Open gifts at birthday party? Agenda help!

[naomi's mama]

I'm hosting DD's 6th birthday party in a few weeks. It's our first school age birthday party.

My question is do we have to open birthday gifts during the party? Or do we wait til everyone leaves?

Can someone share a typical order of events?

[Babybird4]

I personally think its rude to not open gifts at a party. Besides, kids love watching their friends open what they got for them.

[themamageek]

Is the party at your house? If so, yes, open them.


We had a party at chuck e cheese and they allowed no time for gift opening. We did manage to open some, because those friends cared, but some we took home and opened later. I made sure those who brought gifts and didn't see us open them were okay with it though.

[AVDesigns]

We've always had the kids open at the party. DS went to his friend's party a couple weeks ago and it was at Monkey Joe's and the little boy opted to open his gifts at home so that he and everyone else could have more time to jump on the inflatables before they had to leave. It didn't bother me any.

[missemily]

My son and his friends were all bummed out at the last party which they had at a play place when the gifts were not opened.

[essential1892]

We have always opened the gifts after all of my son's friend's left (he has had 2 big parties so far at ages 4 and 5). Everyone around in these parts seem to do it this way and I think it's good because it gives the kids more time to play and have fun. We always write everyone a thank-you note though; I usually take a picture of all of the kids and turn it into a thank-you card.

[mcpforever]

It depends on the venue and number of kids. More than a handful of kids and you end up with a long process where guests get restless and start to entertain themselves. (Read:make mischief). If it is at a place where there is a lot of opportunity for physical play (inflatables, playground, laser tag) then it works better to give the guests more time to socialize and wiggle. The above two things apply even more so if there are a good number if guests who are younger than the birthday girl.

If I have a smallish group at a less active venue, like my house, we open gifts. Order of events tends to be opening activity, main party activity, possible meal, cake, opening gifts, pass out favor bags, possible sponge activity(play on play set for us), see guests off.

[mom1mg]

Here traditionally we open gifts during the party.

What I do is sit the kids in a big circle with their gift. Birthday child spins a bottle and who-ever it is pointed at hands off their gift. IF we are pressed for time OR have a large number of kids where some might get bored ... then the one who handed off their gift gets handed their cake to eat so they have something to do while they wait.

[stevensmom]

open at the party...usually right before it's time to go home. Kids love seeing their friends open up the gift they gave them. And then they all want to play with them.

if it's somewhere else where you wont have time/place, then open at home but put a picture of them with the gift in the thank you