Birthday Party Places as Unique as Your Child

Who doesn't love a party? Kids start counting the days to their next birthday almost before the wrapping paper from their last hits the recycle bin. Birthdays are exciting. Birthdays are stressful. Particularly for the birthday party planner.

It's no surprise then that so many places offer birthday party venues for stressed-out parents. Here are some of the best places to have your kid's party in the Eugene/Springfield Oregon area.

Best educational choices for kids parties

The Science Factory children's museum and planetarium
http://www.sciencefactory.org
2300 Leo Harris Parkway • Eugene, Oregon
phone: (541) 682-7888
email: info@sciencefactory.org

It used to be called Wistech. It's located behind Autzen Stadium. Current exhibits include Tech City: from bridges to buildings to the inner workings of internet, this interactive exhibit lets kids become engineers and solve real world problems by designing, building, testing, and modifying structural constraints. In Tech City, visitors can use computers, models and lots of mechanical gadgets to solve structural problems.

But did you know they do BIRTHDAYS?

Birthday party packages run $80 members/ $95 non-members for up to 12 kids. Additional guests: $5 per child. Maximum Birthday Party attendance: 25 guests. Adult chaperons are free. One adult per 10 children is required. Pre-payment required to hold party reservation. Reservation required one week prior to party.

Birthday Party Package includes:

Color-your-own party Invitations, private party room rental (2 hrs), directed play time in main museum/exhibits, special gift for the birthday child, Choice of one the following hands-on science activities led by a Factory Factologist: • Starstruck! • Blast Off! • Extreme Experiments

Starstruck Birthday (ages 5 & up)
Party must be scheduled in the 11:30 - 1:30 time slot. Includes 1pm planetarium show "Up in the Sky".

Blast Off! (ages 4 & up)
Each guest will be able to create and launch a bottle rocket they can take home.

Extreme Experiments (all ages)
Weird science! Watch experiments grow before your very eyes. Make water defy gravity. Make a "potion" as you test the reactivity of ordinary household items.

The Science Factory's motto is "We have birthday parties down to a science". The website includes a very detailed party itinerary. The invitations include a map to the museum. All parents need to do is show up and clean up the party room. They handle everything else -efficiently and creatively.

M.E.C.C.A.
the Materials Exchange Center for Community Arts
http://www.materials-exchange.org/index.html
43 W. Broadway, Eugene, Oregon
phone: (541) 302-1810
email: info@materials-exchange.org

Why not have an ART-explosive Birthday Party? MECCA is extraordinary kid friendly. They have Saturday drop-in art workshops; after school art projects and would be the perfect place to have your party. Call them and brainstorm about a time and project that best suits your artistic genius. Art is for all ages. This isn't a party in a can. It requires brainpower and hands-on participation of parents and kids. But there's something for kids of any age. Fees are negotiable. You support the environment (by using donated materials) and the local art scene while creating an unforgettable experience and an artistic community connection that will benefit you and your children for years beyond a single special day.

Best athletic choices for kids parties

Birthday Parties at Bounce Gymnastics
http://www.bouncegymnastics.com

(541) 343-4222

Bounce Gymnastics guarantees a great party for children of any age. They cheerfully advertise "the entire facility can be yours for two hours of fun for your child and guests. You make the mess... We clean it up!" You get not only amazing equipment but skilled staff. Birthday Parties are held on Saturdays, Sundays and select weekday afternoons. (Parent supervision is required for ages 6 and under.) Party Package is $100.00 for 10 children plus the birthday child, $5.00 per additional guest. A $50 non-refundable deposit is due within 3 days of booking. Balance paid on day of party.

Party Package

• 2 hour party including set-up and clean up time
• 1 1/2 hours of activities with personal attendant
• 1/2 hour in party room
• A t-shirt for the birthday child
• Invitations

• Obstacle course
• 30 foot Tumble Trak trampoline
• Bungee bouncer for the birthday child
• Parachute
• Spring floor with tumbling mats
• Balance beam, Bars, Rings
• 9 trampolines (including 4 new Olympic size)
• Fun games
• Super dual swing
• Triple tornado swing
• Rod tumbling strip
• Exhausted happy children

6100 Thurston Road, Springfield OR

(541) 747-WAVE or (541) 736-4244

Great wet fun - All Year Long! Enjoy the wavepool, waterslide, water basketball hoop and boogie boards. There is even a kiddie pool with a mushroom waterfall to play under. Celebrate your birthday at Willamalane Park Swim Center or Splash! Lively Park Swim Center. Both facilities offer community rooms and pool-deck space for your special celebration. Large groups are eligible for special discount pool admissions. The cost of "Splash Bash" birthday party? Room rental fee and pool admissions. The lower bracketed price is the discount for in-district (Springfield residents) patrons.

ROOM FEES

Community Room: $22/hr ($20/hr)

Pool Deck/Sundeck $12/hr ($10/hr)

POOL ADMISSIONS

Toddler (under 3 yrs): $4.25 ($3.75)

Single (3+ yrs): $6.25 ($5.25)

Family of four $18 ($16) add $3.25 for each additional family member

Groups $5.25 ($4.25)

Lane Ice Center

796 W. 13th Avenue, Eugene OR

phone: (541) 682-3615 fax: (541) 682-7368

http://www.laneicecenter.org/contact.html

An Ice Skating Party is a great way to celebrate a birthday and the Ice Center at the Lane Events Center has several options to make that possible.

Option 1: Rent the ice for a private party. $250 per hour secures the facility for you and your guests. Add $2.00 per pair of rental skates used. You may order catered food to enhance your event. Tables and lines would be provided. Use of the sound system is available for your own music selections.

Option 2: Schedule a birthday party during public skate sessions. The $150 birthday party package for 10 participants includes Admission, Skate Rental, 2 Large Pizzas, 2 Liters of Pop, and goodie bags for all participants. Table decorations according to requested party theme and colors. ($12.50 for each additional guest.) Policy says you can bring your own birthday cake, otherwise all food must be commercially prepared or purchased from the Ice Mart. (My personal experience: they are very flexible if you are polite and communicative.) For an additional $20 you may add a birthday party hero to your birthday package. The "hero" will provide focused attention to the birthday child, assist skaters with skate fitting and lacing and provide basic skating instruction.

Option 3: $4.50 per party participant with ten or more admissions. Includes admission and skate rental. A table may be added for $10.00. With Option 3, you're required to decorate and clean up after the party.

Camp Putt Putt Adventure Golf

4006 Franklin Boulevard, Eugene, OR

(541) 741-9828

Best miniature golf course in Willamette Valley! Waterfalls, lush landscaping, creeks, bridges and caves. Fun and peaceful. They have a snack bar but the food is... snack bar-ish. They share a parking lot with Roaring Rapids Pizza (see pizza parties) which has better fare. This mini-golf place is better for older children, tweens, teens and adults. Young children are likely to get bored before they finish. Half a dozen or more bored 7 yr olds armed with golf clubs is any parent's nightmare.

Putters Family Entertainment Center
1156 Highway 99 N, Eugene, OR
(541) 359-1864

Putters is better mini-golf for the mini-set. Small, circuitous and playfully designed 18 Hole Indoor Mini Golf. And a whole lot of everything else for everyone else. Laser Tag, Bowling, Pool, video arcade (with great oldies!), air hockey and of course pizza. Over the years they have taken over the strip mall on Hwy 99. Expanding fun. Be sure to reserve a table for birthday parties and ask about current party discounts. Glow-in-the-dark bowling might be a blast for older kids. (A full bar -for the non-driving adults, not the kiddies.)

Skate Parks

Willamalane Park and Skatepark
1276 G Street, Springfield

Amazon Park and Skatepark
2580 Hilyard Street, Eugene

I was surprised to find over 90 skateparks listed in Oregon. (According to http://www.concretedisciples.com ) There are skate parks at both Willamalane and Amazon parks. A great choice for older skating kids. Or younger ones who like to watch. The parks are free. Picnic tables require no reservations. For larger parties you may want to reserve one of the shelters or barbecues. There are also complete community centers at each park with swimming pools, classes, and extensive playgrounds etc. The parks are a delightful budget alternative and great for families or groups with children of various ages. Park hours are from 6am to 10pm.

Best choices for kids pizza birthday parties

Chuck E Cheese
3000 Gateway Street #540, Springfield OR
(541) 746-4463

Pizza was made for kids. Fast, cheesy, eat with your hands. We couldn't mention birthday pizza party venues and not mention Chuck E Cheese. More arcade than restaurant, they have electronic puppet bands with plenty of whistles and bells (literally). But what do you get with the birthday package? Extra tokens mostly. A reserved table (unlimited time on weekdays) and according to the official web site "the NEW birthday party experience" features: A Special Birthday Star Medallion, Foil Balloon Bouquet Centerpiece with Mini Lunch Box, and 100 tickets for the Birthday Star! Open Sun-Thur 9am-10pm and Fri-Sat 9am-11pm. Walk-ins welcome but only reserved parties get extra tokens and guaranteed table. There are (pdf file) party invitations and thank you notes at the corporate web site.

Roaring Rapids Pizza

4006 Franklin Boulevard, Eugene, Oregon
phone: (541) 988-9819
email: info@rapidpizza.net
http://www.rapidpizza.net

This one is a personal favorite. I have a lot of meetings and parties there. They are very popular so if you need the "private room" book early or ask them to reserve a table. Outside the big windows is a beautiful view of the river. Up front, a cozy fireplace. Big draw for kids? The full-sized old fashioned carousel that is free to patrons and runs every 15 minutes or so. The pizzas and sandwiches are marvelous. Really marvelous. The only cost is what you order from the menu. I recommend the gourmet "Nile Pesto Chicken" pizza: Grilled chicken, pesto sauce, sun-dried tomatoes, and feta cheese. (I always have them throw on artichoke hearts as well. 4-syllable marvelous. Ma-aaah-rvel-ous!) Bon Appetite! Oh, and Happy Birthday!