abouTfamily

Quick and Easy Birthday Parties
By DEBBIE PETERSON

(PHOTO FROM mypartypalace.com)

Children count down to their birthday party from the day after their last one, but parents tend not to be quite so enthusiastic. Birthday parties can be messy, expensive, and time-consuming. Fortunately, Bryan/College Station has a number of unique options that are fun for kids and convenient for parents.


DRESS UP FUN

Several local businesses will take care of every aspect of a child’s birthday party. For girls who enjoy dressing up and being pampered, Girly Girlz or My Party Palace would be great choices. Girly Girlz offers three brightly decorated themed party rooms from which to choose. The spa party includes a girl-friendly makeover with hair up-dos, make-up, a mini-manicure and pedicure. The tea party room fulfills the dream of the little girl who loves to dress up and play tea party. And for your future rock star, Girly Girlz can provide a fun party in which girls can get glamorous, dance and sing karaoke. A party for four girls starts at $150 and includes a party hostess, invitations, goody bags, a CD of pictures, paper goods, and drinks. Larger parties and add-ons such as cake, make your own lip gloss, and a limo ride can be added at additional cost.

My Party Palace can plan a party with a princess theme, diva theme, or can custom fit a theme to fit the birthday girl’s desires. The private pink polka-dotted party room is also available for bridal showers or parties for divas of all ages. The party packages start at $250 for 11 girls, and include a party hostess, dress up, make-up, hair-dos, mini-manicure, snacks, cake, gifts, and crafts. The princess party includes a tea party and the diva party lets girls walk the fashion runway and sing their hearts out. Add-ons such as special cakes, invitations, a limo ride, or a visit from Cinderella are available for additional cost.

SNOW & ICE

Although there’s not much snow in this part of the country, your child can experience an ice skating or sledding birthday party year-round at two College Station facilities. Arctic Wolf Ice Center offers ice skating parties which include the use of a private party room, skate rental, decorations, a gift for the birthday child, and drinks for $9.50 per guest. They also offer a rock wall climbing party which includes the same things (except for the skate rental) and three climbs for each guest for $8.50 per person. Special add-ons for additional cost include a sundae bar catered by Maggie Moo, pizza, hot dogs, or even a figure skating or hockey coach.

For sledding fun, you can have a party at Mt. Aggie located on the Texas A & M campus. Built for use by Aggie ski classes, Mt. Aggie parties provide plastic sleds and 1 and hours of sledding for up to twenty guests for $150. They also have a covered pavilion with tables, chairs, and a gas grill.

BOUNCING

For another active kind of party, The Bounce, a new College Station business, offers a 12,500 foot facility filled with inflatable castles, obstacle courses, giant slides, a climbing wall, and more. The Bounce’s party packages include time in the jump room, a private party room, a party host, invitations, paper goods, drinks, and set up and clean up starting at $175 for a weekday party with 25 kids or less. Weekend times and additions such as food add on to the cost. Adults attending the party can enjoy free wireless internet and can purchase gourmet coffee or snacks from the 50’s style concession stand. The Bounce is also open to the public for jumps; check their web site for times and prices.

HORSES

If horseback riding is more your child’s love, Carousel Acres Equestrian Center can provide that opportunity for your child’s party. Parents can rent a trained Peruvian horse at Carousel Acres for $60 for two hours of riding. They recommend one horse for every three to four children at the party. They also have covered tables and gas grills available for guest’s use, and parents can add on a hay ride for everyone for $25.00 more.

CREATIVE EXPRESSIONS

If your child is more interested in having something for their guests to make and take home, U Paint It and the Bear Mill would be fun options. U Paint It birthday parties include a party table, balloon bouquet, party host and a specially made plate for the birthday child that all the guests can sign. Each guest can choose an item to paint and U Paint It will fire them and wrap them to be picked up later. The cost is $8.00 per child, plus the cost of the item each child chooses to paint. U Paint It has items from which to choose as low as $5.00.

The Bear Mill provides a hostess, party room, paper goods, and balloons for birthday parties, as well as the chance for each guest to make and dress their own stuffed animal. Packages start at $150 and include an eight inch animal and choice of T-shirt to dress it in for six guests. Add-ons for additional costs allow guests to choose from a wider selection of animals and outfits.

MUSEUM PARTIES

Two area museums offer birthday party packages that are both fun and educational. The Brazos Valley Natural History Museum can customize a birthday party to fit your child’s specific interests. They provide a program, party room, invitations, place settings, decorations, party favors, and a cake for ten children for $110. A museum staff member will plan program on a topic of your choice and will fit it to the ages of the children involved. For example, a program for school age children on dinosaurs would include a hands-on look at dinosaur fossils, bones, other exhibits and items owned by the museum, and a craft or activity about dinosaurs. Animal topics are popular, such as creepy crawling animals, and would include interaction with the museum’s collection of birds, reptiles, and insects. If a family was interested in hosting a Museum Benefit party, the charge would be only a $25 deposit. Guests would be asked to bring items off of the museum’s wish list, such as bedding or food for the animals, in lieu of or in addition to birthday presents.

The Brazos Valley Children’s Museum also offers birthday parties. The basic packages start at $90 for non-members and include admission to the museum for 10 kids, a private party room, a party assistant, and set and clean up. For an additional $60, museum staff will plan a theme party such as princess or pirate and add a craft, party goods, decorations, and gift bags.

Check with the individual party places for their rules about bringing in outside food, adding additional guests, and the need for waivers. Prices vary in several cases depending on the times and packages chosen. Parents, instead of stressing yourself out, or settling for the same old thing, give one of these party places a try. You might even find yourself counting down the days until the next birthday party.