Kids Birthday Party Venues

Understanding Birthday Party Venues

Depending on the age and interest of your child, the birthday party venue that best suits your child will evolve. For my kids, in the beginning, it was at-home parties or Playcentre parties that evolved into animal farms, VR and laser zone parties. We didn't get through all the different types of parties in Brisbane but we have been to most of them for other children. The first step is to ask the birthday kid what they think an awesome birthday bash looks like, does it include animals or maybe it's a particular sporting interest? Hopefully, our experience can help guide your decision and find the best place for your next birthday party celebration! 

Age appropriate parties

Some activities are suited to all age groups, like soccer parties and parties with magicians, but there are other venue options where you need to do your research to see ensure there are activities that are safe and engaging for the party guests you are catering for. 

As an example, some play centres like Area 51 and Urban Xtreme will cater for kids of all ages but some of the smaller indoor playgrounds are very specifically targeting younger children and older school kids might be bored (and too boisterous). 

Accessibility

Beyond the physical accessibility considerations that may play a part in your decision are also the sensory considerations. Some party venues are loud, very loud, and its a good idea to do a soft visit beforehand if this is going to be a potential challenge for you. 

Sometimes visiting beforehand can also be an opportunity for your birthday child to see how they cope with the loud noises and lighting. It also allows you to build social stories around the upcoming birthday event. You might find that even though the venue is loud, if they can provide a private party room, it just might help give your kids the sensory break they need to escape the noise occasionally. 

Some venues do offer packages where you can book out the entire facility but these do tend to be expensive, and we have found a private room to be sufficient in allowing them a bit of quiet time when they need it. 

It is also a good idea to see how many other groups might be attending simultaneously as you; some of the smaller party providers often cater for private parties, as we have found the case to be for the arts and craft type offerings generally. 

Capacity and Space

First up, you need to decide on your guest list. Are you inviting two kids to the party of 30? Whole-class parties will need a completely different approach than smaller gatherings. Check with the party venues about their room capacities, parking and if the party organisers are used to big groups. We recently attended a VR party venue where we had a full run of the facility, and they staggered and staged the activities so all kids got to participate in the party activities but were rotated through the different party games. 

Food and Drink

Self-catering does happen at party venues in Brisbane, but some will also insist that you take advantage of their food offering, particularly in venues like play centres and indoor gyms. Typical party foods include pizzas, platters and ice cream; some will provide cake options or allow you to bring your own. 

Double check about whether you can bring your own water bottles; my experience is that many venues provide water but some provide sugary cordial options or soft drinks which may not be something you want to indulge in (or it might?). Either way, hungry kids are cranky kids, so consider when you are having your party too (will it cross into lunchtime as an example). 

For party venues like art studios, you might be able to have the party in the morning or afternoon and altogether avoid the entire food problem, and instead take the partygoers back to your home for cake and snacks afterwards. 

If you have specific food requirements, allergies or sensory considerations, you may be best only shortlisting those places that allow you to bring your food or check in advance for how well they will cater for these specific needs. 

Cost and Packages

A happy birthday doesn't need to mean an expensive birthday and there are a wide range of party options across Brisbane for every budget. Even though there is a perception that at-home parties cost less, we found that when we added up all the food and activities (and stress!), it was often cheaper and easier to have a party venue organise the party. 

When we researched our kids' parties, we usually set a budget and then shortlisted some options based on that. Birthday Party Packages usually differ in price according to length or time, number of party activities and whether you plan to have them cater food and cake and party favours. We can't stress enough that you don't need to spend a lot of money to ensure everyone including the birthday child, has a great time. 

Another tip is to check out online websites like this one, a local parents magazine or even your local school newsletter to see if you can find any party vouchers or discounts on party venues in your area. 

Sustainable party venues​

We wanted to add this section as it is becoming increasingly important for some parents to have parties that limit the amount of plastic and waste resulting from kids' birthday parties. In our experience, most birthday party places will use paper products and plastic cups, if this is important to you, find this out and see if you can offer you can provide your own reusable options. 

Location

Location does matter, and choosing a place on the other side of town will bring more challenges than choosing one close to where you live. Asking parents to drop kids at the party venues is a lot easier to achieve and a lot less of a logistical minefield than having to manage to ferry them all there. 

A summary of different kids' party places

To make it easier for you to create a shortlist, we have made note of all the party venue types we know about in Brisbane and South East Queensland

• Animal farms - Perfect for kids interested in animals and suited to younger kids in general.
• An indoor playground - A great place for active kids that usually come with a dedicated party host, food and endless activity options.
• Sports parties - An excellent option for sporty kids that are usually filled with instructor-led games and often come with the benefit of self-catering options.
• High tea- For that milestone birthday. 
• The Bowling Party - Tween tick of approval on this one, and bowling places often have additional activities you can include in the package.
• Laserzone Parties - A great space for kids who want to run around but with the benefit of structured missions with a finite time limit.
• Escape rooms - This is the best birthday party place choice for older teenagers (which is why they are so popular for corporate events). 
• Trampoline Park - These are noisy but a lot of fun, there is no need to entertain the kids because they will entertain themselves! 
• Movie theatres - Another solid choice for teenagers and smaller groups of children. 
• Pool parties - if your child's birthday party falls in the Summer holidays, this is always a fun choice. Our only advice with this one is to make sure parents are going to be supervising their kids. We have been to more than one pool party where parents have just dropped and run. With one child it's fine, but times that by 7 and it makes for a stressful and unsafe experience. 
• Mini golf - So fun! We have been to more than a few of these and make the best party places for the tween and teen age groups. 
• Esports, drones and VR parties - Relatively new to the Brisbane party scene, these venues are popping up everywhere and peak the interest of many children. Sometimes there are free play type set ups and in other cases, we have found them quite organised with structured games and missions. 
• Wizard Parties - The Store of Requirement in Samford is an example of a party venue that hosts wizard parties- great for those kids who are super fans of Harry Potter.
• Art parties - from painting and jewellery making to plaster craft, are wonderful party offerings for creative kids. These are often held in private party areas, can often be themed activities at your request and will mean the kids get to take their party favor home as something they have created.  

A table of Party Venue Ideas by Age

Type of Party	0-5	Primary	Tween	Tween
Animal Farms	Yes	Yes
Indoor playgrounds	Yes	Yes	Depends on the playcentre	Depends on the playcentre
Sports Parties	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
High Tea		Yes	Yes	Yes
Bowling		Yes	Yes	Yes
Laserzone		Yes	Yes	Yes
Escape room and similar challenges		Yes	Yes	Yes
Trampoline Parks		Yes	Yes	Yes
Movie Theatres	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Pool Parties		Yes	Yes	Yes
Mini Golf		Yes	Yes	Yes
Esports, drones and VR parties		Yes	Yes	Yes
Wizard Parties		Yes	Yes	Yes
Art and Craft Parties	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes

We hope this information has helped to make it easier to choose a birthday party venue for your birthday boy or birthday girl and make the most of your child's special day!