Birthday parties sound like they should be fun, and of course they can be, but they can also be stressful to organize and pull off! I found this stress creeping in when trying to organize the parties for my two eldest as they turned 7 and 9 earlier this spring. Rowan and Lucas have birthdays just nine days apart, and having their birthdays in March means that outdoor parties are generally out of the question as the weather in that month is pretty iffy.
They have never really had a birthday party with friends. When they were little I usually held a joint birthday party for them with family, or some good family friends. With the pandemic cancelling birthdays for the two years after that, this year marked the first time I felt comfortable hosting some kind of friend birthday for them. I’m happy to say that both Rowan’s and Lucas’ birthday parties were a success, so I wanted to share some of the locations we used (and a few others that have been shared and highly recommended to me).
THE UBC GYMNASTICS CENTRE
We held my daughter Rowan’s 7th birthday party at the UBC Gymnastics Centre. It was our first time there, and I wasn’t really sure what to expect, but I appreciated that you can have up to 18 kids attend for a two hour part and it cost less than $300 to hold the party (man, kids birthdays can get pricey!!).
The kids had an awesome time in the large and fun UBC space. There is a big trampoline, climbing wall, ropes, rings, uneven and parallel bars, a large spring floor, and much more. There were two awesome instructors who organized a warm up and some fun games for the kids to play for the first 30 minutes.
The next 45 minutes were free time, where kids got to explore the space and try out all the equipment under the supervision of the instructors.
For the last 45 minutes, we were given access to a party room (essentially a UBC classroom), just one floor above the gymnasium. 45 minutes goes by surprisingly fast but it gave us time to share out some snacks, drinks and of course, cut and enjoy some birthday cake! Everyone had a great time at this party, and I would 100% book this venue again.
THE KERRISDALE ARENA PLAY PALACE
We waited until one month after my son’s actual birthday to hold his party. We decided to book the Kerrisdale Arena Play Palace, which just opened at the end of April. Again, this was my first time visiting the Play Palace and I was a little worried that maybe my son and his friends would be too old for the venue…thankfully I was wrong! Everyone had a blast!
The play palace is located in the Kerrisdale Arena. From the end of April until the start of September the ice is cleared out and instead the arena is filled with two inflatable bouncy castles, two inflatable obstacle courses, a giant slide, ride on cars and toys and an entire toddler area. Even if not going for a birthday party, this arena is open for drop-in fun all week long (admission runs around $5) and I highly recommend visiting!
When you book a birthday party there you get admission for up to 20 children, plus access to a party room/area for the entire two hour time period. The party room was great. I set up snacks and drinks and the kids just ran in and out enjoying a break in between running around and having fun in the play area. Everyone from my two year old toddler to my 11 year old nephew had a great time.
There are even ping pong tables and basketball hoops where older kids can have fun getting competitive with one another. The price is right on this venue as well – just under $200 for the party. You will be sharing the space with other visitors when you go (private party room however), or for a higher price tag you can actually book the entire venue for yourself (and indeed invite way more people).
PIRATE ADVENTURES
Another great birthday party idea that we got to experience last summer was Pirate Adventures at Granville Island. Chances are you may have caught sight of this large pirate ship that sits docked at the Granville Island marina for much of year. My family all got dressed up as pirates and set sail with the crew for my niece Evie’s third birthday.
The ship sails you around Granville Island and around False Creek. The young pirate actors on board are a lot of fun and very enthusiastic as they get kids and adults involved in the adventure (be prepared to take part). There’s a mutiny and sword fight on board, plus a search for treasure. It’s of course a little cheesy (prepare yourself for a lot of pirate puns), but they do a great job.
Definitely the highlight is when they find the traitor Pirate Pete out on a small dinghy and all the kids get access to the water cannons and get to fire on poor old Pete. That actor deserves every penny he makes as he gets absolutely drenched with a very one-sided water fight that went on for a long time!
Pirate Adventures is a great, unique party option for those summer babies!
SOUTHLANDS FARM
We also got to attend a very covid safe outdoor birthday party at Southlands Farm back in the fall. Southlands Heritage Farm is right in Vancouver, and many people might not even know that it’s there – but it is well worth a visit.
The farm is open for visits on a regular basis, but you can also book a birthday party there which will give you a farm tour and chance to visit with a number of animals and party guests can also enjoy a pony ride. There is a lovely little orchard, and fire pit and covered area to host a picnic.
My best friend’s daughter celebrated her 4th birthday here in November, and even though the weather wasn’t warm it was a fun outdoor option. It’s especially lovely though, when the orchard and flowers are all in bloom.
INDUSTRY ARCADE
This is an amazing birthday party venue for a kids, or adult birthday party! A few months ago my nephew celebrated his 11th birthday at Industry Arcade in New Westminster. What a fun time!
Industry is a private rental venue which is available for 60 min, 90 min or two hour long rentals. Guests can enjoy free play on all of the great vintage games (an amazing selection of pinball games for example) during the time period, and you can bring in food and drink to enjoy (no alcohol allowed, but it is conveniently located right beside a craft brewery).
All three of my kids had a blast here, but certainly my son and his cousin Grayson were in arcade heaven.
SOME OTHER GREAT PARTY LOCATION SUGGESTIONS…
When I asked over social media for some of your suggestions, some of the top
Vancouver Circus School – located at the New Westminster Quay, this comes highly recommended as a fun spot for a birthday party!
Clip N Climb – this Richmond party location was THE most highly recommended by you guys. It’s a wonderful spot that offers different party options for kids to climb and have use of a party room.
Yoga Buttons – Yoga Buttons is a kids yoga studio on West Broadway. They definitely know kids! My daughter went to a party here a few months back and had a blast. They incorporate different themes depending on what your child likes and you can enjoy a dance lesson, yoga class, crafts and food during your booking.
4Cats – There are a number of different 4 Cats locations all over the Lower Mainland, so chances are – there is one near you. 4 Cats offers wonderful art projects whether it’s painting, sculpting, or something more.
Local Community Centres – here in Vancouver we are blessed with a great network of local community centres. These centres all offer some great (and affordable) party options for kids. Open gym time, supervised sports, bouncy castles, and party rooms for food – a community centre is a great spot to check out for their birthday party options.
