What is the ideal age for a Chuck E Cheese birthday party?

[jrb0328]

What do you think would be the ideal age for a Chuck E Cheese birthday party?

I want to do one for my sons next bday, and DF and I are having disagreements with if he will be old enough or not. He will be 4. What do you think?

 

[dannyzmom]

4 is fine for a CEC party...I've been to plenty of 4yo CEC b'day parties...

 

[chefbritt]

I don't have kids, but I did take my 8 year old cousin there recently and she was a little too old to fully enjoy it. I don't think 4 is too young, most of their games are geared towards that younger age group. I'm kinda thinking 5 or 6 would be the perfect age, but 4 isn't too young. Have fun planning his party!

 

[sklay723]

I think four years old is fine...you should also look around for an Ollie Koala's to see if one's in your area...it's like Chuck E Cheese but my DH and I like it better because it just seems cleaner and brighter and they offer more options than just pizza (hot dogs, burgers, fries, sandwiches, etc.). Whichever way you choose to go, good luck and have lots of fun!!!

 

[mpkegley]

I have a 3 year old and when we went, he didn't really get into it too much. So, 4 is probably a good age.

 

[PamperedDor]

I think 4 is just perfect - I had my first DD there at 5 and the rest of the kids had their 4 year old parties there - I loved Chuckie Cheese - miss it!!

 

[chefsteph07]

Chuck E Cheese seriously gives me a headache, but my daughter is 4 and LOVES it...she is brainwashed by the commercials..you know the slogan "where a kid can be a kid"...everytime she sees the commercial she says "I wanna be a kid!" I tell her she already is a kid and she says "NO, I have to go to Chuck E Cheeses to be a kid!"...then asks repeatedly when she can go back!
I can take that place about every 6 mo...
OH! We did go to a party there once, it started at TEN THIRTY in the morning, but they said it was better to do it early when there weren't that many kids...they were right, we left around noon, and the place was packed...so, I would recommend doing it early in the morning if you are going to do a weekend.

 

[etteluap70PC]

honestly I think 4 is too little. There is so little time to have your actual party. The last party I went to there with a little one they were all so overstimulated the girl did not want to open her presents. The parents did not hardly get to visit with anyone because everyone was playing and she had to stay with the party stuff, and coordinate with the "CeC Party planner"

ETA: My friend had been to plenty of parties there as well, but it was totally different as the host. She barely got to even play with her kid because she was taking care of everything else.

 

[jrb0328]

it would be a small party. not too many kids. at first i was thinking wait till hes 5 and wee can invite kids from his K class but that might be too many kids lolthanks everyone

 

[lkprescott]

My niece had her daughter's b'day at a CEC when she turned 5... it was overwhelming for the adults... the kids had a good time but I was ready to leave after 2 hours. LOL.. By contrast, she had a McD's b'day party for her son (who just turned 3) and that one was worse... it felt a lot more rushed than the CEC party (which was held on a Friday so maybe wasn't as busy and rushed as a weekend party would be) and like everything had to be rushed through and hurried. She doubted she'd do THAT again. I'm old fashioned... I think the best parties are the home based or park based ones. For DS who has a summer b'day, we rent a pavilion at a local park (which is only $25 to $50 for the DAY depending on the size of pavilion and includes playground, tons of room and no rush. The only good thing to an offsite party is when THEY clean and set up for you... I'll give 'em that but it can be a lot cheaper to do it 'home grown' and just as fun. Oriental Trading catalog has TONS of party ideas and makes everything easy (they've made pinata's a b'day tradition for us)... and affordable and let's face it, most kids will have plenty of fun without the structure of games and such that any party can be a success if you just have 'em play.

 

[Teresa Lynn]

When our kids were younger we would go with our best friends who had 2 sons on report card day. We knew we could chat while they played. (It wasn't a "reward" good grades were expected but we knew it was a standing date on those wed. nights for the 2 families because they kids attended different schools and had various activities and only saw each other in Sunday school where they had to be quiet) As our kids got older we stopped going they preferred a good steak or Mexican food over icky pizza and they outgrew the games.Our friend's oldest son graduated last year the other is a sophomore. Just this year they stopped going on report card night.... I couldn't believe they still looked forward to it.

 

[Jenni]

Big Tip Here!!!I think 4 is a good age! I must say I think there parties are over priced. If you can get your hands on coupons you are much better off. Bring your own cake...

Minute Maid Juice boxes have coupons on them right now!!!!!!!! Three coupons come sealed in with the juice boxes.
Coupon #1)BUY $10 WORTH OF TOKENS GET $10. FREE!!! for a total of 80 tokens
Coupon #2) 1 lg pizza and 4 drinks and 30 tokens for $18.99
Coupon #3) 10 free game tokens

So say you have 8 kids, and get two sets of coupons and use them all. (you go up to counter and use some and so does a friend or family member)
You would end up 2 Large pizzas.... 8 drinks.... and a total of 240 tokens for a grand total of $57.98 plus tax. I don't think Chuckie Cheese party deals work out any better then that! :love:

 

[chefsteph07]

My niece had her daughter's b'day at a CEC when she turned 5... it was overwhelming for the adults... the kids had a good time but I was ready to leave after 2 hours. LOL..

By contrast, she had a McD's b'day party for her son (who just turned 3) and that one was worse... it felt a lot more rushed than the CEC party (which was held on a Friday so maybe wasn't as busy and rushed as a weekend party would be) and like everything had to be rushed through and hurried. She doubted she'd do THAT again.

I'm old fashioned... I think the best parties are the home based or park based ones. For DS who has a summer b'day, we rent a pavilion at a local park (which is only $25 to $50 for the DAY depending on the size of pavilion and includes playground, tons of room and no rush. The only good thing to an offsite party is when THEY clean and set up for you... I'll give 'em that but it can be a lot cheaper to do it 'home grown' and just as fun. Oriental Trading catalog has TONS of party ideas and makes everything easy (they've made pinata's a b'day tradition for us)... and affordable and let's face it, most kids will have plenty of fun without the structure of games and such that any party can be a success if you just have 'em play.

I don't know...I've had my daugthers parties at home since she's been a year old and I would love to do something different, unfortunately, she is a Jan b day, so outside isn't really an option, but this year I toned it down, did not buy decorations, only food and a cake and still spent over $100.00...next year I am going to do a bowling party for her, it's about $100 and they provide everything, pizza, pop, favors, ect. I think the only thing I need to bring is a cake.

 

[lkprescott]

Ah, see, we don't do a party every year, so they are uber-special when they happen (and usually themed... like DS's have been a bug party and a Yu-Gi-Oh party... DD's has been a princess party where princes were also invited LOL). We celebrate just us with cake and ice cream every year (and a dinner of their choice and of course presents) but when it comes to a party with invitations, extended family and friends over, they happen at ages 5 and 10 so far... I'm considering one at 13 then too (probably a sleepover)... and 16 probably... then 18 and then they're on their own. LOL... That's how I was raised and I've seen my sisters and other parents knock themselves out every year with parties so, I like what my folks did and try to simplify and the kids see them as big blow outs (that still only cost about $100 and that's for family and friends) to mark special years.

 

[MaddyandOwensMom]

honestly I think 4 is too little. There is so little time to have your actual party. The last party I went to there with a little one they were all so overstimulated the girl did not want to open her presents. The parents did not hardly get to visit with anyone because everyone was playing and she had to stay with the party stuff, and coordinate with the "CeC Party planner"

ETA: My friend had been to plenty of parties there as well, but it was totally different as the host. She barely got to even play with her kid because she was taking care of everything else.

I was going to write just about the same thing. My now 5 year old loved it when she was 4, but she didn't see the child she was with because we were all over the place. The last party we went to, we never saw the party girl at all or really any of our other friends. As suggested by others, I like the home party best. For DD this year, we told her she could have a family and two close friends and then go ice skating in NYC with the immediate family. She really went for it. We went to Playhouse Disney and picked the Johnny and the Sprites theme and it was great. They give lots of good (inexpensive) ideas!
Jessica

 

[chefjeanine]

I don't have children. . .so I don't know anything but I always thought the idea of only having as many guests as the child is old made a lot of sense.

We didn't have non-family parties (immediate family + Godparents and maybe our Grandparents -- but I don't remember them being there) when I was growing up. And really, we turned out okay.

I don't think my brother or sister ever had a friends birthday party. I was able to convince my folks to let me have a sleep-over for my 13th b-day. Why do they call it a sleep-over when no one sleeps?