Birthdays: Goodbye Kid Stuff, Hello Cool Ideas

Birthday party planning is pretty easy when your kids are little.

You pick their favorite cartoon character, animal or superhero and plan the party around that.

A few games, cake and ice cream, and you’re done. Or you head out to their favorite skating rink, inflatable place or bowling alley.

But when your kids hit those ‘tween years, things get complicated. Cartoons and superheroes are for babies, and filling the goodie bags gets more expensive.

Now it’s time to step it up a notch, not in price, but in “coolness.” Try out one of our ideas for your next ‘tweener party.

Limo Party
Come prom time you see stretch limos and hummer limos all over town.
Did you know that they often have reduced rates in the morning and afternoon?
Pick up your party guests from school in a stretch limo, take them out for frozen yogurt before heading to your house or a local park for the party.

Dinner and a Movie
Take your child and her guests to her favorite restaurant for lunch and let them eat at a table all by themselves.
Then head over to the movie theater afterward for a matinee.
You can keep the price reasonable if you choose an inexpensive restaurant and pick a movie at the dollar theater.
Need to keep the budget really low? Rent a projector and show a movie outside on a blank wall of your house after dark.
Serve a picnic dinner on blankets in the backyard.

Disc Golf Tournament
Your kids may have tried laser tag or cosmic bowling, but what about disc golf?
It’s a combination of golf and Frisbee and there are courses at Shillito Park, Veteran’s Park and River Hill Park.
Check out the Parks & Rec’s website for rules and locations.