Here Are Some Ideas on How to Take Your Kids’ Birthday Party Inside
By Emily Simnitt, The Idaho Statesman, Boise
Jan. 29–If you’ve got a someone under 10 in your universe, there’s a pretty good chance you’re familiar with the PoJos or Chuck E. Cheese birthday experience, especially if their special day is smack in the middle of winter.
During these cold, dreary months, birthday bashes in the park or swimming pool or even in the back yard are out.
Yes, you can plan a fab birthday at your house inside, like Jeri Olearain did for her daughter Ally’s fifth birthday last year.
(Olearain came up with crafts and games in a “Spirit: Stallion of the Cimarron” theme, and by all accounts, it was a great party).
But you might not always have time for that — or the desire to have 15 seven-year-olds running amok in your living room.
If that’s the case, you can follow Olearain’s lead this year and opt to take your party to one of many Treasure Valley indoor birthday party bastions.
There is a lot more to choose from than the aforementioned palace of cheese.
Olearain booked Ally’s sixth birthday party last week at the brand new Pump It Up, an inflatable party facility in West Boise.
It’s one of several places where all you need to do is show up with the kids and the cake.
They do the cleaning.
They provide the fun activities.
In some cases, including at Pump It Up, the facility provides supervision so you, the birthday mom or dad, can sit back, relax and laugh at how cute your kid looks when they’re having all that fun.
“It’s much easier,” says Olearain, standing on the sidelines at Pump It Up while Ally goes for the world record in hula-hooping. Behind Ally, kids climb up an inflatable slide, play a game of hoops in an inflatable court and race each other on an inflatable obstacle course.
Ally chose Pump It Up, because, as she puts it while impatiently waiting for her mom to help her tug her sweatshirt off, “It looked like fun.”
Plus, “it’s a new place to have a party,” Olearain says. “And it’s not at my house. They do everything. They take care of it all. You don’t have to do anything if you don’t want.”
“It doesn’t have that Chuck E. Cheese smell,” adds dad Jay Olearain.
Owner Stacy Haven got into the party business in part in response to his own children’s birthday experience (he has four, ages 9, 7, 5, and 3).
One year, his wife — and business partner — suggested reserving a birthday party place for one of their children. Haven balked at the idea, thinking it would be too expensive.
His wife agreed to have it at home, but insisted he lend a hand.
“There’s a lot of fouf you have to do at your house to make a party,” says Haven, a former programmer who moved his family from California to Boise about a year ago. “We cleaned for a week, spent as much as we would have, then we cleaned for a week after the party.”
Of course, Pump It Up is only one place where you can have your party to take the headache out of planning and hosting a passel of kids at your house.
We set out to find a few good indoor places to celebrate, ones that we wouldn’t mind hanging out at with 8 to 16 6-year-olds. The following lists just a few of the options (and if you don’t like these, there’s always Chuck):
Pump It Up
10259 W. Emerald St., Suite 140
What it costs
$250 for weekend parties; $195 for weekday parties
What you get
A two-hour private party with 80 minutes in two different play areas with three large inflatables each, including slides, an obstacle course and a jousting ring for up to 26 kids. You get an additional 40 minutes in the party room (where you eat your cake). Staff members will be on hand to watch and shepherd the kids between the rooms. The cake room has an inflatable throne for the guest of honor.
You take the cake and the kids. Pump It Up supplies everything else.
What you need to know
— Age range: Owner Stacy Haven says he’s booked parties for 1-year-olds and 16-year-olds. There’s no age minimum.
— Etc.: All kids in your party will need a waiver signed by their parents. The waiver is included in the invitations Pump It Up provides when you book your party.
Only one birthday parent is required to be on hand, but you can take as many parents as you want to watch.
Reserve it
Call 377-2789 or visit www.pumpitupparty.com. Haven recommends calling at least a week in advance.
Idaho IceWorld
7072 S. Eisenman Road
What it costs
$12 per person with a 10 person minimum; $14 per person with pizza or sandwiches thrown in.
What you get
Admission to the city-run ice skating rink, rental skates, soft drinks, arcade tokens, white or chocolate birthday cake and 45 minutes in a party room to eat that cake and open presents. Party includes a host who takes care of serving cake and making sure the transition between party room and skating rink goes smoothly.
What you need to know
— Age range: Kids should be old enough to skate (Idaho IceWorld starts lessons at age 3). If you’ve got really young kids who might need help from parents, be sure their parents are on hand to help out.
— Etc.: Be sure to let partygoers know to wear appropriate skating attire (like gloves). Skaters aren’t required to wear helmets, but they do make the activity safer. A bike helmet works, especially the rounded kind.
“Parents say, ‘It’s great to sit back and watch a party instead of being a host,’” says Wayne Davidson of Idaho IceWorld about why people book birthday parties at the skating rink.
Reserve it
Call 331-0044 or see www.cityofboise.org/parks/iceworld.
Lake Hazel Lanes
10489 Lake Hazel Road
What it costs
You can reserve one or more lanes with pricing discussed on a per party basis (you’ll get a discount).
What you get
As many lanes as you need in a smoke-free environment with access to a small party room for no additional charge with tables and chairs. Bumper bowling, lightweight balls and special needs equipment are available on a first-come, first-served basis for no additional cost.
You take the cake and decorations and the kids. It’ll be up to you to supervise partygoers.
What you need to know
— Age range: If the kids are old enough to hold and roll a bowling ball, it’s fair game.
— Etc.: The birthday boy or girl can get a picture taken of them that will appear when they bowl.
Reserve it
Call 362-2695 for a quote at least 72 hours in advance. Lanes aren’t available for reservation after 5 p.m. Friday and Saturday nights through April (it’s high bowling season). For more information, check out the Web site at www.lakehazellanes.com.
Primo’s Pizza Buffet
3909 E. Fairview Ave., Meridian
8489 W. Overland Road, Boise
1236 Caldwell Blvd., Nampa
What it costs
3 and under: Free
4 to 10: $2.99
11 to 60: $4.99
60 and older: $3.99
What you get
All-you-can-eat custom-ordered pizza, pasta and salad at a table set up for your party without the noise and chaos of kid-themed pizza places. There are arcades, too, to keep the kids busy. You can reserve a table in advance or just walk in on most nights with little or no wait. It’s great for those of you who aren’t so good at planning ahead.
These pizza spots can accommodate pretty much any size party. General Manager Chad Maffey says they’ve had parties of up to 100 people. Even if your child is the most popular in school, would you really want to lick that many invitations?
What you need to know
— Age range: Don’t kids of all ages love pizza? If you’ve got someone super picky on your list, call ahead and order the one kind of pizza they will eat (or just request it once you get there).
— Etc. If you want to go cheap, this is the way to do it. And you can still have that cake and ice cream (if you bring it yourself).
Reserve it
Call 373-7700 to reserve at the Boise location; 855-0288 to reserve at the Meridian location; and 468-7703 to reserve at the Nampa location.
Imagination Factory at Art Attack
851 S. Vista Ave.
What it costs
$125
What you get
A two-hour party for up to 10 kids. Kids spend an hour or so on an art/craft activity using found and recycled objects with an instructor. For example, the project could include making robots out of cereal boxes, duct tape and tin cans.
Partyers also might make their own rubber stamp out of foam or make simple jewelry. When you book the party, talk to owner Marcia Hale about what your child is interested in to plan the appropriate project.
Kids leave with their completed projects. You can opt to take cake and ice cream and open presents at Art Attack. Or you can do that at a different location.
What you need to know
— Age range: Kids should be at least 5. A parent will be required to stay at parties with kids 8 and under.
— Etc.: “We don’t give them a kit to do,” says Hale. “We want them to create their own works of art. The child gets to express their creativity and hopefully they walk out learning something.”
Reserve it
Call 377-3733 to reserve your party at least two weeks in advance.
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Copyright (c) 2006, The Idaho Statesman, Boise
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