Is a 9am birthday party too early?

[december2020]

It is DS's birthday in the next couple of months.
He has been really keen on a trampoline park birthday. The majority of guests would be between 3-5 years old (DS included).

The only time slot on a weekend they offer kids that age to have a trampoline birthday party is 9am. It lasts for one hour with 30 minutes for food after.

Which means they'd be having 'lunch' and cake at 10am and home at 1030.

Please give me some perspective - this sounds ridiculously early for a birthday, even for kids aged 3-5. Am I totally delusional and this is in fact the norm and a totally standard accepted birthday party time?

Would you book this?

Nope

There’s absolutely no way in hell we’d come to a 9am party I’m afraid. 11 is the earliest we do.

It’s very early and lot of people will have clubs on weekend mornings.

Sounds too early to me. If you were wanting to invite a smallish group, I’d contact them all and ask them, as sometimes people are up early. But if the invitation would be to a larger group you don’t know well I’d leave it.

Too early.

I woukdnt go to a party that early!

Yes

Not too early, I like getting the day started. BUT we went to a 9am trampoline park party once and you ‘had’ to be there at 8:30 to do the waiver, safety briefing etc. That does sound eye wateringly early tbh 😄 most of us didn’t get there that early as we had been many times before and know that it’s actually unnecessary and you can just get there 10 mins before. But you’ll have to break the news to everyone that the 9am party is actually an 8:30 party. We all had fun though!

I would attend the party, but I wouldn't be thrilled with the time 😂 After the week of school and work, the last thing we'd want is a 7.30am wake up on a weekend in order to get fed, showered and dressed, to leave the house for 8.30-8.45am for a party. We like a slightly more relaxed morning, leisurely breakfast, on our weekends.

Would have been too early for me.

9am sounds a bit too early. I would feel more comfortable 10am onwards.

As DD got up at 6am age 3, I would have had no problem with it!

I'd go but I wouldn't be thrilled. Most parents of children that age will be up and awake at that time...but getting dressed and out the door for that time is another matter

I'd come along but I'd be fucked off about it.

I think it's not ideal but fine. Better than 4pm or later.

My 3 year old doesn't wake up until gone 8 so 9am wouldn't be much fun!

Not in a million years and I would say no to any invitation at that time.

9am is fine, if that is the time this place doea that age range party then parents will be used to it. I would ask to skip the food and have an extra 30mins of play instead

Yes 9am parties are the norm at DS’ prep as parents tend to do Sundays. Went to one recently where instead of lunch the kids got brunch instead and a cupcake to take home (instead of the actual cake being distributed). Is that an option?

Sorry that’s too early for a weekend. That slot is free for a reason!

it depends what the priority is, if the priority is he simply does something he loves for his birthday than yes book it. if the priority is him having fun with friends and he's going to be upset that most people will say no or back out/not show last minute, then i wouldn't book it.

some kids just have a couple of close friends and they care if they show up or not but aren't bothered about the rest, if he's one of those you just need to be sure the people important to him will definitely be there.

I wouldn't book it for that time. Older school age kids might have sports on a sat or sun AM (mine and all his friends do). Even my 2.5 year old has activities sat and sun AM's. We usually go for PM parties.

Parties times we have had recently - we have alot in the first two weeks of Sept are 10am (softplay), 11am (go karting). 11.30am (trampoline) and 2pm (football)

How much travelling is involved for most people?
We had a small party an hours drive away from home, at 10am. Everyone was fine with that. I think it's OK at 9am if not exactly ideal.

Yes, this would work. Otherwise, too early. I did go to one at 10, so there for about 9:40 for waivers etc. That was fine and we had the rest of the day free! But my heart would sink seeing 9am.