Would kids enjoy this? Classy yet reasonable B'day party...

[IluvKingLouis]

Buffets get expensive. If you want a buffet for the adults, I think that you will quickly exceed $15pp, especially if they get drinks (even if the non-alcoholic variety). Perhaps plan to order an assortment of appetizers for the adults to munch on instead?

Just a comment, though, about a 2pm party - I know that my 7yo wouldn't be up for a sit-down meal at 2pm. He couldn't wait that long for lunch, and it would be too early for dinner. Not to mention that a lot of food seems to go to waste anyways at kids' parties (they are too busy socializing to eat).

I wish I knew how to multi quote...maybe someone can fill me in.

I thought for grown-ups I'd order a bunch of their wood fired pizza and maybe a triple order of ziti, and see if they'd do a family style bowl of salad. Parents can mosey up to the bar for anything stronger then water. Not really a buffet but some munchies that would cost less then something off of the appetizer menu. This isn't meant to be a meal for the parents, but some nice food to snack on.

Two might be too late in the day....good point. I am awaiting an email to see what the restaurant thinks about my crazy idea.

As far as Build a Bear....my daughter enjoyed it but left a little disappointed because she didn't get to shop as much as some of the other kids. But she's a pretty good sport and we've done our best to teach her that shopping is not what life is all about. Some kids left totally in tears. There was no place for cake or gifts....we ended up at a nearby Red Robbin where the hosts sprung for french fries for the kids, and brought their cake (parents payed OOP for their kids to have a meal) and parents paid for their own muchies.

 

[IluvKingLouis]

At DD8's party in May, the weather was nice, but for all but 10 minutes of the party, they were inside....and my house is TINY. I live in a small 2 bedroom apt with DD and having 10-12 girls, my mom, and my BF helping was a lot of people. But we had a blast. I researched all kinds of fun games and made sure to have more than enough in case they got bored. We didn't even get to play all of the games!

It sounds like you're going to need entertainment anyway. You might as well save some money on food by buying pizza instead of going to a restaurant. BUT that's totally up to you.

How about something at the Castle Rock Rec Center? Here's their website:

http://www.crgov.com/index.aspx?nid=304

If I'm reading the flier correctly, they are offering a pool party for $119...is it indoors? That would be a blast for the kids!

Yes, I love the Castle Rock Rec center and my DD has gone to a few parties there.

Gosh, I'm going to sound like such whiner, but I'm asthmatic, and the humidity in the pool room kills me. I have thought about letting my husband host that portion of the party, while I handle the food and balloons. It just makes me a little sad not being there for the entire party and being able to watch my little girl celebrate. But that is a great suggestion and I have been mulling it over.

 

[MickeyMomOfThree]

My DD will be 8 in January. We have done b-day parties at home, CEC, BABW, the bounce house, you name it. Now she has decided she wants to start celebrating her half birthday so she can have a party in the park with waterballoons and the splash park.

So go fot the half b-day, we are doing it and have friends who do it too.

 

[Zeebs]

Then you definatley know how crazy Colorado winter weather can be! Tee shirts one day, heavy parka the next!

We have a lovely playground and park a block away. I keep thinking maybe we should start celebrating my daughters half birthday instead!

Or move to the Southern Hemisphere......

Kirsten

 

[IluvKingLouis]

Kirsten! (aka Zeebs), so funny to see your post. We miss you! If you make it to Colorado I will take you to this wonderful out of the way Italian restaurant (that I've been mentioning here) with melt in your mouth fillet mignon. Hope we meet up soon....Linnea is always talking about your little boys!

 

[TheLittleRoo]

Last year my DD turned 7, and had her best b-day party ever. I even had moms telling me afterwards how much fun it was. We rented a classroom in our community rec center (brand new facility with pre-k classrooms) and hosted a Tea Party for 20 girls. They were invited to bring their favorite doll (mostly this became an AG doll party) or animal as a guest.

I bought 20 tea cups and saucers (hodge podge) at thrift shops, borrowed tiered trays and serving platters, sugar bowls, and tea pots. I got roses from Costco and sprinkled them all over pink tablecloths (we arranged the tables into a u-shaped dai). Each place setting was on a white doily and each chair had a pink balloon tied to it. I bought cut fruit from Costco and made tiny sandwiches and put them on the tiered trays with party toothpicks in them. I made pink cupcakes and brought in 3 tubs of icing + sprinkles to decorate your own cupcake for part of the entertainment. They even had sugar cubes to put in their tea (most chose Kool-Aid to drink instead, LOL!).

For the games, I mixed a few fashion show songs (Madonna's Vogue, Rue Paul, etc) and brought every single dress up costume DD collected over the past 7 years and let the girls have a go at it. We had a karaoke machine and I actually called out their performance as they strutted down the catwalk (following a tape line through the room!). They all changed costumes about 3x each, rotating through what they liked. Then they just started a Dance Fever collective boogie and had a ball! It was by far the most fun for me to coordinate and the girls loved it - - very freeform and hip with a nod to both little girl (dolls, tea) and big girl (fashion, dancing).

Maybe you could do something like that where you have the whole place to yourself and don't have to worry about other patrons or time of day? The whole thing probably cost me <$100, especially since we ditched the $40 cake and $40 pizzas and went with cupcakes and crudites instead.

 

[SnoWhiteRabbit]

Didnt read all the posts, but my kids would probably like this (girls 11 & 9, boy 7). They love eating out! I would do a little smaller - maybe 6 kids.

I would also have little gift bag/goody bags at the start of the party -- the types of things kids can enjoy in a restaurant --- coloring books and crayons, stickers, pipe cleaners, small plastic animal etc. Maybe some question and answer game cards to get the kids talking, etc.

If the place has almost a separate room, I don't see why not.

When my daughter turned 11, we took her and her best friend to a Japanese steakhouse with her 4 grandparents, too. The girls were

Enjoy!

 

[IluvKingLouis]

I really love the idea of a Japanese steakhouse and we have a wonderful one in town that does the Hibachi grill which I absolutely love. But I will have two very picky eaters in my group. DD's best friend and her cousin.

But this is such a great idea I'm going to ask to see if their kids can tolerate rice and grilled meat. It's pricier....like 10/kid, and I won't be able to provide snacks for the adults....but we'd be walking distance to a Stone Cold Creamery for desert!