Does your kid have a birthday coming up? Picking a spot can be stressful—there are dozens of options in the Washington, D.C. area for parents seeking the perfect place to host a party. Yes, these spots often cost more than throwing a party at home but it takes the work, preparation and clean-up off your shoulders (and that’s something most of us can get behind!).
To help with your search, we’ve broken down party venues based on the type of activity your kid is interested in—cooking, gymnastics, acting and more. Your child is sure to have a blast celebrating his or her big day, and you’ll be able to stand back while tons of fun ensues.
For active kids
Where: 1632 East Gude Drive, Rockville, MD
Imagine a room full of inflatables and you’ve pictured Bounce U! Bounce U was created especially for birthday parties—come rain or shine, your party participants can enjoy sliding, obstacle courses, bouncing, climbing and shooting hoops in their indoor party room. They order the food, cake and paper goods, and even take the pictures for you. This is especially great for when you have guests of different ages. (There are two locations in the area: Clarksburg and Rockville.)
Cost: $219-$200; add $99-$159 for pizza, cake and toys.
Where: 13200 Mid Atlantic Blvd, Laurel, MD
Active kids will love climbing the walls of the Climb Zone gym in Laurel. Different than traditional climbing centers with their colored footholds, the walls at ClimbZone are decked out with kids in mind. From Aztec temples to the Lincoln Memorial, every single climb activity is themed and created for children. There are multiple levels of difficulty so everyone can participate. (But parents must order-in the food themselves.)
Cost: $30 non-refundable reservation fee. Admission $25 for children ages 6 years or older, preschoolers (ages 2–5) $12.
If your kids are into jumping, running, balancing, rolling and all kinds of gymnastics, they will love The Little Gym. Your group will have the entire gym to enjoy with supervision while you take lots of pictures. Little Gym’s are partnered with Nickelodeon, so they offer character-themed birthday parties, including SpongeBob and Dora the Explorer. They also offer a selection of Legos and Duplos for kids who enjoy building. There are tons of locations in the area (Silver Spring, Fairfax, Alexandria); you can find one near you on the Mommy Nearest app!
Cost: $200-$245 for members and $225-$270 for non-members up to 12 birthday guests. Each additional guest is $10.
Where: 11395 Government Center Pkwy, Fairfax, VA
Celebrate a birthday while getting an all-star workout with Great Play’s themed parties. Choose from six themes: Championship Day, Olympic Party, Super Hero Party, Fun & Games or Dance Party. They’ll even customize the party to fit the birthday kid’s personality. All parties take place in Great Play’s patented, interactive arena—a 3,000-square-foot space with eight projectors, a directional sound system, and over a dozen sensing systems.
Cost: (Members) $370 for up to 18 children, 90 minutes; (Non-members) $395.
For animal lovers
Where: 3001 Connecticut Avenue Northwest, Washington, DC
For animal lovers, FONZ (Friends of the National Zoo) provides an indoor party room and expert-led tour guides though the National Zoo. Parties are held on weekends from 10am to noon for children ages four to eight. The Zoo can also provide a “Safari Menu” of bagels, pizza, chicken tenders and other kid-friendly fare in their private party rooms, as well as $20 zoo animal shirts for every guest.
Cost: $400 for parties with up to ten children. Add $20 per child over ten kids with a maximum of 20.
For future performers
Where: 7300 MacArthur Blvd, Glen Echo, MD
Whether your little one likes to be on stage or just loves to watch performances, this is the best spot in the area for theater-loving kids. At Adventure Theatre MTC, you can choose between the Dance Party, Pretty Princess Party and See A Show Party. Adventure Theatre offers a private room and special rate for show tickets. Tickets range from $17 to $22, but groups are eligible for discounts.
Cost: Private room for $125 for 15 kids and 15 adults; $150 for 25 kids and 25 adults.
Where: 4701 Sangamore Rd, Bethesda, MD
Where: 6645 Old Dominion Dr, McLean, VA
Ballet Petite creates a fairytale event for the birthday honoree. Guests dress up in costumes and a real ballerina leads the children in games and dances. After acting out a favorite story, the children participate in a tea party with actual china and silver teapots while served cake and pink lemonade. Parties are for kids turning three or older with a limit of 10 dancers. (There are locations in Bethesda, McLean and Potomac.)
Cost: Ballerina party for kids ages 3 and up (limit of 10 kids) $600; kids ages 4 and up (limit of 16 kids) $650. Musical theater parties for ages 5 and up (limit of 16 kids) $650.
For little foodies
Where: 8090L Tysons Corner Center, McLean, VA
The Tyson’s American Girl offers two birthday events—the Bistro and Deluxe Birthday Celebrations. The Bistro party includes a meal for the group in the restaurant with cake and ice cream. Each girl may bring their doll to sit at the table and receives a goody bag. The Deluxe Party is held in a private dining room for six 12 guests and includes an additional paper craft. For small groups consider Afternoon Tea, with sweets and finger food, tea or cocoa.
Cost: Bistro Birthday is $30 per girl and $20 per adult. Deluxe Party is $47 per girl and $37 per adult.
Where: 21100 Dulles Town Cir, Sterling, VA
Cookology, a teaching kitchen in Dulles Town Center, offers parties for different ages with different menu options and levels of difficulty. Kids learn to make appetizers, an entree and dessert in a commercial-grade kitchen. Expect kid-friendly foods like homemade pizzas, rice crispy magic wands and mini hotdog soft pretzel bites. Best of all, they get to eat what they make!
Cost: $35 per child for ages 4-7; $40 per children for ages 8-12; and $45 per child for ages 13-15.
Want to have the party at home but skip the planning? This is a roving band of culinary talent that’ll put together a birthday party right in your home. A professional chef arrives with all the needed supplies and provides cooking instruction for 90 minutes. Kids learn to prepare an entree and dessert (or appetizer) from child-friendly menus. After the party, Tiny Chefs staff even cleans up your kitchen.
Cost: $35 per child for entree and dessert, and $40 per child for appetizer, entree and dessert.
For future spies
Where: 700 L’Enfant Plaza SW, Washington, DC
Partygoers can uncover the hidden secrets of the Spy Museum during one of the museum’s birthday parties! Kids go on action-packed missions where they decipher code, create a false identity, discover the mole and crack the case. These parties include everything from free museum admission for up to 24 guests, a customized cake, take home goody bags and a special spy gift for the birthday recruit.
Cost: $475 plus tax for up to 15 children and 3 adults; $575 plus tax for up to 20 children and 4 adults.
Photo credits: BounceU (2), The Little Gym, National Zoo, Adventure Theatre MTC, American Girl, Tiny Chefs
