Perfect Kid Friendly Places for a Birthday Party in St. Charles County

Why do children's birthday parties cause parents so much stress? Probably because we put way to much pressure on ourselves to give our little ones the best birthday party experience ever and then our pocketbooks suffer. It really does not have to be that way. Children just like to have a good time and luckily there are ways to give your child a memorable birthday without spending a lot of money.

Zachary's Playground

My 4-year-old daughter and her friends love this playground. This playground is an unlimited play playground located in Lake St. Louis, Missouri that is designed for all children to enjoy including those with disabilities that would make it challenging for them to play at more traditional playgrounds. It is a colorful playground that allows the imagination to run wild with castle play structures, a child-sized stage for the little ones to put on their most outrageous show and they even have a Sway Glider where children who are in wheelchairs can experience a swinging time. Of course, this playground also comes with the standard playground equipment: monkey bars, slides, climbing stations and swing sets.

My daughter had her birthday here last spring and it was the best party we have ever had and the least expensive. The pavilions that are located at the park provide plenty of shade and seating. If you choose to have a party there during non-peak hours (which can be hard to manage since there are families there all the time) you can probably get away with using the pavilions without reservations. But if you want more privacy and assurance, then reserving a pavilion is the way to go.

Here are the specifics for a 4 hour rental:

Price:

• $35 resident
• $50 non-resident

This fee covers your pavilion rental for 4 hours. You are entitled to use the large pavilion area which has about 15 tables, a grill and clean restrooms. You may bring your own food, decorations, and party games. But make sure to clean up after yourselves.

The playground is not reserved, but the children are free to play at their leisure. Just remember that there will be other families there.

Contact Lake St. Louis Parks and Recreation at (636) 561-4620 for more information on rental policies and procedures.

Playtime Party Center

Another party venue in the St. Charles County area isPlaytime Party Center. This venue is similar to Chuck E. Cheese minus the mind-blowing noise and the crazy Muppet show. I have never been to a birthday party at this establishment, but I have brought my daughters here for some after-school fun and it is always nice to come in here because it is a clean atmosphere that is wide-open and the chaos is organized.

At Chuck E. Cheese, there are so many games and dim lights that is easy to loose track of your kids. At Playtime Party Center the place is bright and less cramped with games. From any location in the building, you can keep an eye on your kids while you relax. They even have a giant in-ground playground to keep your little ones occupied when you have ran out of tokens for the games.

Playtime Party Center offers a few party packages, but here is an overview of least expensive package:

Package A:

• 10 kids for $120.00 + tax
• T-Shirt for birthday child
• 10 Postcard invitations
• 2 Pieces of pizza per child
• *10 Refillable souvenir cups
• 160 Game tokens
• Plates/utensils
• Unlimited play in play area
• Cake not included. (Add Cake $19.99)
• No outside cakes permitted

To book a party at Playtime Party Center, you will have to pay a non-refundable $30 deposit which will then be applied to the overall cost of the party.

Playtime Party Center is located at:

1225 Wentzville Parkway
Wentzville, MO 63385
Phone: 636-442-1421

Jump4Fun

The name of this children's party place says it all. This building is filled with huge inflatable slides, bounce houses and obstacle courses. My daughter and I went here for a birthday party last year and all the kids had a great time. After the party, I looked into having a party there and found the prices to be quite extravagant. The most expensive package, for up to 25 kids, was $240. However, they did have a more budget-friendly package. Of course, not having to plan and clean-up can be priceless.

Here is the cheaper package info:

Mini Party

• 8 Kids or less
• $99/weekday party, $149/weekend party
• 1hr. 45 min.-2hrs
• Free Soft Drinks or Juice (party children only)
• Free color invitations
• Free paper plates, cups, napkins, and utensils
• Set up and clean up included
• Party Host helps out during the party

Jump4Fun is located at:

79 Hubble Dr.
Dardenne Prairie, MO 63368
(636) 329-1811
www.jump4funstl.com

Imagination Pottery

If you have a child that is a little artisan this is the place to take them to work some creative magic. This place is awesome and so inexpensive. At Imagination Pottery, you can walk into the small shop and pick out a bowl, an ornament, a knick-knack, a door hanger - really anything at all. Once you have picked out your project, it is up to you to use your imagination to turn it into a colorful creation.

The pieces for little ones run from about $5 - $10 depending on what you choose and it includes the professional finishing. The only downside is that there is a waiting period from the time you make your piece and the time you get to bring it home. Plus, as the party planner you would have to make time to go pick up the finished pieces and deliver them to your child's guests. But the creative experience is well worth it!

This shop does not have any party packages so you would need to find another location for cake and ice cream and presents, but this is a great place to have a walk-in party without any of the mess. You have the party favor all taken care of.

Imagination Pottery is located at:

1201 Wentzville Parkway, # 101
Wentzville, MO 63385
(636) 327-4699
www.imaginationpottery.com

Hours are:

• Mon Closed (except on Holidays or when school is out)
• Tues-Wed 10:00am-6:00pm
• Thur-Fri 10:00am-8:00pm
• Sat 10:00am-5:00pm
• Sun 12:00pm-5:00pm

Monkey Joe's

This party venue is a cross between Playtime Party Center and Jump4Fun filled with inflatables and token-sucking games. Basically, it is just another way to wear the kids out and insure a good night's sleep. I have never been to this venue, but it is popular hang-out in St. Charles County for the pre-school crowd and deserves mentioning as a party option. The party packages at Monkey Joe's are steep. The most expensive is $299 and there is always a 50% deposit required. Keeping in the spirit of saving money, the least expensive package is detailed below:

Crazy 8 Pack - Up to 8 kids

• $139/weekdays and $209/weekends
• 1 ½ hrs. in our supervised party arena.
• 30-45 minutes in our fully-decorated private party room.
• Drinks,paper plates, cups, napkins, forks, spoons, tablecloth & invitations are included in the price.
• You are allowed to bring your own cake (YAY! - A big plus)
• No outside food is permitted, but you can purchase a large pizza for $15.95.
• Goody bags are not included, but can be purchased at an additional cost.

Monkey Joe's is located at:

280 Megan Avenue, Megan Crossings Plaza
O'Fallon, MO 63366
636-978-JOES(5637)
www.monkeyjoes.com/walkinplay63366.aspxPrivate

One little piece of advice to keep in mind when you are planning your child's birthday party: Keep it simple. You don't have to spend a fortune or put on a carnival to make your child feel special and loved. Sometimes the family home is the best party venue!

www.lakestlouis.com　
www.playtimepartycenter.com
www.jump4funstl.com　
www.imaginationpottery.com
www.monkeyjoes.com/walkinplay63366.aspx