By Bonny Osterhage
A child's birthday party is no longer a simple affair. More often it is
a grand-scale production that can turn even the most organized parent
into a crazed lunatic. The theme must be chosen and the invitations,
tableware and decorations coordinated. The cake must be decorated and
food selected. The goodie bags must be chosen with care as there is
often a lot of comparing going on in the small social circles. And
then, after at least two months worth of planning, the party is over in
two hours, and there is the clean-up to deal with.
OK, I might be exaggerating a little bit - but not much! In the
ultra-competitive word of parenting, why not give yourself a break? The
truth is as long as there's food and a place to play, most kids are
perfectly content. Realizing the amount of stress involved with
planning the perfect birthday party, we have selected a few really
great party places, many of which will do everything but write your
child's thank you notes. These places can leave you stress-free,
hands-free and ready to celebrate with your child.
Punmp It Up
Have you ever noticed that children love nothing more than a "giant
bouncy thing"? Seriously, at any party that I have attended that
included a rented bouncer the kids could barely be coaxed out to eat
cake. So imagine a room filled with really gigantic bouncy things that
your child and all his friends could have at their disposal. Pump It Up
is that place. Located
at Nacogdoches and O'Connor roads, Pump It Up offers two different
arenas, each with four giant inflatables. Each arena consists of a
Basketball Bounce House where the kids can play ball or don boxing gear
and spar (all while bouncing, of course), a 17-foot inflatable slide,
inflatable obstacle courses and the Coliseum, a round inflatable with a
raised center that is perfect for playing King of the Hill or taking a
stab at jousting. With no height or weight restrictions, parents can
even get in on the fun!
Each arena is supervised by an energetic staff member who can
demonstrate the different activities. This person will also set up the
party room, help serve, clean up and even help you haul presents to the
car. Pump It Up will provide you with invitations and all the paper
goods you need. And, while you are responsible for your own cake and
ice cream, you can order pizza through them from Double Dave's.
Each arena is available for a two-hour party, and they can accommodate
up to 25 guests (not including the birthday child). The party package
includes 1 1/2 hours of play time and 30 minutes in the party room
(complete with inflatable birthday throne). The nice thing about Pump
It Up is that even though there may be two parties going on at once,
each party is completely private.
"That really sets us apart," says owner Melissa Anderson.
Call as early as possible to schedule a time, especially if you want a
weekend slot. The first party of the day begins at 9:30 a.m. with the
last time slot beginning at 8:30 p.m.
Call 413-7620 or visit www.pumpitupparties.com for more information.
Amazing Parties Want to throw a theme party at
home but don't have the time to plan it? Here's where Amazing Parties
comes in. These guys have everything you need to create more than 12
different theme parties, from kid-sized tables and chairs to all the
decorations, games and activities.
"You get an at-home party without going to all of the trouble yourself," explains owner Cecilia Ibarra.
You can choose from such popular themes as Dora the Explorer,
SpongeBob, a Disney princess, dinosaurs, trains, Under the Sea or
construction sites. The staff at Amazing Parties will arrive at your
house two hours prior to the party to set up the tables, chairs (with a
special chair for the birthday child), decorations, activity stations,
etc. They will provide such fun entertainment as dress-up clothes for
the princess party, bubble activities for the undersea adventures, and
obstacle courses and digging activities for the construction theme.
They will also supervise a theme-related craft for the children to take
home.
All of the parties except the princess theme can be held either inside
or outside, and they always have a back-up rain plan. It is best to
book your party as early as possible because if a theme is already
booked for the day you need it, it cannot be repeated. The basic
package includes the set-up, 1 1/2 hours of games and activities, and
clean-up. Extras that you can add on include invitations, thank you
notes, goodie bags and even your child's favorite character making an
appearance at the party.
If that sounds like too much, you can simply use Amazing Parties for
the games and activities. They will drop off four theme-related
activities that you can rent for only $99. The only thing you will need
to provide is the cake, but they are looking into offering that service
as well.
For more information, call 523-7767.
Backyard Theatre for Kids
If your child always wants to be the star of the show, what better time
to indulge that whim than on his birthday? For only $45, you can have
the party room at the Stoli Playhouse for one hour either before or
after a show (of course, you have to buy tickets to the show, too).
During the performance, the birthday child will be invited on stage
where everyone will sing "Happy Birthday." Your child's photo will be
made with the actors and posted on the Web site along with his or her
biography, featuring information such as favorite food, favorite color,
etc. You must supply your own decorations and food. While this party
may not be as elaborate as some, it is the perfect choice for that
child who wants to be a star.
For more information, call408-0116 or visit www.stolientertainment.com.
Club Libby Lu
If you have a "tween-age"daughter who is a true "girly girl," then this
is the party for her. Club Libby Lu recently opened in The Shops at La
Cantera, and it is every little girl's fantasyland. The birthday girl
and her friends can pamper themselves to their hearts content while
indulging their desires to be glamorous, sophisticated or just
downright funky.
Club Libby Lu is completely hands-on and interactive. Girls can mix and
blend make-up, body potions, get makeovers, play dress-up and choose
fun accessories for themselves and their rooms. Customers are referred
to as VIPs, which stands for Very Important Princesses. The VIP
birthday girl and guests can enjoy a day of pampering that ranges in
price from $21.50-$30 per child, depending on the package you select.
The basic package includes a new hair-do (or Libby Du) with accessories
and glitter, five items of the girl's choosing from the "pick-a-mix"
wall, a Libby Lu backpack and three crystal tattoos. Other packages
include a "fancy potion" of their creation or a "glam-on-the-go" pack,
also created by the guests.
Weekend parties should be booked one to two months in advance, while
weekday parties are pretty flexible. The only downside to this fantasy
day is that any food, drinks, cake or ice cream cannot be brought in,
and presents may not be opened inside. However, your little party
princesses will probably be having too much fun to care.
Call 561-2584 for more information.
Lone Star Station
Lone Star Station is the home of three different private party facilities: Tumbleweeds, Seaweeds and Texas Tea Party. Tumbleweeds
has the distinction of being the original private party place in town.
This trinity of children's parties is located at 8301 Speedway, and
each location has its own unique theme. Tumbleweeds, as the name
suggests, has a Western theme complete with a barrel roll, Western
dŽcor and dress-up clothes. Seaweeds offers a Caribbean Island theme
with pirate costumes and hula skirts. Both facilities have zip lines,
slides, moon bounces, climbing structures, tire swings, playhouses and
large party rooms with kitchens where you can bring your own
refreshments.
The Texas Tea Room provides a cozy environment geared toward little
ladies who want to play dress-up. There are plenty of dresses, gowns,
shoes, hats, boas, make-up and jewelry items to please even the
prissiest of girls and a lovely mirrored vanity where she can adorn
herself. She can take her act on the stage with a black-light karaoke
machine and then enjoy her refreshments in a bistro-style party room
and kitchen complete with cafŽ-style tables and chairs.
While you must provide your own food and dŽcor, all three locations do
provide a staff to serve and help in any way possible including getting
the gifts to the car. The best part is, when you book a party at one of
these facilities, you get the whole place to yourself.
For reservations, call 979-0339 or 979-0096 or visit their Web site at www.sakidsparties.com.
Home Court America
Little athletes will love having a birthday party at Home Court
America. This facility is so family-friendly anyway that a child's
birthday party just seems natural. They offer three different 1
1/2-hour packages filled with all kinds of athletic activities, or you
can combine elements from the three packages to create your own
two-hour combo package. Some of the activities featured in the packages
include basketball and volleyball games, relay races, dodgeball games,
rock-climbing, obstacle courses and even scrimmage games. Following the
activities, the guests can retire to the party room for refreshments.
Each party is led by a Fun Coach, who supervises the chosen activities.
Prices range from $189-$275 for a party of up to 15 kids, depending on
the package.
Every party includes a T-shirt for the birthday child, invitations,
cups with ice, plates, napkins, tableware, three two-liter soft drinks
and of course, the Fun Coach. Additional items such as pizza, cake,
additional shirts, etc., can be added for an extra charge.
"Our goal is for the parents not to do anything while the kids have fun," says marketing coordinator Melanie Boehm.
For more information, call 344-7529 or visit www.homecourtamerica.com.
Pony Parties by Dawn
This petting zoo and pony ride provider has been in business for 18
years and gets top ratings from parents for its efficiency, cleanliness
and price. Pony Parties by Dawn offers a U.S.D.A.-licensed petting zoo,
which typically includes a llama, goats and chickens. The animals are
set up in a nicely decorated pen and feed is provided (as is hand
sanitizer) so the guests can enjoy interacting with these sweet
creatures. Ponies are provided for the children to ride, and a face
painter can be included in the party package. Each party package is one
hour and can accommodate up to 40 children.
Prices start at $150 for homes inside Loop 1604 and are slightly higher
outside the loop. All packages include set-up and clean-up.
For information or to book a party, call 521-2386.
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