Kids birthday party from 4:30 - 6:00. Would you expect real food?

[shmoogrrrl]

We are having our daughter's birthday party on a Saturday from 4:30pm to 6:00pm. The kids will all be 5 and 6 year olds. I am working on her invitation right now, and I can NOT decide if we should plan to serve pizza at that time, or if cake and ice cream is fine.

We usually have dinner at our house around 6:00 - 6:30 so for Katie it wouldn't be a problem to eat after the party, but I'm not sure about the rest of the kid world. I can do it either way. Obviously just having cake and ice cream would be easier but pizza wouldn't be a big deal either. We do only have like 30-40 minutes in the party room (the party is at a local gym so the rest of the time will be having fun there), but all we'll have to do is eat as Katie won't open presents until we are home.

Would you expect real food at a party that late?

 

[NMAmy]

Yeah, I would. As long as it was made clear on the invitation, though, I'd be okay with it not being served.

 

[DisneyMomx7]

Yes I would definitely do "real food" at that time. Between 4:30 and 6:00 is dinner time for lots of families, and you wouldn't want them to have cake and ice cream and then go home and eat dinner right after.

 

[cinmell]

I would serve pizza too.

 

[Tinijocaro]

I would expect at least pizza. That is pretty much dinner time (although I realize some families have later dinners)

 

[freckles and boo]

Yep. My kids eat at five-thirty. They would probably eat half the cake if they didn't have something else first.

 

[Papa Deuce]

I would think so... nothing big, but for sure "real' food.

 

[Piecey]

I'd serve food. You admit your dinner is at 6-ish, by the time the parents get the other kids home it could be even later before they can get dinner on the table and other members of their family may be very hungry since they didn't get cake

 

[akhenaten]

probably..but we eat late

if you wanted to do just cake and....

I would write that on the invite.

( we did this for my first childs baptism. I don't know if it still bothered folks to not be fed..but at least they knew in advance!)

 

[Merriwind]

Another vote for the pizza.

Whatever you decide, you can put it on the invite. Something like, "please join us for play time, pizza and cake to celebrate DD's birthday."

 

[Tinijocaro]

but all we'll have to do is eat as Katie won't open presents until we are home.

I have to ask- why wouldn't you let the kids see the birthday girl open their gifts? My kids are always disappointed when the birthday person doesn't open their gifts at the party. I think half the fun is picking out a present for that particular person and seeing their reaction. the worst is when not only do you not get to see them open your gift, but then you don't even get a thank you note!

Just wondering, it's always bugged me.

 

[LadyyRedd]

I have to ask- why wouldn't you let the kids see the birthday girl open their gifts? My kids are always disappointed when the birthday person doesn't open their gifts at the party. I think half the fun is picking out a present for that particular person and seeing their reaction. the worst is when not only do you not get to see them open your gift, but then you don't even get a thank you note!

Just wondering, it's always bugged me.

In the OP's instance, probably due to time constraints. I used to work at a similar type place - Discovery Zone - when I was in my late teens and our birthday parties had 45 minutes in the party room. This may sound like a long time, but trust me, it's not, especially having to get all the kids in there and seated, serve pizza, clean up pizza plates, light candles and sing, cut cake, serve cake, kids eat cake, clean up cake plates.

Kimya

 

[Daxx]

This is not intended to be a major personal attack on anyone here.

With a party falling during what is considered "dinner time" for most people, I would think that some sort of food would be served. It wouldn't be a big deal if it weren't. I would never expect a full-blown dinner to be provided ... just pizza.

 

[Kimberle]

I never expect "real food" at a kids party. Nearly everybody serves pizza and cake, no matter what the time. The time frame you mention is dinner time for most people. So I would serve pizza. You should put whatever your serving on the invites so people know what to expect.

 

[EthansMom]

If it was me having the party, I'd serve pizza at a minimum. You don't have to serve ice cream... most people don't and, if you do, most kids won't want any. So, I'd serve pizza, cake, and juice boxes (soda for adults).

I'm fine with one of my kids being invited to a party at or around a meal time where food is not served. But I prefer that the invitation reads something like "Cake and Punch will be served," so I know to plan on eating either before or after the party.

 

[shmoogrrrl]

Thanks guys!

I didn't even THINK about feeding the kids until my husband mentioned that I left food off the invitation. He's just a better parent than I am. It never occurred to me. Add to the fact that some of her friends will have a good half hour drive home, it makes perfect sense!

Tinijocaro - LadyyRedd is right that we only have a limited time so opening presents just takes too long. Plus, we haven't been to a birthday party yet where the kids opened presents at the party. Not sure if it is just the norm here or what. I thought it was strange at first too, but most people seem to say that the older kids open presents at the party and the little ones would rather play. If it were me, I'd rather watch the birthday person open the gift that I brought, but it doesn't seem to bother my daughter at all. We actually always invite a few close friends back over to our house afterward and she opens the presents then. Then the kids make a royal mess playing with it all!

Thanks everyone! Pizza it is!

 

[PaulaSue]

Anything over the 5 oclock hour I would assume would include a dinner.

 

[JessicaR]

Thats dinner time, so yes I would serve some sorta real food. Have fun at the party!

 

[MomofCKJ]

For that time frame I would serve pizza. It is dinner time for a lot of people.

Allyson

 

[jenrose66]

The time frame seems to be in the realm of dinner time. If you don't want to serve dinner, I think it's ok, since it's a short party, but I would put on the invite that only cake and ice cream are being served so that the parents will know either way.