to come if they can’t or don’t want to do you’re fine.

I always do 1.5hr parties for younger ones too as they get so hyped up and honestly I get very bored at other people’s 2hr parties and at that age the parents have to stay too, I think it’ll be great and I hope your child has a lovely time

It's perfect, as long as you feed them.

Can't believe the poster doing 2.5 hours finishing at 6pm. Madness, I tell you. They will never go to bed as they'll be so hyped. After two horrendously crappy post-late afternoon party evenings I'm now declining invitations for DS for parties after nursery during the week. I may be evil, but he will never know.

@DrCoconut

Morning parties are a pain. It's difficult getting everyone dragged out of bed and ready. 11 might be doable but no earlier. An afternoon is much better to me.

I think three year olds will have been up since about 6am.

If you do it in the afternoon, your head will be fried all day. I'd get it done with in the morning and then revert to normal routine later to calm things.

Do you need to give a finishing time ? I've never had a party for kids. So if I plan one, I'll need to give exact timings?? Like 1-3 pm ??

I would have just gone with 2:30 pm and left it at that..

@DrCoconut

Morning parties are a pain. It's difficult getting everyone dragged out of bed and ready. 11 might be doable but no earlier. An afternoon is much better to me.

How do you ever get to school, work, nursery or anywhere? My 3 year old is up at 7 on the dot. It would be difficult not to be up and ready way before 11!

@popwithit

Do you need to give a finishing time ? I've never had a party for kids. So if I plan one, I'll need to give exact timings?? Like 1-3 pm ??

I would have just gone with 2:30 pm and left it at that..

I would definitely give an end date, then people know when to leave and won't hang around all day. Also they can plan the rest of their day around it.

@popwithit

Do you need to give a finishing time ? I've never had a party for kids. So if I plan one, I'll need to give exact timings?? Like 1-3 pm ??

I would have just gone with 2:30 pm and left it at that..

It's up to you but most do. You want to stop while everyone is having fun and finish on a high rather than go beyond the point where the kids get over tired, over excited on party food, become grumpy etc.

Also, inevitably if you don't, you'll get some CF parent who just won't read the room and won't leave because 'darling Jonny is still having so much fun' even if he's started to destroy the place.