On time or within 5 minutes. Particularly on time if it's a venue or if they specified they have entertainment coming to the home (magician, clown, princess visit, etc) since it's time limited usually to 45 minutes-an hour of the activity, then it's over, so if you are 10-15 minutes late, you miss a good chunk.

We had people 35-45 minutes late to my daughter's home party this year and even they missed 3/4 of the activities I had planned. I could only hold the other children off from doing the party events for so long. Plus, I really did want people out of my house within a reasonable time frame, so if my 45 minutes worth of activities started 35+ minutes late, then we still needed to do food and cake, I'm committed to a lot more time than I intended.

If at a venue, like a bounce house or playroom, then you should arrive between 10 minutes before to on-time. Those are usually scheduled to start on-time and they often have things like forms to fill out or instructions that everyone (including parents) have to listen to when using the facilities. If you arrive late, they often hold the instructions until all kids are there and then all of the kids lose play time in the facility waiting for you.

If at a home, arrive between the scheduled time and 5 minutes after to ensure that the host/hostess are ready for guests to arrive and the party to start. There is often more flexibility for arrival times at a home party. Most that we have been to have had some sort of free form activity for the beginning with any organized activity set up to start 15-30 minutes after the start of the party.

Anonymous wrote:Within 5 minutes of the start time. Unlike other parties, birthday parties for small children are usually set to kick-off some kind of activity pretty soon after the start. Otherwise the birthday kid melts down out of excitement and anticipation.

Agree. Kid birthday parties operate under different rules than adult parties (at least in the DC area). Kid parties start (and end) on time.

But NOT early!!

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Within 5 minutes of the start time. Unlike other parties, birthday parties for small children are usually set to kick-off some kind of activity pretty soon after the start. Otherwise the birthday kid melts down out of excitement and anticipation.

This, OP!

Yup!

Anonymous wrote:Within 5 minutes of the start time. Unlike other parties, birthday parties for small children are usually set to kick-off some kind of activity pretty soon after the start. Otherwise the birthday kid melts down out of excitement and anticipation.

This, OP!

We are ready on time and hoping that guests will arrive! I usually plan a freeform activity for the first 15-20 minutes, since there are usually stragglers, but at some point we want to get going with the party.

Yep, we're normally within 5min of the start time. Or if it's one of DD's friends were very close with a bit earlier and then help with setup.

Within 5 minutes of the start time. Unlike other parties, birthday parties for small children are usually set to kick-off some kind of activity pretty soon after the start. Otherwise the birthday kid melts down out of excitement and anticipation.

OP here, thanks everyone! On-time it is.

I always expect people will arrive 10-15 minutes late to my parties. In fact, I'm usually not 100% ready at my planned start time.

Yes on time is best.

On time. I usually try to be ready for guests to arrive on time, and it sucks to have to wait around for people to show up. Think about the birthday kid, sitting around wondering why nobody's at his party.

On time or 5 mins late. 10-15 mins late may cause the host/ess concern that you are a no show.

Hi, kid birthday party virgin here and I have extremely dumb question I'm hoping you can help me with.

My DD has been invited to her first birthday party by a kid at daycare. It's a two-hour party. When's generally the best time to arrive? On time? 10-15 min after the start time? Are there unwritten rules on this? It's at the kid's house. I usually try to get to adult parties at least 30 min after they start but I don't imagine it's the same for kid parties because of games etc.

Any guidance would be appreciated. Thanks!