Blog - Choosing The Best Time Of Day To Have A Party (2024)

Something we get asked frequently is the best time of day to host your children's birthday party. Traditional birthday parties in the past usually ran from 2pm till 4pm. But the problem with this time slot today is it creates more problems than necessary. We highly recommend avoiding this time slot for many reasons we'll go over today and what time slots we'd recommend.

Selecting the Optimal Party Timing | Children's Entertainment Considerations

We've performed thousands of parties during our active services. When our childrens party entertainer speaks to parents and recommend what time slots they should ideally go for, 99% of the time they agree with our suggestions. We'll happily still perform with whatever time slot you decide for, but hopefully the time slots we explore today will help you make a more insightful decision.

It Conflicts With Food Schedules!

Most parties usually serve food & drinks in between to all the kids. If you were to go with the traditional 2pm till 4pm, this means food would be served around 3pm. The problem with this is that the children will have already had their lunch and therefore will not be hungry later on. It generally means that the food will be left and you will have a lot of waste afterwards. No one wants to see good food go to waste like that. Therefore, a better time to plan the party now is 11am till 1pm. This means that the food is served at 12pm which is the perfect time for a child’s lunch. The food you serve replaces their lunch and therefore there is very little waste. Alternatively, if the party is held at 4pm till 6pm or even 3pm - 5pm, this also works as the food you serve replaces the children’s tea.

Parents Are Not Going To Attend!

As a parent you will know how many party invitations you can get. You almost have to pick and choose which parties to go to – children tend to have a busier social schedule than adults! Many parents turn parties down as it's physically impossible to go to all of them, especially with other prior commitments. Of course, you want as many of your child’s friends to come to their party as possible. By organising a party early, you will have a lot more parents saying yes. From 2pm till 4pm, it practically takes the whole day up. A great deal of parents will look at a 2pm till 4pm invitation and conclude that they would rather do something together as a family and therefore say no.

With an 11am till 1pm time slot, parents have a different mindset. They generally think that they can drop their child off at the party fairly earlier in the day, their child can have lunch and then at 1pm they can do something together as a family. From years of experience with children of their own, our Directors have found an 11am till 1pm party will be much better attended than any other time slot.

The Time Is Not Ideal For Weekends!

In the past, traditionally parties have been planned on the weekends. However, weekday parties have recently become more popular. These are generally run 4pm till 6pm or 4.30pm till 6.30pm. As a host, you want to give the parents enough time to get home and get their children changed and back out again. The advantage of a mid week party is that more halls have availability, meaning you won't have any hassle in trying to find a venue. Furthermore, parents find it very easy to take their children as it is happening straight after school. It also means you are unlikely to clash with other parents who might be planning parties that weekend as well. One of the worst things to happen is if there are two birthday parties at the same time and children are forced to choose which to go to. A midweek party ensures that won't happen.

Time Of The Day Is Important!

In short, the time of the day has a bigger impact than you think. The bottom line is that you can plan your party whenever you want to. However, from years of experience from our entertainers (many of whom are parents themselves) they will tell you that on a weekend, 11am to 1pm, 3pm till 5pm and 4pm - 6pm are the best!

One thing we can promise you is that booking Non Stop Kids Entertainment for your child’s party is the best thing you will ever do. 98% of our clients say they would recommend us to family & friends. If you would like a no obligation consultation from us for your child’s party, then just select the banner to fill in the form and we will get back to you within the hour. Or if you prefer, call us directly at 0333 301 3002.

#kidsentertainment #kidsentertainer #childrensentertainer #childrensentertainment #hasslefreeparty #hasslefreeparties #nonstopkids #nsk

Blog - Choosing The Best Time Of Day To Have A Party (2024)

FAQs

Blog - Choosing The Best Time Of Day To Have A Party? ›

Afternoon Is Delightful

What is the best time to have a party? ›

Best Party Start Times
  • Happy hour: 5:00 p.m. This is best for a happy hour which takes place at or near your office.
  • Happy hour: 6:00 p.m. Best for an off-campus or non-work-related function. ...
  • co*cktail party: 7:00 p.m.
  • Birthday party: 7:00 p.m. on a weeknight.
  • Birthday party: 8:00 p.m. on a weekend.
Mar 27, 2024

What time should you host a party? ›

Heather Wiese, etiquette columnist and founder of lifestyle brand Bell'INVITO, agrees that the ideal time falls around 7 p.m. with a little leeway before and after. “When I'm throwing a dinner party on a weeknight, I'll often say arrive any time after 6:30 p.m., dinner is at 7:30.

What day is best to throw a party? ›

Here are a few general rules: Friday Nights are always best. Saturdays are always busier than Sundays. A lot of families think about doing Saturday parties instead of Sundays, likely to keep from interfering with worship services.

When should I throw a party? ›

The summer months might be the easiest time to throw a party, especially for children who are out of school. Most people look forward to those warmer months and plan in advance to take time off. With that said, it's also the busier months to try and host or plan an event.

What is the best time of day to host a birthday party? ›

The bottom line is that you can plan your party whenever you want to. However, from years of experience from our entertainers (many of whom are parents themselves) they will tell you that on a weekend, 11am to 1pm, 3pm till 5pm and 4pm - 6pm are the best!

Why are most parties at night? ›

Key Takeaways: People party at night because it's a fun and social activity, and they enjoy spending time with friends and loved ones. Alcohol and socialization can have an effect on the brain that contributes to the appeal of partying at night.

What is a good time for a day party? ›

Afternoon Is Delightful

I think 2 p.m. is just about the perfect party time for a number of reasons: You'll have morning party prep time. Your guests will be done with lessons or religious services. Your guests will be ready for a post-lunch snack, and yet the party is still early enough that dinner won't be ruined.

How late is too late for a party? ›

Being tardy isn't overly impolite, but the later you arrive, the more you risk missing the people you'd like to see and speak to. A good rule of thumb is to arrive within the hour of the start time, and avoid waiting until the end to make an appearance.

Is Friday or Saturday better for a party? ›

Fridays, of course, hold the promise of the weekend but also, being far enough away from pre-Monday melancholy, feel freer. All of which is why Friday, rather than Saturday, is the night to feast!"

How long should a good party last? ›

A standard length for birthday parties is around four hours.

Of course, there are tons of variables on this. If you're planning a birthday party at a home or venue, you'll want to factor in time for cake, gifts, and catching up (birthdays are usually less formal and more friendly).

What not to do when throwing a party? ›

Once the party is in full swing, the biggest mistake party hosts can make is not having enough food and drinks! More than half ranked that as the worst oversight when having guests over for a soiree. But some feel the host's behavior can be one of the worst party killers, with 36% not a fan of the host getting drunk.

What is a good time for a party? ›

As for the perfect time—they were a bit more conflicted, but the general consensus was that it's best to host it between 1 p.m. and 7 p.m. If you're looking for the perfect party locale, look no further than your own backyard or a friend's.

Is it better to be early or late to a party? ›

Later is better than earlier

A polite guest shows up a few minutes late, but 20 minutes late at most. If you find that you are running later than expected, be upfront with your host about it and text them your E.T.A. If Google Maps says you're 20 minutes away, tell them you're 30 minutes out.

Is it normal to party until 6am? ›

-It's probably normal for a young person to do it once in a while. -It's probably normal for a person with an alcohol or drug problem to party until 6 am. -It's probably not normal for a working person to party until 6 am when they have to start work at 7 am.

What time should you leave a party? ›

Don't Leave a Party Too Soon

If it's a drop-in that lasts just two hours or so, a 30-45 minute pop-in is perfectly acceptable; it's long enough to chat with the hosts and celebrate the occasion. If an event has a start and end time listed on the invitation, you should expect to stay for the whole thing.

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