Query about kittens time on their own

I'm not sure if I'm putting this in the wrong board - infact I'm fairly sure I am but I was unsure about where to post this. Read to the last paragraph if you haven't got much time - I've rambled a bit much.

My boyfriend and I got our two kittens a week ago, they have pretty much settled in, a little scared of loud noises still but all in all they seem very happy. Now, we both leave the house at 8AM, and I get back at about 6:15PM. In this time they are shut in our spare room. It's a fairly large room with a double bed in it (which they've claimed as their own!), their litter tray one side, food bowls the other, scratching post, cardboard box with holes to play in, a big bed/climbing toy and a normal cat bed (well, a box with vetbed in). There's a big area of floor for them to run and play on.

At night they have the run of the house minus rooms (we shut all doors except their room door and they have upstairs and downstairs hallways to charge around in), and whilst we're at home they have run of the whole house. They spend most time before and after work charging around playing.

My question is, how long do you think that it is "fair" to have them shut in that room? I feel terribly guilty shutting them in during the day (and in a week or two we will be letting them have more access to the house while we're at work), so I tend to rush home after work to see them and let them out to play/give them some more wet food.

We have got to the point where next week I have a friend over 'babysitting' them so my boyfriend and I can have a night out of the house. We have neighbours who are happy to feed them in the evenings but I don't think they should be left for a whole day without people around?

I've managed to ramble an awful lot in this post, I'm basically trying to ask whether it is unfair to have someone pop in and feed them in the evening and having them kept to one room for a whole day? (from about 8AM to 10PM?). I feel bad for them not having human company for a whole day (excluding the short time before work) but I'm not sure whether I'm being unreasonable, ultimately that is why we got 2 kittens, to keep each other company.

So, opinions please!

How old are the kittens? IMO if they are younger then 4-5 months old they would need someone to check on them during the day even if its only to give them a 3rd meal.

I'd keep them confined to one room when they are young with toys big enough not to get in trouble with and NOTHING with strings on it. As long as they have a treehouse and food/water/litter box and a window to look out, they will be fine.

It was wise to get 2 kittens so they do have company. Only when they are old enough not to get in trouble should they be allowed to roam the house - this could be anywhere from 6/7 months old and older.

Our house is a very kitten friendly setup, our hallways don't have any dangers in them to kittens, which is why we're considering letting them having access to more than just their room sooner rather than later.

They are 12 weeks old, so still very young. The main reason I am asking is because we have a friend coming from out of town tomorrow who my boyfriend is going out with after work in the evening, and I'd like to go too but I'm apprehensive about leaving the kittens without human company in the evening. My boyfriend will be coming home from work a couple of hours early to give them food and let them have a couple of hours tearing around the house, but it means they'll be alone from 8AM - 3PM and then 5:30PM - 12AM, and I just can't make up my mind as to whether they'll be okay or not spending that much of the day alone.

They might be a bit older than 12 weeks, the cats protection didn't really know and they could well be nearer 16 weeks, but that is only just under 4 months so that's not much of a difference. We have a vets appointment next week where we'll get a second opinion.

Thanks for the advice. And just for the record, we do have all the things you mentioned in their room.