Mommy Moments
Birthday Party Ideas
By Krista Martinelli
This month I wanted to take the opportunity to highlight a few great options when it comes to planning your child’s birthday party. Of course, I’m also a big fan of the party at home, if you have the space and fortitude to do it. But fellow parents, I think it’s safe to say that sometimes you need a break. Sometimes you need a great place to handle all of the fun, chaos and mess that comes with a large group of young kids.
Calling All Young Picasso Types!
My five-year-old daughter recently attended a birthday party at Picasso’s Paint-Your-Own-Pottery and loved it! It was a delightful experience, and each child gets to choose a piece of pottery to paint. The staff at Picasso’s goes above and beyond. When you schedule your Picasso’s party, you get a festive, private party room for two hours, a dedicated Picasso’s studio assistant, and a commemorative plate for the guests of honor to sign, balloons, invitations, music and more! Just bring your own cake and you’re done. Nothing else to do. The pottery will be fired/glazed and ready for pick up in one week. All of the young staff is extremely helpful and encouraging. Once you’ve had a taste of Picasso’s (located at Lantana Rd. and Jog Rd. in Lake Worth), you will definitely be back. Picasso’s can be reached at (561) 439-4000.
Playmobil FunPark – Letting Your Imagination Soar!
Last year my 3-year-old had a fabulous dinosaur-themed birthday party at Playmobil FunPark in Palm Beach Gardens. Other party themes include princesses, construction, pirates and more (call for details). If you’ve never made the trip up to Playmobil FunPark before, 
you need to check it out. Think of it as a castle that was designed for kids to test out and play with Playmobil toys – that’s what it is. The admission price on any day of the week is just $1 per person. Another plus, I’ve overheard other moms saying that the place is “immaculate” and “the cleanest” out of all of the kids’ play places they have visited. It’s all true. It’s a wonderful place to play and, as expected, a wonderful place to have a child’s birthday party. The manager Lucy oversees every detail and is outstandingly helpful. Her staff is terrific with young children too. The party includes a little show on stage with a few songs and games, according to your selected theme. And yes, you can relax with this party too. They take care of every detail – the only thing you need to bring is the cake. The birthday area of Playmobil FunPark is adorable and just perfect for young kids. It includes a long kids’ table for eating your cake, plus a throne for your little queen or king to sit at the head of the table. Check out Playmobil for your next birthday party, located at 8031 North Military Trail in Palm Beach Gardens or just give them a call at (561) 691-9880.
My Gym – Jump, Roll, Slide and Play Together!
We’ve been to a few My Gym birthday parties over the past years. It’s a fun, hassle-free party where the kids get some good exercise as well as some quality “circle time.” The parties, which usually last 1.5 to 2 hours, offer games, gymnastics, “Space Flight,” puppets, rides, 
songs and exciting birthday events, all led by the friendly staff. Kids engage in constant play and interaction during the entire birthday party. For a sneak peak of My Gym birthday parties, see the video on their website. As a parent, I’ve found that the interaction among the little ones is best conducted by a circle time; so it’s nice that My Gym birthday parties do just that, using circle time at the beginning and end of the party to bring friends and family together. Located just on the east side of 441 in the BJ’s plaza (north of Southern Blvd.), the Royal Palm Beach My Gym is an ideal place for a party. Call them at (561) 713-2768 for details.
Standing Ovation – Let Your Child Be the Star!
My neighbors had a Standing Ovation birthday party for their daughter and were thoroughly impressed with how much fun it was, as well as being pleased with the terrific play that was put on at the very end. In fact their popular “Production Birthday Parties” have attracted a lot of attention, winning the South Florida Parenting Kids’ Crown Award for the “most creative birthday party.” Within the course of a three-hour birthday party, the kids pull together and do a full production, where the birthday kid is the star of the show. The birthday kid chooses from a variety of different, age-appropriate scripts for her birthday show. Some examples include “Tinkerbell and the Pirates,” “Princess’ Puzzle,” “Superhero Play,” “Peter and the Pirates” and “Mount Olympus.” Older kids can choose to do the ever-popular Vampire Murder Mystery. The birthday child gets to assign the parts to the other young stars. A Standing Ovation Theater Director then gives each actor their lines and works on blocking for the show. After an acting class and a warm-up , it’s time for a break (the perfect time for pizza, etc.) Then after a couple of run-throughs of the script, it’s onto the dress rehearsal when the kids have a ball getting into their costumes. The parents come back for the last 30 minutes to see the big show, which includes an adult narrator for some of the action and lighting (for the finishing touches). The young stars all celebrate after the show with birthday cake. Parents love it and kids do too! For more information, call Standing Ovation Performing Arts (located at Le Chalet and Military Trail in Boynton Beach), (561) 734-0187.
