Limiting fun? At a birthday party? Have I gone Mad? Even ‘Madder’ than usual? Well, not exactly… We both know how much children look forward to birthday parties, both their own and their friends too! Because of this some parents think that they should make the parties longer. More time = more fun, right? Unfortunately it doesn’t really work that way! After 2,576 (and counting!) parties, I’ve come to the conclusion that the perfect total length of a party should be about 2 hours.
Two hours is the perfect total length for a children’s birthday party. Don’t make the mistake of thinking that because parties are so much fun the longer the better. I know the children really look forward to parties and you want to make the most of it, but please remember that children’s attention spans can be fairly short and parties are really excitable, action-packed environments. If the whole thing goes on for too long, then the children tend to get tired and become agitated. They don’t enjoy the party as much and it’s certain the parents won’t either.
Please remember that for the children how much fun they have at the party is all about what they do, not how long they are there for. It seems that there is a consensus that’s formed in recent years that parties should be two hours in total. This is just about the perfect length of time and it’s what parents are expecting their kids to be invited to. Far better to limit the time but have your party fun-filled and action packed than to let it drag on and let the children’s attention spans go. You know how that can go when children do too much and get exhausted and irritable!
Fun o’ clock? When’s that? Well, it’s the best time to have your kids party, of course! An absolutely crucial thing that can make or break your party is when you have it! If you have your party at 9am not everyone will come. Same goes for having it quite late, at say 6pm. I’ve done parties at both times and they almost always have the least attendees and are the least fun (because everyone is tired!). In close to 20 years of party planning I’ve found that either having your party start at around 11am or sometime around 3pm works perfectly. I think the reason is that if you have about 1hr or 1hour and a half of entertainment, this leads nicely into the times when people (especially kids!) normally expect to eat.
There’s a bunch more helpful info to make your party as much fun as possible in your ‘MAGIC PHILIP Ultimate Kids Party Survival Guide’!
Here’s to your awesome party!
P.S. Can we help out? Call 07970 871544 now and speak to one of the team!
P.P.S. Don’t take my word for it!! – Find out why after 2576 (& counting!) Award-Winning MAGIC PHILIP Stress-Free Parties we guarantee you’ll have a blast!
“Magic Philip entertained a group of spellbound 7 year olds for over 2 hours at my house for my daughter’s birthday. He really tailored the show to the theme (she’s Harry Potter obsessed) and brought Harry Potter related music, jokes and trickery to create the perfect atmosphere and make my daughter’s day special. I would highly recommend Philip to anyone wanting a different, enjoyable and stress-free party. Philip took control on the day, which left me free to chat to the adults and sip on champers, which I loved. He knew exactly how to deal with all the different personalities and did it all with a smile – the whole experience was slick and seamless. Massive thanks to Philip for making it such a fab afternoon. Summer said it was her best birthday ever so well done you!” Rufina Lawani, Old Trafford (January 2017)
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