Birthdays are a time to celebrate.
Aurora, Illinois, has several great locations to choose from for your next birthday celebration. A great choice of activities and themes, from educational to roller skating is available for children of all ages. With so many choices, parents can find something that will be a hit with the kids and fit their budget. Does this Spark an idea?
Hands-On Activities
Blackberry Farm (blackberryfarm.com) is a living-history museum that offers old-fashioned celebrations. Situated on 54 acres, the farm has five museums, hands-on exhibits, a carousel and hayrides. Party choices include a tea party, train ride or pony ride.
SciTech (scitech.mus.il.us.com) is another hands-on option, with over 200 exhibits, and activities. Parties are 1 1/2 hours long and include pizza, cake and beverage, a hands-on demonstration and a gift certificate to the gift shop for the birthday child.
At Build a Bear Workshop (buildabear.com), children can choose from 30 animals to stuff and make their own. Online printable invitations and thank-you notes are available, but you provide cake and beverages. Opening of gifts is not allowed in the store.
A Place for Younger Children
Airtastic Play Land (airtastic.com) hosts parties that last two hours. The indoor facility houses 10 pieces of inflatable play equipment for bouncing and jumping fun. You can choose from a snack or pizza party.
My Gym (my-gym.com/aurora) makes the entire facility available and includes cake, puppets, games, songs and rides. Staff members assist with all aspects of the party from invitations to cleanup.
Party Places With Sporting Activities
If you celebrate at the Sports Zone (sportszonepark.com), you can enjoy go-karts, mini golf, a driving range, indoor baseball and soccer, and batting cages.
Parkside Lanes (parksidelanes.com) lets you choose from two types of bowling parties. Both offer 1 1/2 hours of bowling and either a pizza or hot-dog-and-chips meal. Cake and ice cream are not included. The birthday child is given a keepsake bowling pin that can be signed by guests.
At Aurora Roller Skate Center (skateaurora.com) you can choose from three parties serving pizza, hot dogs and chips or a soda and ice cream. Cake is not included. The party room is available for 40 minutes with three hours of skating included.
Swimming Parties
If a pool party sounds fun, Phillips Park Aquatic Center or Splash Country may be the place for your next party. Phillips Park (no website;828 Montgomery Rd., Aurora; 630- 851-8686) offers a picnic and volleyball area, a zero-depth pool ( a pool that you walk into and the water gradually gets deeper), slides and fountains. Splash Country (no website;195 S. Barnes Rd., Aurora; 630-906-7981) also offers a zero-depth pool and features the second-largest man-made "lazy river" in the state for floating inner tubes, tube water slides and bubbling rapids. An option for the younger group is a separate enclosed area for swimming and playing.
Paintball and Laser Tag
At Chasers (chaserstag.com) you will have two pizza-party packages to choose from. Chasers offers laser tag, paintball and arcade games.
Laser Tag and pizza are also available at Luigi's Pizza and Fun Center (luigispizzaandfuncenter.com), where you can choose from 10 party packages.
There are over 60 acres of play area for laser tag or paintball at Fox River Games (foxpaintball.com), where you can book a private outing for ages 10 and over.
Tags: choose from, Aurora Illinois, birthday child, laser paintball, Phillips Park, Splash Country, your next
