25 Best Kids Birthday Party Places

You’re probably here because you are trying to brainstorm kids birthday party places, outside your house to host your next party.  On the one hand, your house is free but that also means cleaning, prepping, hoping you have enough space for your guests and then cleaning AGAIN.  That can be stressful and time-consuming.

In this article, I want to give you my 25 best kids birthday party places ideas so you can check out the options where you live.  I also have a list of teen birthday party places and adult birthday party places depending on what you are looking for.

While you are here be sure you grab my FREE Party Research and Budget Guide!

25 Kids Birthday Party Places

1. Local Park Party  

• Pros- Usually Free. Usually have a grill, a covered eating area for shade and lots of places for kids to scream their guts out in the open air and play.
• Cons- Bad weather or hot temperatures can ruin your party.
• How to Book a Party: Google your local Park and Rec department.  Give them a call and ask about how to reserve your spot at the park.

2. Neighborhood Pool Party

• Hosting a party at your local neighborhood pool can be great because if you live in the neighborhood you most likely use it for free or for a nominal fee.
• We have attended several parties at community pools and I enjoy them because the pool is on the small side making it easy to keep up with the kids.  There are lots of adults around to help keep an eye on swimmers and it can make for a nice, warm, fun environment where the kids can entertain themselves for several hours.
• How to Book a Party: Contact the HOA or community contact person.

3. Indoor Bounce House Place Party

• Indoor bounce house places are usually large buildings that have 3-10 inflatable jump slides, relays, and moonwalks.
• Pros- Keeps the party inside so weather doesn’t really matter.  Kids can go crazy and be as loud as they want.  They can jump and climb and it’s not on your furniture.
• Cons- Smaller places are fine, bigger places may have parents trying to watch their kids like a hawk, especially on really busy days.
• How to Book a Party: Just Google Indoor Bounce House Places and see what is nearby.  One large national chain of bounce house centers is Monkey Joes. 
• 

4. Indoor Trampoline Center Party

• Not going to lie, even as an adult I love these places.  Imagine a building with wall to wall and floor to floor trampolines?
• My husband and I even used to go one of these in Atlanta on date night because it was exercise and fun!
• These are amazing party places because it doesn’t really matter the weather outside you can still have the party.
• Kids get to run, jump, yell and play for several hours.
• Some of the places I have been to also have trampoline dodge ball arenas which makes this perfect as a Teen birthday party place. Plus foam square pools where you jump on the trampoline and hurl yourself in a giant pit of foam squares (think old school Double Dare).
• How to Book a Party: Google Indoor Trampoline Center or the most popular national chain of these is Sky Zone. 

5. Yogurt or Sweets Shop Party

• For my twins first birthday party, I wanted to do something fun, special and simple for them.
• While walking around in my local downtown I found a cute little sweets shop that had a self-serve frozen yogurt bar, popcorn bar or cupcakes.
• I called them up and asked about having a small party there and they were most accommodating.
• The best part is that unlike other yogurt stores, the prices were flat based on the cup size instead of being weighed.  It made checkout very easy.  Each guest got their order and the gals at the register kept a list of who had chosen what.
• At the end of the party, I only spent $105.00 on all my guests to hang out in a nice, intimate location and enjoy a simple treat on us.
• How to Book a Party: The best way to move forward is to locate a sweets or yogurt shop and find out about what party options they have or ways you can make your party work there.

1. Science Center Party

• Doing a quick Google search should let you know if there are any local science centers in your area.  These places may be big or small but they offer tons of awesome hands-on science activities and usually have large climb and play structures for kids.
• How to Find a Science Center: You can use this Find a Science Center Search from the Association of Science-Technology Centers to find all the options near where you live.

7. Imax Theatre Party

• IMAX is huge screen and can offer a very unique movie experience that not all your kids have had before.
• Some movies are more education and others are pure entertainment.
• How to Book a Party: To learn more about throwing a party, search for your local Imax location and find out if the one nearest you host parties.

8. Movie Theatre Party

• Keeping it simple, you might just want to take a group of kids to your local movie theatre to see the lastest kids flix.
• Each theatre has different options but it is one out of the box way to keep a bunch of kids occupied for two hours.
• How to Book a Party: Here are a list of party hosting pages for most of the major US movie theatres.
  • AMC Theatre Celebrations
  • Cinemark Movie Theatre Birthday Parties 
  • Regal Cinemas Birthday Parties

9. YMCA Party

• When walking to my YMCA group fitness class the other day I saw a flyer for hosting birthday parties.
• Every YMCA usually offers most activities, classes, camps or parties at a member price and a non-member price.
• In our case, as members, we were able to host my son’s indoor inflatable/pool birthday party for 20 guests for $125.  The even covered the host, the plates, napkins and ice cream.
• Our YMCA has an indoor pool so that would work for any weather situation.  Our old YMCA in Atlanta had an outdoor waterpark which would have been a ton of fun as well.
• How to Book a Party: Check with one of your local YMCA locations to see what kind of party options they have that might appeal to, the season of the year and your child the most.

10. Chuck E Cheese Party

Every 90’s kid’s birthday party place dream, Chuck E Cheese is still around and they are pretty darn affordable for parties.

• They offer Dippin Dots, games, tickets and pizza!  It’s a kids party dreamland!
• Being that it’s inside it’s nice for any type of weather.
• How to Book a Party: Don’t forget this classic party option and learn more about Kid’s Birthday Parties here. 
• They have different party pack options for different budgets on the website above.

11. Pizza Hut Party

Another thrifty pizza party option you may not have considered was your local Pizza Hut.

• Being that it’s a national chain, you should be able to find one close by unless you live extremely rurally.
• According the website kids get the unlimited salad bar, two kids menus, and unlimited ice cream.
• How to Book a Party: Visit the Pizza Hut Kids and Family Birthday Party informational page.

12. McDonalds Party

• Still around, if you want a simple party for your kids at a place that makes food the like and offers a well-contained Play Place, this is a great thrifty option.
• And because McDonald’s is EVERYWHERE, you should be able to find a location to fit your party needs no matter where you live.
• How to Book a Party: Find out more about McDonalds PlayPlace & Parties. 

13. Skating Rink Party

• I’m not going to lie, the last time I went to a skating party I realized how things had changed from when I was 10-year-old sailing my way around the skating rink (which was a million times better than skating in my driveway).
• As the party started, I noticed kids as old as middle school going around the rink in what looked like tiny PVC walkers.  Like walkers that people use for mobility support.  That’s what these were, walkers for kids and adults to use while the skated so they could keep from falling.
• I remember the days when you had to learn to skate by clinging to the walk and busting your rear end a few times before you got the hang of it.
• Okay, middle age rant over— skating parties are still around and are still fun, walker and all.
• How to Book a Party: Call your local skate rink and ask about party options.

14. Bowling Alley Party

• Another great “classic” party option is bowling.
• It gets the kids off their devices and gets them hurling heavy balls down an ally.
• These days many bowling alleys offer black light rooms or areas which make it much more fun and festive for kids.
• How to Book a Party: Call your local Bowling Alley and see what party options they offer.

15. Dance School Party

• Got a group that likes to dance?
• Maybe they want to learn some fun moves?
• How to Book a Party: Call your local dance schools to see what kinds of parties you can throw at their location!

16. Spa Day Party

• If you’ve got a group that loves to be pampered, consider hosting your party at the local spa where the kids can get mani’s or pedi’s as a group.
• If doing this out isn’t in your budget, consider doing it in with my post on How to Throw a Thrifty Spa Party.
• How to Book a Party: Call and ask if they have group rates or party options for their spa location.

17. Gymnastics Center Party

• Similar to indoor jump house parties, many gymnastics centers have party options.
• It’s a way to get the kids to burn off some energy from all the party sugar in a padded and safe environment that’s not your house! HAHA
• It’s also a party option that isn’t affected by the weather outside.
• How to Book a Party: Give your local places a call or check out their websites for party information.

18. Aquatic Center Party

• When I lived in the burbs of Atlanta, they built a county-owned Aquatic Center down the street from the house.
• It was AMAZING!!  Slides, lazy rivers, pool playground!!
• After that location opened I discovered that we actually had several other aquatic centers in town that I didn’t even know existed.
• These parties can be super fun but they do require a lot more adult attention and supervision due to the kids playing in the water.
• On the flip side, these can be a bummer if there is rain or thunder that shows up the day of the party.
• How to Book a Party: These parties can also be super thrifty compared to a privately owned theme park style water park.

19. Craft Store Birthday Party

• This is one of my favorite birthday party place because I’m a crafty gal.
• Many local craft stores have classrooms for craft classes but you can also often rent these rooms for parties.
• In fact, Michaels craft stores offer some really fun party packs at their store locations.
• How to Book a Party: You can read more here about Birthday Parties at Micheals.

20. Pottery Paint Store Party

• Another trend that is popping up in big and small towns around the US are pottery painting places.
• These little shops have been around for over 10 years now but provide a great environment for crafty fun that someone else gets to clean up.
• How to Book a Party: Google “Pottery Painting Studio” in your area and reach out to them for more information.

21. Theme Park or Water Park Party

• If you live in a town with a big or small theme park, consider hosting a party there for the day.  Due to ticket prices, you may not be able to take your kids whole baseball team, but you may be able to make a special day with a few good friends.
• How to Book a Party: Call and ask about group rate discounts or party options.

22. Take Advantage of Seasonal Events & Festivals

• Depending on when your child has a birthday, there may be some super unique seasonal festivities that you could take your group to that would be fun, special or outside the box because they are seasonal.  Check your local town’s calendar of events.
• Consider calling and asking about group rates or party pricing.
• Here are some examples of seasonal style events:
  • Festivals
  • Carnivals
  • Theatres Plays or Productions
  • Christmas Light Displays
  • Movies on the Green
  • Ice Skating Rinks
  • Haunted Houses
  • Corn Maze

23. Wildlife Preserve Party

• Many towns have wildlife preserves where you can go, explore, hike and have some fun in the great outdoors.
• How to Book: Simple Google “Wildlife Preserve Near Me” to see what options you may have in your area.  Give them a call and ask them if they host groups or parties.

24. Hiking Trail Party

• One fun way to save some money and get the kids out of your house is to plan a hiking adventure.
• Give the kids some fun accessories, a little back of trail mix, a tiny bottle of water and be on your way to a great adventure weather permitting.
• How to Book a Party: Do an online search for trails near you.  They can be simple, they can be a little harder but it’s nice to have ones that take you somewhere such as a waterfall where you can have a picknick lunch.

25. Cupcake Shop or Bakery

• One of my favorite birthday party invites was to a party at a small cupcake shop in a little downtown area.
• Each kid got to pick one of three cupcake flavors and then were provided with their own icing and toppings to decorate their own cupcake.
• It was simple, it was quick and it was fun!
• How to Book a Party: Google “Cupcake Shop Near Me” and inquire about parties at their location.

I hope that you have found some inspiration or a solution to your next birthday party places search.   In fact, you can plan the next several years or kids from this one post!  Let me know about your most favorite party them in the comments section below.  I’d also love for you to subscribe to my weekly email where I send out awesome party and celebration ideas and tips each week!