Need Kids B-Day Ideas (Houston, Ames: buy, theater, store)

[aries123]

[quote=Jane Welborn;12738708]Last year for my daughters sixth birthday we had a clown who did magic and made balloon animals. It was a great party for boys and girls which was necessary b/c my little girl likes inviting a mixed group. I think the balloon creations was the hit of the party!!![/QU

Can you please share your clown's name?
thanks

[glorplaxy]

I see a lot of parties come in on the weekends at the rock climbing gym I go to. There are group discounts, I believe, and the kids and parents alike seem to get a big kick out of it, even if they aren't exactly good at it and will never return after the party.

[aries123]

whixh clown did u use?

[Topaz]

Originally Posted by LizzySWW

BTW, what's up with parents hanging around during these parties?? Not toddler parties but for the older kids.......at a party locations close to our homes. They could drive home in under 5 minutes & come back in 2 hours!

We usually stick around and try to help out any way we can. It seems rude to leave the birthday party hostess alone with 20 kids to manage, especially since birthday party staff at most venues are bored teenage kids who look completely miserable and who fail to pitch in very well.

[LizzySWW]

Originally Posted by Topaz

We usually stick around and try to help out any way we can. It seems rude to leave the birthday party hostess alone with 20 kids to manage, especially since birthday party staff at most venues are bored teenage kids who look completely miserable and who fail to pitch in very well.

Topaz, I get what you're saying & I'd stay too if I saw the party was in need of extra help. But I'm talking about parties that are 100% under control where parents are sort of in the way. Ex: parents just hanging around to socalize with other parents. Takes away from the birthday kid's event. If the location is far........it's understandable for parents to hang around. Does this make sense?

Aries123: I almost had a clown party but went with a diff theme after several Moms told me their kids were terrified of clowns!!! Just want to let you know my experience in a clown themed party.

[Topaz]

Originally Posted by LizzySWW

Topaz, I get what you're saying & I'd stay too if I saw the party was in need of extra help. But I'm talking about parties that are 100% under control where parents are sort of in the way. Ex: parents just hanging around to socalize with other parents. Takes away from the birthday kid's event. If the location is far........it's understandable for parents to hang around. Does this make sense?

Aries123: I almost had a clown party but went with a diff theme after several Moms told me their kids were terrified of clowns!!! Just want to let you know my experience in a clown themed party.

LizzySWW, I haven't seen a venue where parents are in the way, but Sugar Land birthday parties tend to be at established locations where it is fine for parents to socialize with each other.

Aries123, my children do not like clowns, at all. Too many scary TV shows have clowns in them!

[LizzySWW]

Originally Posted by Topaz

LizzySWW, I haven't seen a venue where parents are in the way, but Sugar Land birthday parties tend to be at established locations where it is fine for parents to socialize with each other.

Thanks for your reply Topaz, it's interesting to hear different thoughts on this.

When I was a kid, we were dropped off at the skating rink at 2:00 and picked up outside of the building at 4:00. Parents back then just played taxi driver & didn't actually come to the party.

Maybe it's the new trend for parents to attend birthday parties with their kids? I sure see this happening more & more.

I've had a few parties for my older child in recent years where 15 kids came & so did about 12 parents. I'm not a great hostess so when I invite 15 kids & 12 parents come allong too....I feel overwhelmed.

[Sampaguita]

Originally Posted by LizzySWW

Thanks for your reply Topaz, it's interesting to hear different thoughts on this.

When I was a kid, we were dropped off at the skating rink at 2:00 and picked up outside of the building at 4:00. Parents back then just played taxi driver & didn't actually come to the party.

Maybe it's the new trend for parents to attend birthday parties with their kids? I sure see this happening more & more.

I've had a few parties for my older child in recent years where 15 kids came & so did about 12 parents. I'm not a great hostess so when I invite 15 kids & 12 parents come allong too....I feel overwhelmed.

Come to think of it, we were always dropped off at parties. I remember parties from when I was in 1st grade and none of the parents stayed - they dropped us off & picked us up at the appointed end party time. Truth be told, I don't recall the parents from my school socializing - they saw one another during school functions or church - but that's all. Everyone seemed to have large, close-knit families (& sometimes neighbors) with whom they socialized - not the parents of their kids' classmates.

I guess it's a different culture nowadays.

[westres1]

Childrens Museum
Zoo..they have a zooologist bring in animals and lets the kids pet them add a ride on the train at the end for extra fun!
Chuckee Cheese is always a easy pic and six year olds love it.
Park w/ petting zoo or just a hay scramble or pinata'.



Six is a bit young for drop off parties in a large city like this....unless you know the host family well most stay until about 3rd grade.

[Topaz]

On the whole "parents socializing" question, birthday parties are when you learn the scoop on which teachers are great, which ones are horrible, and all the insider school system secrets that other parents know and will share!