It might be months or just a few weeks before your child's birthday, and you're racking your brain for party ideas that will ensure a good time without busting your budget. Many busy parents have found themselves in a last-minute party predicament.
So, when you don't have time to research party options, we've done some legwork for you. Here are a dozen tried-and-tested children's birthday party recaps from Post-Dispatch staffers and spouses who can give you an insider's look at the hits and misses of some of the area's top party options.
Build a Bear Workshop*
West County Center
67 West County Center
314-821-1227
Why we picked it • My daughter truly cherishes her stuffed animals and plays endless imaginary games with them, so she was thrilled to pick out and create her very own animal, along with her friends.
How it went • Our party helpers were good in helping impatient little ones (about 5 years old) wait their turn to pick out an animal. We had limited the selection to those choices under a certain price range, and the employees were helpful in guiding children to those choices.
Biggest hit • When the children get their turn to press the foot pedal to pump a limp animal full of stuffing, place a heart inside and bring the animal "to life," the look on their faces is priceless. Plus, having a teddy bear or animal to bring home is a great party gift. I found a coupon in the Post-Dispatch, which saved me a chunk of change on the final cost.
Biggest miss • This type of party works best for a small group of friends. Once the number of guests gets too large (really more than 10 or so), the line of kids waiting their turn to stuff their bear gets antsy and bored. There is lots of waiting at the various stages of this party. Plus, costs can easily spiral out of control with too many guests. Also, there is no set-aside room for pizza and cake, so you have to move your entire party to the nearest food court to offer pizza and cake.
Cost • $$$
— Aisha Sultan
Pump it Up
601 Trade Center Boulevard, Chesterfield
636-532-5437
Why we picked it • We had attended so many parties in this indoor arena, filled with inflatable slides, bounce houses and obstacle courses that my son begged to invite his preschool class for his 4th birthday celebration. You get a private party room with helpers who set up and clean up. We added on pizza, drinks, balloons and goodie bags. The helpers guide the children from one jumping room to the next before heading into the party room.
How it went • The employee "helpers" running the show at these sorts of parties usually make or break it. We had good helpers, who guided the children and watched out for safety issues. Parents still need to keep a close eye, especially on younger children, who might get bounced around. This type of party is best suited for large groups of very active children. We had at least 20 kids between the ages of 4 and 6.
Biggest hit • Kids loved the inflatables, and we loved being able to show up and leave without having to deal with the mess.
Biggest miss • Packages can get very pricey, especially for large parties. Also, for some reason, I start to feel dehydrated watching children bounce in those inflatables for more than an hour.
Cost • $$$$
— Aisha Sultan
A Night at the Drive-In
Sky-View Drive-In Theatre
5700 North Belt West, Belleville
618-233-4400
Why we picked it • After throwing big parties, we wanted to scale down in size and expense. We're regulars at the Sky-View and enjoy playing on the rickety old playground and setting up a game of washers in gravel. Admission is $9 per adult. Children, up to two per paying adult, are free. Each additional child is $2.50, which means our party of two adults, our two children and my son's three friends, would cost $20.50. The Sky-View permits guests to bring coolers, so we stocked up on juice boxes, sandwiches and tasty snacks, you know, the ones loaded with enough high-fructose corn syrup to keep the boys up all night at the post-show sleepover.
How it went • We had planned to arrive promptly at 7 p.m. when the box office opened. That way our minivan could secure one of the few upfront spots for larger cars. The kids could eat dinner and play until the movie started at sundown. Note: Not all movies screened at the Sky-View are appropriate for kids. The theater announced "Toy Story 3" weeks in advance, so we were able to send out invites in advance. But typically, the website only offers a week or two notice.
Biggest miss • The weather. At 6 p.m. that night, every meteorologist called for severe storms and strong winds. When the sky over our house turned green, we decided not to risk it and bought tickets for the 7 p.m. screening at the Galleria instead. And guess what? It never rained a drop.
Cost • $
— Diane Toroian Keaggy
"Star Wars" party at home
Why we picked it • My two boys, turning 3 and 5, are huge "Star Wars" fans (for that matter, so am I). Their birthdays are three days apart, so we are able to get away with just one party. Plus, with grandparents, great-grandparents, aunts and uncles attending, a home party was a good way to ensure that everyone was comfortable and had fun.
How it went • We own a mini-bounce house, so that kept the kids (some came dressed as Star Wars characters) busy at the start of the party (and saved money). Then we ate lunch, with mini-sandwiches by Roly Poly and side dishes we made. After lunch, Darth Vader paid a visit (it was really my brother-in-law in a rented costume, and though he scared his own daughter, he didn't fool my oldest). He gave the kids their goodie bags and then pulled out a Darth Vader head piñata. We only had seven kids (but about 15 adults), so all got to take several turns with it.
Biggest hit • The Clone Trooper cake. It was a delicious chocolate cake made in the shape of a Clone Trooper helmet. My boys loved it, and all the parents gushed about how delicious it was. The coolest thing: It was made by a 9-year-old baker, Alex Gambill.
Biggest miss • I had to clean my house before — and after — the party. But with grandparents in from out of town, I would have had to do it anyway. I also wish I would have tried one of the "Star Wars"-inspired obstacle courses and Jedi training academies I read about online, but I was too short on time to arrange one. I guess the Force wasn't with me on that one.
Cost • $$
— Amy Bertrand
Princess party at home
Why we picked it • My daughter was turning 3, and at that age, parents still come with their child, you hope. We wanted a space so the parents and kids could be themselves and not worry about bothering other people or getting lost in the chaos.
How it went • It was a princess-themed party, so our daughter had a castle cake with a moat, drawbridge and tower. The kids dressed as their favorite prince or princess (usually Disney). When they arrived, they sat at a large table and made their own crowns. We had jewels and glitter to decorate the cardboard crowns. Next, they built their own pizzas. While the pizzas baked, the kids played in the backyard or colored prince and princess coloring book pages with their own box of crayons. Things went very smoothly, flowing from one activity to the next, leading up to the opening of the presents and eating the cake.
Biggest hit • The kids loved making their own crowns, allowing them to be creative. They took that creativity to the pizza-making as well.
Biggest miss • Always a big mess to clean up when it's in your own home, especially when food is involved.
Cost • $$
— Laura Black
Monkey Joe's*
9061 Watson Road
314-962-5637
Why we picked it • Monkey Joe's has several large inflatable bouncers and slides — a perfect place for a party for a dozen 3- and 4-year-olds. It also makes planning easy: Monkey Joe's supplies invitations, a party host, drinks, paper plates, forks and cups. We supplied cupcakes and goodie bags. (You can also add on pizza, balloons and goodie bags.)
How it went • The kids loved climbing and jumping on the equipment together. The parents appreciated Monkey Joe's good hygiene — the inflatables are cleaned routinely every day.
Biggest hit • My son's favorite part was sitting on the birthday throne in the party room, where Monkey Joe himself paid a visit.
Biggest miss • Parents can't play on the inflatables, and the space is not private, so it can be hard to keep track of kids.
Cost • $$$
— Jody Mitori
Oishi Sushi & Steakhouse
100 Public Works Drive, Chesterfield
636-530-1728
Why we picked it • Call it the midlife-kid crisis. Ten-year-old boys are too old for Chuck E. Cheese and too young for a night out on the town. Enter Oishi, a Japanese steakhouse that serves Teppanyaki-style cuisine. Because my son is a foodie who knows his Cat Cora from his Rick Bayless, we decided to give it a try. A party room is available for groups of 20 or more.
How it went • Does anything capture boys' attention more than fire volcanos, loud banging and flying knives? We were prepared to corral soccer hooligans, but we were shocked at what we heard. Silence. The seven boys, all around 10 years old, were so mesmerized by the fantastic lunch show that we had no problem keeping the group under control.
Biggest hit • In addition to the great show, the food was plentiful and good. The menu has kids meals, which are reasonably priced.
Biggest miss • Oishi isn't set up for kids' birthday parties, so the actual birthday fanfare was lacking. But the servers did beat a drum and presented a small dessert to the birthday boy.
Cost • $
— Charles Williams
Bounce-U*
4403 Meramec Bottom Road, Suite C
314-845-7529
Why we chose it • We really liked the idea of holding an off-site party. There was no mess, no fuss, no worrying about the weather or the post-party state of our house. Add to it the fact that 25 preschoolers went home completely exhausted, and you've got a winner. We'd been to several bounce-house parties, and Bounce-U offered a whistle-clean facility with private play areas for each individual party. This also really appealed to us.
How it went • The event lasted two hours. The kids spent 45 minutes in each bounce room, then had a half-hour to eat and watch our son open his presents. We were assigned two party coordinators who made sure the kids were playing well, having fun and staying safe on the equipment, which included inflatable slides, bounce-houses, jungle gyms and even a boxing ring. Some of the parents even took part in the fun, bouncing along with their children. We ordered pizza, sodas, cake and treat bags for each child at an extra cost.
Biggest hit • Our son loved the inflatable birthday throne, where he could open his presents. I loved the fact that the party coordinators took care of everything, even the gift list for thank-yous.
Biggest miss • Getting more than 20 preschoolers to sit still for a silly safety video before the party was a near-impossible task.
Cost • $$$$
— Erika Ebsworth-Goold
Des Peres Lodge Wave Pool
1050 Des Peres Road, Des Peres
314-835-6150 or 314-835-6150
Why we picked it • Who doesn't love relaxing in the gentle ocean waves in a innertube in St. Louis — in the winter? There are plenty of swim-party packages around, but the Lodge is the best place in town to experience an indoor wave pool. There's also a giant water slide and, for the grown-up guests an indoor hot tub.
How it went • The price gets you an hour and a half in the party room and admission for up to 30 guests (adults or children). It also includes six pitchers of soda, six large one-topping pizzas, and tablecloth and utensils. We got the cookie cake at the Schnucks just down the road.
Biggest hit • You can't beat the waves. Even for summer parties the kids would gravitate more for the indoor waves and water slide than the outdoor lazy river.
Biggest miss • The slide police. If you have rivets on your suit — no slide for you. It's not unusual for kids and parents to cut the rivets off their suits rather than miss a chance to go down the indoor or outdoor slides.
Cost • $$$
— Bob Rose
Chesterfield Sports Fusion
140 Long Road, Chesterfield
636-536-6720
Why we picked it • We wanted to combine the parties for our 4- and 8-year-old boys, so we wanted someplace that could cater to both age groups, offer a range of activities, and allow a gaggle of boys to burn off energy. Private party rooms are available. They provided the drinks and paper products, we brought the goodie bags and pizza (Sports Fusion has discount deals with Domino's).
How it went • There's such a wide range of activities — laser tag, mini golf, dodge ball, rock climbing wall, indoor playground, large inflatable obstacle course, arcade — that it's virtually a guaranteed can't-miss. The 20 or so boys we had wanted to stay longer. The managers were friendly and helpful, and employees were at every activity in case the kids needed help. Sports Fusion can work well for older kids, too.
Biggest hit • There are various party packages, allowing you to choose two, three or four activities for your group. Be aware of pricing. The more activities and time, of course, the more you pay. For us, laser tag was a huge hit, followed by the climbing wall.
Biggest miss • This may be tough with larger groups, but give more than a passing thought to the activities you choose. Some kids may be afraid of the climbing wall, or the dark in laser tag. Others may find that dodge ball conjures up scary memories of gym class. And remember that there's an arcade — those video games have a strange way of making kids beg for dollar bills.
Cost • $$$
— Toni and Alan Achkar
Kirkwood Recreation Station Ice Rink
111 South Geyer Road, Kirkwood
314-822-5825
Why we picked it • We wanted a place nearby where a few of our son's friends could gather and participate in a fun activity — for not a lot of money. Having spent his first six years of life in Florida, our 8-year-old still feels skating is rather exotic.
How it went • Skating was a big hit. Our son loved zooming around the rink, and an hour or so of ice time was enough to exhaust even the most robust of his little friends. They were ready to turn in the skates and get to the cake.
Biggest hit • The cost: $3 per kid, ($4 for nonresidents) plus $2 skate rental. Use of the "party room" is free, and snack-bar food is available, though we brought our own cake.
Biggest miss • The "party room" is pretty drab unless you bring your own decorations. Also, a few first-time skaters spent much of the time clinging to the sides of the rink, though they got braver as the party progressed. Note that the rink remains open to the public during parties. It's a good idea to have at least a couple adults on the ice for safety.
Cost • $$
— Christopher Ave
Incredible Pizza Co.*
5254 South Lindbergh Boulevard
314-842-0700
Why we picked it • Incredible Pizza Co. covers several birthday party bases, including party rooms, an extensive buffet and games galore. The arcade is one of the best in St. Louis and includes bumper cars, glow-in-the-dark mini golf, go-kart racing and more. Each child is given a game and attraction card, which varies depending on the package you buy. For $15.99 per child, each attendee gets $7 for games and access to three attractions, which is enough for one hour. There is a 10-child minimum for a party. Because the facilities are indoors and air-conditioned, weather is never a problem.
How it went • The party was well-organized, and the party planner kept it lively. The buffet allowed the kids to eat exactly what they wanted, which kept whining to a minimum.
Biggest hit • There's no better remedy for 10 tightly wound 9-year-old boys than an arcade game card. And parents can relax in one of the themed rooms — diner, drive-in, high school gym, or '50s era family room — drinking coffee and talking about something other than the latest Club Penguin upgrade.
Biggest miss • The party room was small with basic décor. The kids liked the food, but adults need restraint to eat healthy.
Cost • $$
— Charles Williams
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