When & Where to Have the Party

When & Where To Have the Party

Selecting a Day for the Party

When selecting a day for the party, consider your child's age and the guest list.

• If you plan to invite your baby/toddler's playgroup, any weekday should work well. Just remember to avoid nap times!
• If you plan to invite your family (especially if they live out-of-town) and/or your child's friends from school, it's best to have the party on the weekend.

Also keep in mind that . . .

• busy holidays, like Christmas, are better avoided unless this is the only time you can get your family together.
• parents with older children may have conflicts with sports and other activities on Saturdays.
• a lot of people go to church on Sunday mornings.

Selecting a Time for the Party

The time of day you choose to start your child's party depends on whether you want to serve a meal or just cake.

• If serving a meal, start the party between 11:00 a.m. - 12:30 p.m. or 5:00 p.m. - 6:30 p.m.
• If you plan to just serve cake, have the party two hours before, or one hour after, traditional meal times (i.e. 2:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m.).

You may want to set an ending time for the party, too, if you are inviting school-age children. That way, parents will know when to drop off and pick up their children. This is also helpful if you have a commitment later in the day.


Selecting a Location for the Party

If you want to throw a good old-fashioned "home" party but would rather do it somewhere other than your house, consider these locations:

• Airport
• Amusement Park
• Aquarium
• Arcade
• Arts and Crafts Studio
• Ballet Studio
• Baseball Field
• Beach
• Bowling Alley
• Children's Museum
• Church Social Hall
• Community Center
• Farm
• Firehouse
• Friend's Home
• Gymnastics Studio
• Hotel
• Karate Studio
• Library
• Miniature Golf Course
• Movie Theatre
• Nature Center
• Park
• Pool
• Restaurant
• Salon
• Sports Center
• Stable
• Tearoom (in a hotel or elsewhere)
• Tourist Train
• Theatre
• Zoo

When making your decision, keep the following in mind:

• Space Limitations
• Potential Bad Weather
• Safety Considerations
• Your Ability to Set Up and Clean Up

Incorporating the Date, Time & Location into the Invitations

Whether they're handmade, created on your PC and printed at home, purchased as fill-in-the-blank, or custom-made and personalized, the invitations for your child's party should include the following:

• Your Child's Name
• Date & Time of the Party
• Party Location
• A Map or Directions, if Appropriate
• "RSVP," "Please Respond," or "Regrets Only"
• Response Date
• Contact Name
• Contact Phone Number
• Special Instructions (i.e. "No Gifts, Please.")