I WANNA BIRFDAY PARTY DADDY!

April 2, 2008 12:20 PM

I need a venue for a 4 year old's birthday party in Seattle.

So my special snowflake is turning 4 this month, and she REALLY WANTS a birthday party. Problem is that we just don't have the room for the rabble she wants to invite (her whole daycare class, 6-8 kids). Last party she was at the kids eventually dissolved into a battle royale in the middle of the floor.

So, I'm looking for other options. The obvious one is a nearby park, but given Seattle weather in April, that's going to require a backup site. I've considered getting a shelter, but with the parks department lottery system I'm not sure I can land something this month (and while I'm ok with it not being on the day, I do want to get it in this month). I'm not in the mood for Chuck E. Cheese (is there even still one around?) and I think 4 is a little young to get anything out of that place, anyway.

I'm looking for three things: A good space for 4 year olds, room to move around, and the freedom to play some party games. Oh, and a place that's going to be OK with having 6-8 4 year olds possibly having a battle royale in the middle of the floor. Ideas?

posted by dw to grab bag (10 answers total)

Can you rent a room in a community centre? For my four-year-old's party here in Toronto, we got a 1000-square-foot room for $12 an hour.
posted by winston at 12:42 PM on April 2, 2008

Where do you live? Is it convenient to drive to the east side? It's all the rage on the east side to hold parties at places like Jump Planet and 321 Bounce.
posted by crazycanuck at 12:42 PM on April 2, 2008

Have you checked out The Childrens Museum? I beleive they have hireable rooms.
posted by Artw at 12:43 PM on April 2, 2008

Is that too young for a roller rink? There's a rink in Lynnwood where a friend of mine (34) had a birthday party. It was a blast...
posted by Pantengliopoli at 12:43 PM on April 2, 2008

nthing the Children's Museum. Also Soundbridge

And GoCityKids gives many, many more party-place ideas.
posted by nikksioux at 12:51 PM on April 2, 2008

TUMBLEBUS!
posted by tristeza at 1:58 PM on April 2, 2008

Where do you live?

North of the Ship Canal.

Is it convenient to drive to the east side?

It's fine for us, but Special Snowflake's daycare friends are not all upper middle class sorts.

Is that too young for a roller rink?

Unfortunately, yes. 4 year olds can barely tie their shoes.

Have you checked out The Childrens Museum?

I think that's the direction I'm leaning in. $200, though. When did children's parties get so damn expensive? And will they get off my damn lawn?
posted by dw at 2:33 PM on April 2, 2008

Up here in Shoreline, Hamlin Park has a shelter -- it's nothing fancy, to put it mildly, but I'm sure you could reserve it. I've been to a few fun birthday parties there. There's a playground, there are bathrooms, perfect!

GYMagine has parties (if you don't mind the drive to Mukilteo), as does the Seattle Gymnastics Academy. I've been to kids' parties at Pump it Up, in Lynnwood, which was a blast; and Ben and Jerry's in Ballard, which was fine.
posted by The corpse in the library at 6:10 PM on April 2, 2008

Children's Museum it will be. Next year I'll get us in the lottery for a picnic shelter a lot earlier.
posted by dw at 3:43 PM on April 3, 2008

Children's Museum was fine. Came in and set up; they did the cleanup. Had an hour party and then loosed the kids upon the museum. The rooms have small fridges and busy boxes on the wall, so that kept a bunch of 3 and 4 year olds well entertained.

The one drawback -- it's in the Center House, and the Center House is a long way from any parking. So you're schlepping all that party stuff from the car with the kid, then schlepping it back at the end of it.
posted by dw at 12:05 AM on April 27, 2008