Indoor Birthday Party Venues
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Kids' bday party venue that allows alcohol?
Jan 2012
I'm looking for an inexpensive venue (think clubhouse with
toys and a kitchen) for my son's second birthday party. The
Harding clubhouse in El Cerrito is perfect except that it
doesn't allow alcohol. Any ideas? Thanks! Heather
We rented the Albany Teen Center at Memorial Park for our
kids 7th birthday this year, and when we filled out the
application, we had to indicate whether or not we were
serving alcohol. We did not, but it appeared that it was
possible. We loved the venue and it was not extremeley
expensive. Hope that helps! Albany Mom
Indoor space for about 20 children
Jan 2012
Hi, I am planning a birthday party for my son and will be
inviting about 20 children. I am looking for an indoor space
that they can play in and potentially looking to hire some
sort of an entertainer.
Does anyone have any recommendations for low-cost play
spaces to rent out and children's entertainment? What's the
going rate for a children's performer? I'd be will to hire a
non-professional performer with references (college kids who
knows children's songs, etc.).
Thanks for your help!
Lila
Hi there -
Happy birthday to your kid! I like Studio 12 in Berkeley, it's in the
Sawtooth Bldg at 8th & Dwight.
www.studiotwelveberkeley.com
Big space, about 50' x 50' in the main floor with high ceilings, also a
kitchen and ''chill'' area with pillows and such.
Alternately, the Downtown Berkeley YMCA hosts BD parties, their Kindergym
is pretty awesome.
For photography, I like JenPics: http://www.jenpicsphotography.com/
Cheers!
Azzia
Happy Momma
Space to rent for Child's First Birthday
Dec 2011
I'm looking for a space to rent for my son's first birthday
party. I know it sounds excessive to over do a 1st b-day but
this is important to our family and want to celebrate this
milestone with lots of friends and family. Does any one have
any suggestions for a inexpensive space we can rent for 10
kids and 25 adults. We would like to bring in our own food
but not a deal breaker if we can't. Shooting for January
21st so would have to be an indoor space. Birthday Mom
We also had a similar size party for my daughter on her 1st
(she is now 5) and felt it kind of indulgent, but what the
heck! They're only 1 once, right? I don't know where you
live, but we had ours at the Harding Clubhouse in El Cerrito
(near Harding elem. school). There are several clubhouses
for rent in EC and although it is a few yrs later, I'm sure
they are still fairly inexpensive. This one holds after
school classes there, so on one side there are lots of toys
to play with and on the other was where we had folks hang
out and served the food/cake. It is nothing fancy at all,
but served our purposes. Good luck..... anon
Rental Space for 1 year old B-day Party in January
Nov 2011
Hello,
I am looking for a reasonable space to rent for my son's
first birthday party. I know its crazy to throw a big party
for a first year birthday but its important to my family to
celebrate this milestone. His birthday is in January and
will need an indoor space. We will have about 30 people
attend with lots of little ones ranging in age from 6 months
to 7 years old. We live in San Pablo but would consider
renting a space between Emeryville and Pinole. Thanks in
advance for your suggestions! Happy First Bday
The best place I know of for space rental is Studio 12 at
2525 8th Street, cross Dwight in Berkeley CA. The parking
is great and the studio manager is awesome. It's a wide
open space, gorgeous. Not sure how much you need in terms
of structure, but worth checking out.
http://www.studiotwelveberkeley.com or email Andrej at
studio12berkeley@gmail.com Good luck and happy BD to your
kiddo! Happy Birthday
The PRAM clubhouse in Pt. Richmond is the best-kept secret
around. It is run by a mom's group and is incredibly
affordable. There's an outdoor space, plus a sink, microwave
and bathroom. Plus it has toys! Here's their website:
http://www.pram.net/pram-fieldhouse/. Happy birthday! PRAM
fan
Indoor spaces for kid's b'day party--200 or less?
April 2011
My daughter's turning 4 at the end of May. We have a small
apartment w/a super-grouchy downstairs neighbor so having
her party here is out of the question. We've had it outdoors
in past years but for some reason, it always ends up cold &
cloudy. Last year we had it at Glitter & Razz on College-
which was great--no stress, little set-up/clean-up, and my
daughter loved, loved, loved it. Now they don't seem to do
the lower-cost, free-play party, and every other place seems
to charge closer to $300 or more. I'm all for simple parties
for kids--my daughter & her friends already make everything
a party! So really, I just want a place where 10-12 kids can
play, do an art project, dance, and eat pizza & cupcakes
(and maybe I don't have to spend an entire weekend cleaning
up before and after...)for around $200 or less.
The only thing I've found was Kids 'n Dance--has anyone had
their birthday party there?
Thanks so much!
Melissa
I once saw a very sweet party at Sequoia Lodge in Oakland. I
googled it and then found the rate page for all of the City
of Oakland Parks & Recs rental facilities and it looks like
there are a few that may meet your needs based on the per
hour rental fees. Here's that page:
http://www.oaklandnet.com/parks/rental_facilities/rental_rates.asp
Good luck! Laurie
The Albany Y! They put on a great party and they're under
$200. Alexandra
We had our twins' 5th birthday party at the Albany YMCA
kindergym and it was a blast! The party lasts for two hours
and the kids have the full run of the kindergym, with all of
the equipment set up (mats, swings, things to climb and jump
on, roll in, etc.). You also get to use a small room with
tables and chairs for the pizza/cake/whatever and the person
working your party will lead the kids in an activity for
maybe 20 minutes - ours was with a big parachute and the
kids loved it. You can arrive 30 minutes ahead of time to
set up the food room (decorate and bring in food) and you
have 30 minutes at the end to clean up. The assistant puts
away all of the gym equipment, you just have to clean up the
food room and take away the trash - not a big deal at all
really. Costs $160 for Y members, $185 if you're not. We had
pizza delivered and brought our own veggie platter,
cupcakes, juice, cups, and plates. So a bit more than $200
for us with everything, but I thought it was a pretty good
deal and was perfect for the 4-5 year old set. Check them
out online for more info:
http://www.baymca.org/albany/albany_program_list.aspx?categoryId=38&parentId=1728
They seem to book up pretty quickly though.
Karen
Economical indoor party space is a challenge in the Bay
Area. To see if I could I help you, I took out my Parents'
Press newspaper from last June where they list birthday
party venues in the East Bay. There are a lot of great
places but I am just not sure if they meet all of your
criteria. I'll list some below that I think might fit in
case you haven't heard of some of them/looked into them.
As for Kids'N Dance. I've never done a BD party there, but
my 3.5 year old daughter takes classes there and LOVES it!
The teachers are really great!
Here is a list of places from Parents' Press:
Habitot, Berkeley ...
Kids in Motion, Oakland ...
Head over Heels, Emeryville ...
MOCHA, Oakland
Good luck! And have fun!
Place for an indoor birthday party for a 3 y o
Dec 2010
Hi BPN.
Our daughter will turn 3 at the end of January and is very
excited already! so, it is time for the real thing - a
birthday party with her friends and family. 20-25 kids +
parents. Our place is not big enough, so we are looking for
a place that will be nice and not too expensive. we will
provide the food and decorations. we live in north Oakland,
Rockridge, and our daughter preschool is in Berkeley, so
anywhere around this areas can be good. any suggestions?
Thanks, Shaga
Our son's birthday is also in January. The following
locations have been great:
Play Cafe (http://playcafellc.com/default.aspx)
Pump it Up (http://www.pumpitupparty.com/)
Habitot (http://www.habitot.org/index2.htm)
We found the costs comparable - Play Cafe packages it all in
one, Pump it Up the costs are broken out so it seemed
cheaper, but at the end of the day we spent the same.
Christine
Our kids enjoyed Pump it Up until they were about 10.
http://www.pumpitupparty.com/ca/oakland/home-p1q134.htm
Parent of Teens
Hi! At the Downtown Berkeley YMCA we offer kindergym or
pool parties. Either party has one hour in the program area
followed by time in the party room. A party host works with
you to help you enjoy your stay. We provide all the table
goods. It's a convenient way to do it. For more
information, check out the link:
http://www.baymca.org/files/Downloads/Downtown/pdf_dparties10.pdf
. If you are not a member, you can purchase an annual
membership for your child for $35 which besides helping them
have a party at the Y, enables them to sign up for swim
lessons, dance classes, kids night out, etc. Happy
partying! Eden O'Brien-Brenner eobrienbrenner@baymca.org
The YMCA at Kains, in Albany, is relatively inexpensive, and
it's pretty fun for that age group. The staff takes care of
oranizing games and such, and they have a small room for
snacks or cake. My kids enjoyed their party there a few
years ago.
We had our son's birthday at Sadiedey Cafe and it was a
blast. Their crew took care of everything we needed. There
was a play area for toddlers, a room for bigger kids and a
full cafe for us parents to relax in. You can look them up
online. Maria
Seesaw in the Hayes Valley in SF is a great place for indoor
birthday parties! A cozy spot with a play studio is perfect
for kids to celebrate with parents. & help with event
planning is offered! http://seesawsf.com Rebekah
We love Habitot for birthday parties! So do lots of other
people, they book-up quickly during the rainy season.
We have had parties at home (messy and chaotic) and at Pump
It Up (too much stimulation; better for older kids).
I think that Habitot is great for the 5 and under set. It's
dry and contained and the price is fair. Best of all, you
can bring your own food and drinks! They can provide the
food if you want too.
I find Habitot to be more educational and pleasant than some
of the for-profit party places out there. Lucky Mom of Two
Indoor space for daughter's 6th birthday
Nov 2010
Our daughter will be turning 6 this winter - we need an
indoor space that can accomodate 30 kids and an artist to
lead an art project but don't have an arm and a leg to pay
for it - most art party spaces accomodate less than 20 kids.
We are looking for creative ways to accomplish this - maybe
an artist w/a large space that likes working w/kids, maybe
you know of an inexpensive space we can rent and find
someone to lead an art project? I've checked the archives
here - not much in the way of what we are looking for - or
maybe you have other creative ideas for a large group of
folks wanting to celebrate indoors?? Thanks so much for your
thoughts! party mama
I'm sure others will suggest this as well, but look into
MOCHA in downtown Oakland - their art parties say they go up
to 20 kids, but elsewhere they say they can accommodate
groups up to 100 people - maybe they could customize
something for you. They might also have recommendations for
alternatives if they can't fit you in.
http://mocha.org/programs/museum-programs-art-parties Artsy
Mom
I am not sure where you are located or how many kids, But
most community centers have rooms to rent. The Albany
Community center rents rooms out downstairs they have a
craftroom. where I teach art to children and adults) Sharyl
Party Venue For 4Yr Olds In December
Sept 2010
Hi, I am trying to find an interesting indoor venue for my
daughter's birthday party in December. We've been to parties
at Pump It Up, Head over Heels, Studio Grow but I want
something new that would be fun. Any new ideas/suggestions
would be very much appreciated!! Miki
Check out the Bay Area Discovery Museum in Sausalito. It is
a great venue, perfect for that age group, and they have a
party room. Lisa
We recently had a party at SadieDays Cafe in Oakland and I
highly recommend this place. The parents all had a nice
place to hang out together and the kids had a blast in the
play area which has a jumpy too. They did all the setup and
cleanup. We just brought the cake. The owner told me that
they are adding news toys, and a big kids room too, which my
older boy would have loved. This place has always been one of our favorites.
Maria
Event Space for 5 year old 'Rock Star' Party
July 2010
I am looking for a space to rent for my daughter's fifth
birthday bash. She wants to have a rock star theme. I want
to be able to have a dance space and room for other
activities. The space will need to accommodate about 50
people.
Berkeley/Oakland area. I could also go to thru the tunnel
to Orinda area.
Thank You.
jennifer
A friend rented the Just Dance Ballroom to host a birthday
party/dance class. They may be available for a Rock Star
party as well! It's in Oakland (near Alameda), very close
to the freeway. (It's next door to the kids' jumpy place
Pump It Up.)
http://www.justdanceballroom.com/
esther
The Berkeley Fellowship of Unitarian Universalists has a
main hall perfect for parties. One block off MLK at Cedar.
VERY reasonably priced ($200 for 4 hours on a Saturday
afternoon, as I recall). I used it for my 7-year-old's
dance birthday party. For our party, we ended up with about
45 guests (grownups and kids) and there was plenty of room
for a big dance area plus a sitting area w/chairs, face
painting station, game area, and tables for cake/ice cream.
Full kitchen, and everything else you need to put on a big
do. And very nice people to deal with. We were really
pleased at how it worked out.
http://www.bfuu.org/about-us/use-of-space#fellowship Party
Mom
Indoor Party Venues for 3 year old
May 2008
Hi,
My son is turning 3 in July and I am looking for an indoor
party place in Oakland/Alameda/Castro Valley/Hayward/San
Leandro/Dublin areas for his party. Any suggestions?
If you have had a party at Habitot recently I would
appreciate your comments because the reviews in the database
are so outdated.
Thanks so much!
Precilla
Studio Grow in Berkeley is an awesome place for children. My son
is also going to be three in July, and we go there 2-3x a week. My
1 year old loves it, too. I know they host parties on the
weekends. They close it down so that you and your guests have the
whole place to yourselves. It has tons of different rooms...the
ball/tumbling room, the blocks/puppet shows/books/stage room, the
playdough/painting/coloring room, the dancing and music room, the
trains/puzzles/kitchen/dollhouse/dress-up, etc room. and the crawl
room especially for babies. It also has an outdoor space with
three water tables and a big bubble machine. And finally they have
a small eating room with big and small tables for kids as well as
a couple of highchairs and a microwave. It's a very clean and
cheery place. Friendly staff...can't say enough good things about
it! You should definitely check it out!!
www.studiogrow.com
Hope this helps:)
Studio Grower
Birthday Party Venue for 1 and 3-year-olds
March 2008
I know there are lots of good recommendations for birthday venues, but I'd love
some specific advice on which ones people would recommend for a group of
mixed-aged kids. Our daughter will be turning one in a few months and our son
is 3 1/2, so we'll have lots of kids his age and then their younger siblings,
who are around our daughter's age. We've already done Studio Grow and Play
Cafe, so we'd like to find someplace new. Any recs for some places that will
be fun for the crawlers up to the preschoolers?
Anon
The Downtown Berkeley YMCA offers kindergym parties that are
great for crawlers and preschool age children. If you are not
a member, you can purchase an annual membership for your child
for $35 and use that membership to hold a party, sign up for a
swim class, etc. If you would like more information, please
contact me. I am the Director of Youth & Family Services. I
can be reached at the email included or at 510-665-3238.
Eden
Indoor Birthday Party Venue for 3-year-old
Jan 2006
Hello
My daughter's 3rd birthday is coming up in January and we are
looking for a place to hold a party that is indoors (in case of
rain) and provides some fun, unstructured play space/activities.
Ideally it would be not too expensive, but able to accomodate
kids of mixed ages (min of 5 but possibly as many as 10), and all
of their parents (up to 20 people!) plus a few other adults...
Does anyone know if the Albany YMCA still does parties?
thanks much for any advice. We are new to the area.
Claire
Mosaic Forest Art Studio offers art birthday parties. The price
is per child, so you can control the cost, and the fee provides
your child and her/his friends 1 1/2 hours of an age-appropriate
art activity with instruction. At no extra charge, you may use
the art studio for an hour following the activity for snacks
and/or cake that you bring. The studio is located in Oakland,
near 35th Avenue at 3315 MacArthur Boulevard. For more
information, check out the website: http://www.mosaicforest.com
or call 510 - 759 - 6074
Jill
Nov 2005
My daughter turns 3 mid-January and we are looking for an
indoor play space to have her birthday. We've checked the
archives and know about the Y and Habitot but are wondering if
anyone has anything new to add. I'd like a place that can
accommodate 10 three-year olds and 10 - 20 adults. Also, since
my kid loves art, a place that is conducive to being creative
(read: getting messy) would be a bonus. If anyone has used the
Arlington Park club house for a party, I'd like to hear how you
liked it.
Since her birthday is less than 2 months away and I'm getting
worried about things filling up, it would be great if you could
send me your suggestions directly. Then, I'll compile all the
responses and post them for the community.
Thanks!
shari
I have not been there yet, but my kids were invited to a birthday
party at Play Cafe in Oakland (it has been mentioned on this site
several times). I think it is near the Oakland zoo. It sounds
like a great place for a party with both adults and kids.
Susan
hello,
try a gymnastics party, perfect for this age (and time of
year!). kids in motion on piedmont avenue does a great job.
they provide a loose ''class'' as well as free play time. you
bring cake and plates and the kids have a wonderful time. go
check it out. it's nice because parents can sit nearby in the
parent area, which is not separated from the gym area by a
wall.
''Picture Perfect Party'' will open mid-December in Dublin. It is
a children's party center just for toddlers and
kindergarteners! Ages 0-6 can enjoy a huge playroom filled with
preschooler toys. Party Coordinators will take digital party
photos of the children so you can enjoy the time with your
birthday child and his/her guests! These pictures will be
flashed on a big screen in the party room for everyone to enjoy,
and you can bring home a complimentary CD of the party photos!
Wep page: www.pictureperfectparty.biz Phone: (925)828-3311
Marlene
MOCHA in downtown Oakland is a great place for an art party. You
can talk to the artist-teacher who will lead the activity and
design it for your child. My daughter had a clay birthday, and we
have been to a collage birthday, and a hats birthday. Then, after
the project, you provide the food and enjoy the party. There is
no rush (the way there can be at the Y), and the kids get to take
home their project. Parking is ok, and the neighborhood is fine
in the day (ok at night if you park to the east). Guests can also
take BART or AC there.
loves Mocha
The Albany Y on Solano has ART birthday parties.
Pamela
Sept 2005
The babies in my mom's group are going on 12 months, and we
would like to do a group party with partners, which makes about
20 adults and 10 little monkeys. Where have other people had
their group birthday parties? It will probably be early
November, so we are thinking indoors.
Whitney
PRAM has a wonderful spot to hold birthday parties. Located in Point
Richmond, just off of the 580 freeway, is the Washington Elementary
School. Located near this is the PRAM fieldhouse, which is a building
designed for kids. It is full of kids' toys, books, riding vehicles, etc. It has
a long, low table with children's chairs where the kids can eat cake, do
art projects and many other things. If the weather is nice, the kids can
go outside and play on the many play structures and swings, ride the
cars, play ball games (equipment is there to use) and more. And the
cost to rent the fieldhouse is very inexpensive. The charge is just $50
for 4 hours (9-1 or 1-5) or $75 for the whole day.
contact at pram.net
Nov. 2003
I would love any suggestions for a place (preferably in or
around Berkeley) to hold my daughter's first birthday party in
mid-October. my husband
and I did not want to host it at our house for various reasons.
I was thinking that a local park or restaurant would be nice,
but my problem is trying to find a place suitable for both the
comfort of the grandparents and entertaining enough for a few
infants and toddlers. I was also concerned that most of the
local park picnic sites seem to be on a first-come, first serve
basis.
We wanted a casual and relaxing place for about 15-20 people.
Any ideas or recommendations for a location is greatly
appreciated, since we're new to this birthday party thing!
Sharon
Try Wee Play on Solano Ave. in Albany. Pretty sure they do
birthday parties still. If so, it's ideal for a 1 or 2 year old
party. Small, safe and no nooks or cranies to hind from the
adults. Oh, best of all, very very clean and bright!
wee play fan!
I've never had good luck with a one year old at a restaurant, but
perhaps I've had particularly cantankerous one year olds. Have
you thought about reserving one of the picnic sites in Tilden?
Jan. 2003
My son is going to turn one soon and I'd like to have a big
celebration. The problem is I have a very small house. I'd like
to have the party in the park but I can't count on good weather
in February. I'd like to rent a place that is big enough for
about 30 adults and a dozen or so babies and toddlers. The YMCA
baby gym would be perfect but they charge $150. Does anyone know
of anything cheaper? We don't really need entertainment but it
does have to be safe for babies.
Danielle
Try Wee Play, on Solano, in Albany. They have a space which
would be the perfect size, and I believe that their rental rates
are reasonable.
Melissa T
Indoor places for a one-year-old's birthday party
Nov 2001
I am looking for recommendations for indoor places to have
a birthday party for a one-year-old in the winter. My son turns one in
February. Whitney
I literally just got home from a birthday party for a one year old at WEE
PLAY on Solano Avenue in Albany. It was great fun and very appropriate for
one year olds. It's a clean, friendly environment with fun play equipment.
They have a small table in the back of the room for food. I was impressed.
I'd advise checking it out to see if it is big enough for your group. I
believe there were 24 people at the party today and it didn't seem too
crowded. I also have no idea how much it costs. Good luck!
Shoshana
I have attended parties at the Clubhouse at Arlington Park in El
Cerrito. It's a reasonable sized space, perfect for 30 people. The
versatile feature is that it's comfortable enough to house your party if
the weather is cold and wet. But if the weather turns out nice (it's so
unpredictable in March), you can open up the doors and have access to
Arlington Park, which has wide open grassy areas, playground structures
and even a pond. I think you would need to call the city of El Cerrito
for reservation information.
The Albany YMCA can accomodate parties, too. They have regular baby gym
programs for 9 to 18 month olds and can set up a gym party appropriate
for one year olds.
Habitot in downtown Berkeley might be another bet. It's the right speed
for one year olds. You would need to check if they can accomodate 30
guests.
Liz
Try Habitot in Berkeley, and inquire about the after hours party rental. We
did that for my daughters first birthday and it was a huge success. We were
able to get the whole place after 7 pm for about $150 (I had booked kinda of
late so I had to take a Sunday night) and we could invite as many people as
we wanted ( I beleive the limit is like 60-75 people). We ordered some pizza
to be delivered and brought a cake in. It was great! Give them a call, you
have plenty of time to book a great evening.
William
One-year-old's bday party for 100+ people
May 2001
We are planning a big party for our son's 1st birthday, and are looking
for a facility with a big room that can hold about 100+ people, preferably
with a kitchen, that isn't too expensive to rent. I've already checked
the UCB Parents Network Website, but the rooms on that list aren't large
enough. Any recommendations?
Jennifer
I'd like to pitch for a GREAT place for a party (why
am I doing this? Now it will be booked when I want to
rent it again...)
Cafe Eclectica: 527-2344, 1309 Solano Ave.
It used to be Cafe Crayon; now it is run by teens, for
teens during business hours.
There is a long entry hall with booths, perfect for
older kids to play or adults to have an adult
conversation. At the end of the hall is the main
"party space": a big open room with a kitchen, tables
and chairs, games, TV, etc. There is also a very small
outside patio.
I had a party there last year and it was perfect.
Hope this helps!
Lori
Function Rooms in Albany: A friend of mine had her wedding reception
at the Albany community center (I don't know if that's the correct name)--that
pinkish building on Marin Ave in Albany. I don't think it was too costly.
Linda
The Albany Community Center (same building as the Albany Library) is a
great place for functions. 524-9283
http://www.albanyca.org/recreation.html (see "facilities and classes")
Laura
You can rent the entire Habitot Children's Museum in Berkeley any evening after closing,
and every Sunday during the day until Labor Day. It can easily accomodate 100 people
and is perfect be if you are planning on inviting lots of young children. Two hours is $195.
Kathleen
Try El Cerrito! The Community Center on Moser or the Harding School clubhouse.
Info is available at the Community Center office or maybe there is a web site.
HalfDink
The Kensington Community Center is a great place for a party, and not too
expensive compared to other places. It has a great kitchen, a large indoor
room, a large outdoor grill, a meeting ring in back, and a beautiful lawn
area with a view of the bay in front. We had our wedding reception there,
and though the place feels very utilitarian when empty, with a little
imaginative decorating it can be a great space. We got six large tarps that
are paper on one side, and painted fun scenes on them, and hung them along
the sides of the main room, along with some large paper lanterns. For a
kid's party you can do a lot with balloons and streamers. Check it out.
Rebecca
Suggestions for an indoor party
Feb 1999
Have you tried Habitot Children's Museum in downtown Berkeley? It is a
hands-on museum -- water play, play store, art, etc. -- for children up
to age 7 and does offer birthday parties. For details visit
ttp://www.habitot.org/habitot/Home.htm.
Betty
We have been to three indoor 4 y/o bday parties recently at the following
places:
Ruby's Tumbling in Alameda (Ruby is good with the kids though the cake part
of the party was held in a cramped little "break" room)
Kids in Motion on Piedmont Ave. in Oakland (the teacher, Paul, was incredible
with the kids- really kept their attention and sweet in addition to being VERY
conscientious about safety issues. Remarkably, he remembered ALL their names!
The lunch/cake area was on a platform in the very spacious gym. Highly
recommended)
Museum of CHildren's Art- nr. Jack London Square (pretty cold, damp and dingy
place with a really rough bathroom; the assigned staff member was next to
nonexistent at the two parties we went to there. She does a bit of face
painting and sets up an art project - the clay project was markedly better than
the collage project. There is a table for cake and then the kids inevitably
spill out into the museum or (quel horror) the store which requires major
parental supervision. This makes for a better party in theory than practice,
IMO)
Gemma
Sept 1998
We have given parties and attended parties in a number of "not at
home" locations over the past 12 years. (I did not attempt a party
involving other children until they were three.) The Lawrence Hall of
Science does an activity for the party, you have a choice of themes,
and provides a party room. You can order their food or bring your
own. The Berkeley Y was great and the Oakland Y may also do parties.
Bowling alleys are popular with the older elementary crowd. We went
to a party at one in Alameda at the bottom of Park St. that provided a
party room and put inflatable barriers in the gutters so the kids'
balls didn't end up in the gutter every time. Montclair Park has a
baseball diamond within walking distance to several pizza places, so
it works for older kids also. For the younger set, a Kindergym party
is perfect; my references are very out of date, but they were at the
Jewish Community Center. We used City Rock for my very athletic son,
but some of the other parents were hesitant when they read the waiver
they had to sign concerning injury. We consider the place very safe
but that waiver is frightening, so feel out the other parents first.
We always looked for a place that would provide something for the kids
to do that would keep their interest for at least an hour since bored
kids are difficult to work with. For a one-year old, I'd use a tot
playground that is enclosed, keep the party very short and the food
very simple snacks and cupcakes, and then just enjoy watching the kids
with no attempt to plan anything.
Eleanor
In case you haven't heard from others already, the downtown Berkeley YMCA has
birthday parties there (splash pool parties or you can rent one of the
conference rooms and they include balloons and cake I think). It's about
$100. Contact Eden Brenner-O'Brien at 848-9622 X38, Early Childhood Programs
Habitot Children's Museum also has a birthday party room for rent. You can
also rent the whole facility at night. Contact them at 647-1111.
The Albany Community Center rents out rooms too. Not sure about the price. I
don't have the number handy.
Bay Area Discovery Museum in Sausalito also has a birthday party room and I
believe their rental includes admission to the museum for guests.
Denise
Birthday party in San Francisco for 4-year-olds
Sept 1998
I'm not sure if this is something for 4 year olds, but Mission Cliffs in
the Mission ( I think at Harrison and 19th) has a room for parties and
teaches children how to rock climb. They also have a facility in
Emeryville called City Rock.
Gloria
I have a file on parties (!) but even with all this info, I'm still
looking for a place to have a 4 year old's party that's convenient to the
southern part of San Francisco (we live in Glen Park) and indoors
(November!). Here's what I know of:
information as of Fall '97, via phone calls (haven't tried most of these
myself):
**SF Recreation Dept.: various community centers around the city. Phone
Charles Holmes 415-831-2797. They can send you a list of centers. last
year it was $45-$55 for 2 hours plus $30 for staff salary if the facility
is not usually open that day (such as Sundays). Facilities
vary. for small kids, Upper Noe is great because there are lots of toys
and play structures they allow you to use. Book as far ahead as you can.
**The Jungle (555 9th Street) $11.95 - $17.95 per child, 10 kids minimum.
415-552-4FUN.
**SF Zoo (outdoors); $12/participant (INCLUDING adults; $5 if adult is a
zoo member, kids under 1 free; includes cake, ice cream, juice,
plates/utensils, favors, hats, zoo key, carousel ride, admission to main
zoo (but not children's zoo?) 415-753-7114
**Purple Crayon, 4th Avenue at California $150 up to 10 kids, $10 each
additional kid; 2 hour use of studio, teacher and art supplies; or $225
for 10 kids including refreshments? (an art center so it's an art party)
831-0693
**Fort Mason - just a space, tables & chairs; a 1500 square foot space big
enough for 50 people $14/hour, plus $35 cleanup, plus security deposit, no
kitchen facilities. an even bigger space for 90 people, $17/hour, $35
cleanup fee. call 441-5706
**Gymboree (small kids only, ages 1-4) $150 for 1 1/2 hours rental up to
15 kids includes teacher. 776-2111
the various free parenting newspapers have ads for other places but not so
many in San Francisco.I'd love to hear about others to add to my file!
Corliss
Sept 1998
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