We all know how important birthday parties are. We work hard to make sure they’re perfect, that our children have fun and that great memories are made. Unfortunately, sometimes this is easier said than done, as it can be hard to find places other than the typical ones you think of {you know the places we are talking about 
}.
This is exactly why a few weeks ago on Facebook we asked you to share your favorite birthday party locations in Cincinnati. Boy were we excited about your responses! So many great suggestions – places we’d not heard of, places we’d been to, places all over the city. It was a great list and we couldn’t wait to share it here on the blog.
**Please note that our goal is to continue to grow this list, adding new places as we discover them or when you send them our way. If you know of a great place that’s not included on our list, please feel free to leave information about it in the comments, or you can shoot us an email at info@familyfriendlycincinnati. com.
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GameWorks – With hundreds of exciting video games and lots of other fun things to do, there’s no place like GameWorks for kids Birthday Parties! All Packages include a Private Room, Soft Drinks, Pizza, Birthday Cake and game cards. Packages start at $10.99 per person. Visit the GameWorks Website for more information on packages and pricing.
Blue Manatee Books - In a wonderful and creative setting, parties include stories, activities and games as well as ice cream from Aglamesis and smoothies from the Decafe! A variety of themes are available from dinosaur and animals to pirates or fairies. Blue Manatee offers a party package for children turning 3 and older, and can accommodate up to 12 children.
Anderson Dance Academy ~ Does your child enjoy dance? How about a dance themed party? Anderson Dance Center offers several themes to choose from including Hip hop, hula and princess ballerina! Get the details.
Brazee Street Studios – Have a young artist at home? Why not incorporate the arts into your child’s next birthday with a glass art creating party at Brazee Street Studios in Oakely. Parties are available for children ages 3-18 and children will have fun creating their own mini masterpiece from fused glass
Lazer Kraze – With locations in Erlanger & Deerfield Township, Lazer Kraze is home to some amazing indoor lazer arenas plus Erlanger has an inflatables section and Deerfield Township has a Lazer Maze! Lots of different party packages depending on your budget, starting around $119.
Jump! Zone ~ Jump!Zone is an indoor party center featuring nine large inflatables, interactive games and various toddler activities. Prices start at $159 for 15 kids and run to $259 for 25 kids. Locations in Florence & Milford. Visit the Jume!Zone web site for complete details on party packages and pricing.
Beechmont Rollarena ~ If your child is old enough, roller skating may be the party for you. Party pricing is based on attendance – $7.00 per child, includes skate rental, party supplies, drinks & ice cream. Pizza & soda avail; minimum of 8 children. For complete details visit the Beechmont Rollarena web site.
Here’s a fun idea, paint pottery for your next party. Locally, two options include Star Glazers and Color Me Mine.
- Star Glazers ~No need to travel, Star Glazers brings the party to you. Paint ceramic mugs, plates etc and w/I 2 weeks your finished pieces return! Details on the Star Glazers web site. Call for party pricing.
- Color Me Mine ~ Located in Crestview Hills Towne Center children will have fun painting pottery with their friends. Prices vary based on pieces painted. Details on Color Me Mine Web site.
Whole Foods Market Mason ~ offers fun cooking parties that include everything from sending out the invites to party favors. Perfect for ages 4 and up. Contact Whitnie.Carter@Wholefoods.com or Heather.Cargini@Wholefoods.com for details.
Snappy’s Tomato Pizza Party ~ What child doesn’t love pizza? How about a party at Snappy Tomato where you get to eat what you helped make? Call your local Snappy Pizza to see if this is offered. We know in Bright, IN the Snappy location offers a ‘make your own pizza’ party for kids for just $5 per child.
Pump It Up ~ Large private indoor arenas, filled with gigantic inflatable slides, bounce houses, obstacle courses and more (Parents can play too!) Parties include a private party room with a party coordinator to help run things so parents can just sit back and enjoy. Parties run from $189 – $269. Located in West Chester. Complete details on the Pump It Up Web site.
The Little Gym ~ Located in Liberty Township, Kids who have their birthday party at the Little Gym get the whole place to themselves! Party includes lots of tumbling and “gymnastics” fun and they take care of everything for you. Visit The Little Gym web site for details, call for pricing. Perfect for children 12 and under.
Cincinnati Museum Center ~ Choose from the Duke Energy Children’s Museum or the Cincinnati Museum Center for your party. Lots of party themes available including Construction, Fish, dinosaur, cave and more. Party includes 15 guests with prices starting at $160 for Museum members, $185 for non members. Visit the Cincinnati Museum Center Web site for complete details and pricing.
Fire Museum of Greater Cincinnati - All little ones want to experience being a hero! Give them the chance to have their party in an exclusive historical part of Downtown Cincinnati within an old firehouse that offers all the surroundings of being a firefighter for a day. Call (513) 621-5553 for special rates. Make it extra special for your little firefighter by downloading a FREE party kit from Sparky the Fire Dog. For these DIY plans visit Sparky’s birthday website.
Gallop Again ~ Gallop Again offers birthday parties March through November where kids get to paint on a real live horse. They get a pony ride, learn a craft and they get to feed the goats and play with the bunnies. Lots of different options to choose from.
Silverlake, the Family Place ~ Great place for a party. You get your choice of 2 activities such as gymnastics, bouncy house, Kids Zone, Outdoor or Indoor swimming, etc. My oldest had his party there a few years ago and Robbie, the party organizer was amazing. We really didn’t have to do anything but show up.
Noah’s Ark Workshop ~ If your son our daughter likes stuffed animals, you might want to look into an animal stuffing party with Noah’s Ark Workshop. They bring the party to your location. Each party includes a professional Party Leader, Party Invitations, optional Party Favor Box, Theme Party Planning Guide, optional Party Supplies, Mascot Entertainment*, Cuddly Animals and Outfits and a FREE gift for the birthday child.
Happen, Inc’s Toy Lab ~ How fun would it be to create your own toy? Party goers at Toy Lab on Hamilton Avenue in Northside get to do just that with the help of one of Happen’s wacky professors. Party packages range in price from $160 – $240. Complete details are available on the Happen, Inc. Web site.
Wake Nation ~ Want to take your party to the ‘Extreme’? How about a party at Wake Nation in Fairfield? Party goers can learn to wakeboard, water ski, and/or kneeboard WITHOUT a boat. The main lake is good for kids 10 and up and this summer they are opening The Practice Pond for ages 5 and up. Pricing starts at $300. Complete details on the Wake Nation Web site.
Little Songbird Music ~ Perfect for little ones ages 1-4, Little Song Bird music will bring the party to you. Parties include a half hour music class and creating a musical craft. Costs start at just $45. Visit the Little Songbird Music web site for complete details.
The Enchanted Village in Lebanon~ In addition to being an amazing toy store, one the second level they have the cutest rooms perfect for a princess party for a little girl. You can decorate cookies in the pretend kitchen, play dress up with their beautiful costumes and have cake and a tea party with your animals. Visit the downtown Lebanon web site for contact information.
Run Jump-n-Play offers a wide variety of birthday party or event options at affordable prices. With easy access off of I-71 located in Mason Ohio, they offer an array of activities including our Three Giant Inflatables Arenas, Glow Bowling Alley, Glow Mini Golf Course, Swings-n-Things Play Area, themed birthday party rooms, a junior basketball court and more.
Sunrock Farm in Wilder, KY ~ hosts birthday parties for kids too. Parties are 3 hours long and include 2-hours of fun with a farmer. Your child’s guests will have a chance to hold baby chicks, pet goats, interact with cows and lots more! Costs start at $200, but that includes 20 guests. Details: SunrockFarm.org
Here’s a fun idea one reader submitted: “We take all the kids to a matinee performance at the Ensemble Theatre of Cincinnati and then have a party at home w/ food and games inspired by the show.” Lots of great local theater productions for children. Visit the Ensemble Theatre or The Children’s Theatre web sites for details/inspiration.
The Royal Table ~ If you have a princess at home, then think about taking her to The Royal Table in Mt. Lookout for her next birthday party. They just opened in Feb. and have dress-up princess party packages to delight kids ages 3 to 10 years.
University of Cincinnati Campus Recreation Center ~ You can host a birthday party at the University of Cincinnati’s Campus Recreation Center in the gymnasium, climbing wall or swimming pool. You can even mix and match two areas or all three for your event! Check out their website for more information about birthday parties at the Campus Rec Center or email robert.weeks@uc.edu
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Don’t forget, we know this is just the tip of the iceberg. If you know of a great place to have a party, please let us know. We want to keep this list up-to-date and growing!
Thanks to everyone who shared ideas on the Family Friendly Cincinnati Facebook Fan page!
This post was originally written on March 30, 2011. It is updated regularly.
I schedule birthday parties at the University of Cincinnati’s Campus Recreation Center. I can help you schedule a party in our gymnasium, climbing wall or swimming pool. I can even help mix and match two areas or all three for your event! Check out our website for more information about birthday parties at the Campus Rec Center or email me at robert.weeks@uc.edu
Anderson Dance Academy provides Birthday Parties!
My daughter started dance lessons there this past fall. They are friendly and fun! Here is the link to their party info: http://www.andersondanceacademy.com/PDF/Birthday%20Parties.pdf
We just had a birthday party at Gym Nation in Mason and it was great. The kids had a lot of fun in the foam pit especially. I also saw a flyer at my daughter’s daycare that The Sphere (used to be Sports Plus) has parties.
I host birhtday parties at Gymnastics Central in Newtown we offer an hour and a half of stress free birthday fun. 1 hour in the gym with an experienced instructor doing gymnastics, tumbling, trampoline, obstical coarses, games, foam pits etc…, and 1/2 hour in the party room for cake and presents. We provide table clothes, utinsils, napkins, and all the clean up) basic package starting at below $200. Its a great and easy way to let go of the stress and be able to finally enjoy your childs birthday..
We had our 7 yr old’s at Rave Movie Cinema in Florence. They were very easy to work with and took care of almost everything. We just brought in the cake. Our hostess was awesome. She kept bringing the kids drinks & popcorn as much as they wanted. When we went back to the room they brought in a HUGE bowl of popcorn. Take bags with you to take leftovers home. Super easy. I think it cost around $150 with 10 kids and 3 adults.
These are both great additions to our list! Thank you!!
We held our 5 yr old son’s birthday at Behringer-Crawford Museum at the beginning of this month. We had 18 month olds to 13 year olds and they all had a great time. It was $150 for the room & includes admission for everyone which I think can be up to 50 people. We just brought in pizza, drinks, cake etc. Table covers & ballons. ALL the kids still talk about it. They basically had run of the whole museum for 3 hours. Marilyn was SUPER easy to work with.
Michael’s Craft Stores also offers birthday party packages. We recently had my daughters 8th birthday party there. It was a blast. We chose to decorate T-Shirts but they have many different crafts to choose from. The party room has a $50 booking fee and you pay for the craft items. This also includes a hostess and you can bring your own treats. Our party ended up being only $9 per girl (that includes all of the shirts, supplies and booking fee).
Parties
The CFEC offers creatively fun and unique birthday party packages appropriate from that all important 1 year old milestone through your child’s first double digit party! Choose from our thoughtfully organized themes and feel that party stress melt off your shoulders knowing our Children’s Event Coordinator will handle all the details. We even have an “in” with local mom-preneur cake and cookie designers who welcome new design challenges! Our beautiful Victorian location creates a “home away from home” feeling, with 3 rooms to spread out in, a kitchen, a gated back deck, and a fenced in front-yard with a large covered porch. Our Children’s Event Coordinator is available to lead the children in music, movement and story activities related to your chosen theme if you would like this service. No set-up, no games to organize, no activities to create, no clean-up, no kids running through your house — you’ll get to enjoy the party as much as your child! Price – $200.00
Looks like The Royal Table is looking for a new location now so they aren’t currently booking any new parties.
What was the phone number you have for them? I wonder if they’ve found a new place yet?
Thanks!
We love going to Florence Freedom games, and last night we saw a child havng a birthday party there, in the picnic table area next to the playground. That looked like fun. Freedom games are a great family event – the playground, the mascots who will hug your kids all day long, the between-inning activities, the game itself. Love it.
We held our son’s 5th birthday party at Mayerson JCC in Pleasant Ridge. They are easy to work with and the kids had a blast. We had a party room with access to both the indoor and outdoor pool areas. I believe they have more than one option for birthdays too. Highly recommend.
I haven’t heard of those places.But it seems its a great
place for special occasions like birthdays. Very helpful
aricle.
Our hobby farm Gallop Again offers birthday parties March through November where kids get to paint on a real live horse. They get a pony ride. Learn a craft. Feed the goats. Play with the bunnies. This is just a small sample of our birthday packages.
http://www.gallopagain.com
I did an Noah’s Ark Workshop party for my daughter, it’s an animal stuffing party (alot like build-a-bear), brought to your home. They have all sorts of animals to stuff, stuffed animal purses, dinosaurs, etc. The kids really loved it, I didn’t have to lift a finger, and the prices were very reasonable! http://www.noahsarkworkshop.com/
We’ve enjoyed hosting 3 parties at Totter’s Otterville. More recently, we invited guests to a water gun party at Battery-Hooper Park in Fort Wright KY, which was a cost-effective and fun change.
You can also book parties at Run Jump and Play. They are located in Mason and the concept is similar to Pump It Up. Another place is Bananas in Liberty Township. In my experience Bananas is slightly more expensive than RJP.
HI I JUST WENT TO ENCHANTED VILLAGE AND IS NOT CLOSED. YOU CAN ALWAYS CALL THE STORE IS OPEN AND DOING PARTIES
That is great news about Enchanted Village. Thanks for letting us know!
Amie – Thanks for the heads up about the Enchanted Village. So sad to hear they closed. This list is comprised of suggestions from our Fans on Facebook back in March. Must be a coincidence, though Kristin of Mason Metu does write for us.
Learning Through Art, Inc. offers a Birthday In A Box that makes ANY place the perfect place for a birthday!!! An educationally-based program, the Birthday Box includes crafts, entertainment and a unique “bringing books alive” concept to any birthday celebration for Pre-K – 3rd grade. Available nationally, turn your house, a local park, an indoor play place or ANYWHERE into a memorable, fun & educational birthday party they’ll all wonder “how’d she know?!” after! As a mom of two children under 7, I can PROMISE you, they LOVE it — and it turns learning into FUN!!! (The kids who came talked about it for weeks after when we saw them!!!) Visit http://www.learningthroughart.com for more info and ordering info. YEAH!!! SOMETHING NEW!!!
Grand Sands Volleyball is an all season beach volleyball facility located in Loveland, Ohio. They have indoor and outdoor courts and offer birthday parties for kids with pizza, soft drinks etc. Great party idea for kids 10 and up!
Another great spot is Sunrock Farm located right by NKU!
My daughters had their parties at Lazer Kraze. My older daughter had her friends and they played laser tag and just had a blast! My younger daughter decided to do the themed party with the inflatables. We had such a hard time picking her theme because they had so many really cute ideas! All in all both parties were terrific and the party coaches were on their toes. I loved it as I was able to enjoy my girls’s parties with them.
My daughter just went to a home birthday party where she had to dress in a princess costume and they were told a “special guest” was coming. The special guest turned out to be Snow White. The little girls (ages 4-5) were in awe. Snow White read them a story (about herself, of course), and kept them entertained with fun princess activities for about 45 minutes. The girls loved it. Tippi Toes can bring the birthday party to you and you can have Snow White and Sleeping Beauty visit with your little princess too. http://www.tippitoesdance.com
Contact:
Cincinnati – Blue Ash, Oakley, Anderson, Springfield, Mariemont: MissMegan@tippitoesdance or 513-578-1280
Cincinnati – Mason, Symmes, Montgomery, West Chester: Andrea@tippitoesdance or 513-708-9162
.-= Kristin G´s last blog ..Uh-oh, fashion may be catching up to my girl…… =-.
I completely forgot to mention Silverlake in northern Kentucky. You get your choice of 2 activities such as gymnastics, bouncy house, swimming, etc. My oldest had his party there and Robbie, the party organizer was amazing. We really didn’t have to do anything but show up.
.-= Shannanb a´s last blog ..Very Important Update =-.
A few years ago Blue Manatee, Oakley’s children’s bookstore hosted a very nice birthday party for our daughter who was turning 7. We picked the theme and their party planner helped create events surrounding the theme. It’s been awhile so not sure what they offer now, but so worth making a call to ask.