4 year old party

[Sunsetred]

I'm struggling to decide on the timings for my 4 year old's birthday party. My entertainer has to leave by 1:30pm but can start anytime in the morning. I have him booked for one hour. Apparently, parties at this age are no more than two hours long. Is 11am too early to start? Can't decide if to start at 11 or 11:30am. Entertainment to start at either 11:15 or 11:45 then lunch at either 12:15 or 12:45. Half an hour for lunch and cake? Then free play from between 12:45 - 1pm or 1:15 - 3pm? I was going to hire a bouncy castle but it seems a bit pointless unless I extend the party by an hour?

11 am sounds perfect.

11am till 1pm would be perfect. Start entertainment at 11.15am, lunch at 12.15pm then Time for play

Don't bother with a bouncy castle for half an hour after food. They will be happy enough with some balloons, music and maybe a bubble machine. Also the children won't get off the bouncy castle to watch the entertainer at the start!

Thanks all, I will definitely have the party from 11 - 1pm. I am worried that it's a big hall and the space will look empty without a bouncy castle. Maybe if I get one and keep the hall for an extra hour for her and the neighbours kids to stay a bit longer and play!

A PP above warned that the children won't get off the castle to watch the entertainer. This was our experience. The only way round it would maybe be to collapse the castle for the duration of the entertainment (obviously having got all the children off first)?

I'll call the entertainer and see what they think. I read some will include the bouncy castle in the entertainment routine for that reason but if they consider it too much of a distraction I'll think of an alternative.

We had a bouncy castle and an entertainer and the entertainer just asked the castle was deflated for her hour slot which was easy for us to do. Then it went up again.