This take on Minted was made by undefined from , a member of Minted's community of independent artists.
Whether your child is turning 3 or 13, there are plenty of ways to plan a birthday bash that is sure to bring a smile to their face. While a backyard birthday party is always fun, sometimes getting out of the house is the best way to make the day feel extra special. But where to go?
In this article, you’ll discover 12 of the best kid’s birthday party places, ranging from low-key to epic, memory-making venues. And because each venue has its own set of special considerations, we’ve dug deep into everything you need to know to pull off a party that your little one (and all of their friends!) will love.
No matter what venue you decide to book for your child’s birthday party, know that Minted is here to help you with unique selections of on-theme birthday invitations with matching favor tags & stickers designed by independent artists from around the world.
Looking for a budget-friendly venue that isn’t your backyard? The park is the perfect place to host a birthday party for your little one! You can keep it simple by going to your local park, or venture a bit further to a park that has fun amenities like a jungle gym, volleyball nets, or even a beach area.
When deciding what type of park will work best for your party, think about how you’d like the day to unfold. If your kid is dreaming of a tea party or picnic, be sure to choose a park that has lots of open grass for everyone to spread out on. Or, if you’re hosting a party for slightly older children with lots of energy to burn, consider choosing a local park that has space for you to set up plenty of fun games and challenges.
Just like any outdoor bash, a park birthday party works best during seasons in which the weather is reliably good. And even then, it never hurts to have a backup venue should the weather take an unexpected turn.
If you’re looking to use picnic tables or other park amenities like barbeques, be sure to check with your local parks and rec department to see if you need a permit to reserve those areas. You’ll also want to think about what you’ll need to keep food and drinks sheltered from the elements. Be sure to bring plenty of coolers to keep everything cold — especially if you plan to cook up hotdogs and hamburgers on site. Alternatively, you can call to check if your local pizza parlor delivers to the park, and schedule to have them drop-off the food right before you’d like to eat.
Woodland Birthday by Vivian Yiwing
If your child has a wintertime birthday, a banquet hall is a great option for hosting a large group of guests indoors. The great thing about banquet halls or rooms is that they tend to be a blank slate — so be sure to come prepared with plenty of decorations like tablecloths, balloons, and banners matching the theme of your child’s party!
To keep things fun and kid-friendly, in addition to setting up tables where guests can eat, make sure to have a dedicated space for indoor-friendly activities like table-top board games or arts and crafts. You can also bring in entertainment like face painters, balloon animal artists, or even an actor to play your child’s favorite princess or superhero to help the party feel extra special.
Disney Princess Party by JeAnna Casper
Renting a banquet hall can get expensive, fast, so it pays to be creative! Look to your local parks and recreation department or city hall to see if there are any public buildings with private rooms areas that are big enough to host all of your friends and families. You may find some unexpected locations — like the local train station or even fire department — are able to host your party for low or no cost, which could be a fun way to celebrate your train- or fire truck-obsessed kids.
When scouting locations, be sure to ask what the venue has on site for you to use. To keep things simple, look for a venue that offers plenty of tables and chairs, so all you need to do is bring in fun decorations and plenty of food for everyone.
Get your birthday boy or girl moving by hosting a party at a local kids soft play gym or gymnastics studio! These venues are great because you won’t need to bring in any extra entertainment, and they typically have staff on-hand that can direct kids safely through various routines or play areas. They also often have private rooms where you can bring in food — pizza or tray sandwiches and a sheet cake are always easy options — and open presents after working up a sweat practicing summersaults.
Know that many of these venues have age restrictions that dictate which children can participate. For example, some dedicated toddler soft play gyms may not allow children older than six to play on their equipment, while gymnastics gyms may require children to be older than three or four to participate. If you’re going to be inviting kids of all ages to your birthday party, be sure to triple-check the rules so no one gets left out!
Roll on Over by Shiny Penny Studio
If you’re looking for all the fun of a kids gym, but are hosting a party for an older child, a trampoline park is the perfect venue. Like kids gyms, trampoline parks will also typically have private rooms where you can lay out food, open presents, and give kids (and let’s be honest, parents) a place to catch their breath before going back out on the tramp. Just be sure to keep plenty of water on hand!
Unlike kids gyms, trampoline parks tend to be more self-directed, so be sure that you have plenty of parents that are willing to get out and bounce alongside the kiddos to ensure everyone stays safe. No one wants to bounce with a full belly, so do your best to time your party so that guests can play on the tramps first, and eat cake second.
Jump Bound & Leap by Shiny Penny Studio
Bowling alley birthday parties are a crowd-pleaser for kids and parents alike. Older kids, tweens, and teens can go head-to-head at the lanes or in the arcade, and parents can sit back and relax while the alley takes care of food and drink. Most bowling alleys also have plenty of fun decor, so you’ll only need to bring along balloons and a packet of party hats to make things feel extra festive for your kid’s special day.
Most bowling alleys allow six players per lane, so to make sure you reserve the right amount of lanes, you’ll need to get a head count of how many guests you’re expecting (and how many will want to bowl). It also is a good idea to contact the bowling alley as early in the party planning process as possible to ensure that everyone can hang out together, regardless of how many lanes you need to reserve!
While bowling alleys usually have plenty of kid-friendly food and drink options, they likely won’t have sweet treats worthy of a birthday party on their menu. If you’d like to have a cake for your kiddo, be sure to check in with the bowling alley to get the OK to bring in outside food.
Birthday Claw by Jackie Crawford
Summertime birthdays were made to be celebrated with a pool party! Like hosting your party at the park, heading to a local pool is a great way to replicate a bit of wholesome backyard fun. It’s also the perfect way to celebrate your Little Mermaid-obsessed daughter — just be sure to come prepared with island-inspired or under-the-sea ready decorations to hang up at picnic tables or sun loungers.
Larger public pools may have snack bars, which can also make feeding your guests a breeze. If they don’t, be sure to check the pool’s policy on bringing in outdoor food and drink before stocking up on the snacks and sweet treats.
While everyone loves some fun in the sun, swimming pools do present some unique safety challenges. For younger children, be sure to have enough parents on hand to get into the water with little ones — it's a good idea to stock up on a few extra sets of on-theme floaties or life jackets to ensure everyone stays safe. You’ll still want to have plenty of adult supervision for older children, too, if only to make sure underwater roughhousing or games of chicken don’t get taken too far.
Splish Splash by Annie Holmquist
Out of all the birthday party venues, restaurants are ideal for parents looking to make party planning as easy as possible. Because the restaurant will provide all of the food and drink, you’ll only need to come prepared with a few simple decorations (think a couple clusters of balloons and some party hats) and let the staff handle the rest! If you’d like a special cake for your little one, you can also bring along a sheet cake and some candles, and ask your server to bring it out at the end of the meal for everyone to enjoy.
The main challenge with hosting your children’s birthday celebrations at a restaurant is party size. Make sure you call the restaurant where you’d like to host your party well in advance to make sure they can accommodate you. If you think your guests will be a particularly loud bunch, it may also be wise to look for a restaurant with a private room where everyone can have fun without disturbing the other diners.
Mickey Mouse Birthday Fun by Julee London
Why not celebrate your kiddo by celebrating their interests? Hosting your child’s birthday party at a kid-friendly museum is an excellent way to treat them to something they love while creating memories that will last forever for all of their friends. If your child is obsessed with planes, trains, and automobiles, look for locomotive or aviation museums. Or, if your little one has an encyclopedic knowledge of dinosaurs, think about taking them on a kid-focused tour of your closest natural history museum.
Not all museums are equally welcoming of children, so be sure to pick a museum that is both age- and interest-appropriate for your party. You may also want to inquire with the museum’s staff to see if they have any special accommodations they can make for parties — think group discounts, a behind-the-scenes tour, or party rooms where you can enjoy cake after a day of learning.
Have an animal-obsessed child? This is the venue for you! Like museums, hosting a birthday party at the zoo or at your local aquarium is a great way to celebrate your kiddo by giving them a chance to experience what lights them up. Zoos and aquariums also typically have some sort of snackbar or food court, making it easy to stop for a special lunch to refuel as everyone explores.
Like with museums, we highly recommend calling your local zoo or aquarium in advance to see if they have any special party packages. Some may offer access to special areas of the facility where kids can watch animals being fed or even have a chance to get up-close-and-personal with their favorite creature.
If you’re looking for a hands-on activity for your child’s birthday, consider hosting their party at a local art studio. There will likely be a few options in your area that will match your child’s age and interest level — think arts and craft spaces that specifically cater to little kids or pottery painting studios that are a great option for older children. In addition to having fun and making memories, your child and their friends will walk away with a special memento from the day in the form of a completed piece of art!
If you’re looking to also host lunch or dinner for your child’s birthday, you’ll want to book a kids art studio that is set up to accommodate full parties. Many kids studios will have dedicated private rooms where you can bring in pizza and cake after everyone has completed their art project, while pottery painting spaces may not be able to accommodate food and drink.
What’s not to love about an afternoon spent at the movies? If you’re hosting a smaller group, consider booking a block of seats at a matinee showing of a movie your kid has been dying to see, and then getting everyone stocked up with popcorn, slushies, and other snacks. For larger parties, consider calling your local movie theater to see if you can reserve an entire screening room for yourself. While pricer, this is a great option if you’re looking to bring in extra decorations, a birthday cake, or want to give your kiddo a chance to watch their favorite flick on the big screen.
If you know your child and their friends can get a bit rambunctious when they’re together, you may want to opt for booking a private theater, regardless of your party size. Because movie theaters are public spaces, you’ll want to make sure the fun your kid is having doesn’t negatively impact anyone else’s viewing experience. (This is especially true for teenagers who can’t stand to part with their phone for the duration of the movie!)
Blockbuster Birthday by Everett Paper Goods
If your child is a Disney Frozen fan, have his/her birthday around winter or is a budding figure skater or hockey player, the ice rink is a great place to host a birthday party. Look up the free skate times at your local rink, and then time your party around that schedule. You can also call the rink to see if they have any private rooms where you can host your guests for snacks and cake after your skate, or if you can come in early to reserve some tables at the food court to serve as your party’s home base.
Ice skating can be just as tough for the adults as it can be for kids! To keep everyone safe and having fun, be sure to double check that you’ll have a couple of parents willing to get out on the ice and help hold the kids’ hands while they skate. Rinks will also offer skate trainers for children to hold onto for balance as they skate, and we highly recommend reserving a few of those for your party. Finally, make sure you throw in a couple of extra pairs of socks, gloves, and hats to help anyone who is underdressed for the ice warm up!
Disney Frozen Snow Sparkles by Everett Paper Goods
Our mission is to help artists thrive. Join our
community by submitting entries to our design
challenges or applying to our maker marketplace.
