Schaumburg, IL has Birthday Party Options for Every Taste and Budget

Children's birthday parties are the bane of just about every parent's existence, but with the number and variety of venues and packages available in Chicago's northwest suburbs near Schaumburg, you can sit back and relax while someone else does all the work, including the cooking and the cleanup. Here's a variety of options to keep birthday celebrants and their friends, from kindergarten ages to pre-teenagers, and even younger teenagers, happy and entertained.

Pump It Up, 1230 N. Roselle Road, Schaumburg, IL 60195, (847) 885-PUMP (7867).

If the birthday celebrant and his or her friends have boundless energy (and really, whose kids don't), this is the ideal place. Pump It Up is a place where your kids can jump and climb.

Prices start at $185 for a Mini Classic Party before 2 p.m., Monday through Thursday. This party is perfect for younger children, or for smaller groups up to 14 attendees. Other packages allow up to 25 guests and two hours of fun. You get one hour in the play rooms, along with a half hour in the party room where the birthday child can open gifts. Included in all of the offers are the services of a party coordinator, along with invitations, and party supplies such as napkins, plates, utensils and the like. Pizza is extra, as well as balloons and goodie bags. What is attractive about this venue is that gifts are collected on a cart in the lobby and wheeled into the party room, making it easy for parents.

Make sure that your attendees try to arrive 15 minutes prior to party time in case they have forgotten to bring the signed parental waiver that each minor attendee must have.

For those interested in booking a party or asking a question, you'll have much better luck doing so online. Pump It Up rarely answers its phones. Most times, you'll need to leave a message. The website is much more accommodating, offering an online chat as well as the opportunity to book a party online. Also check the internet-only specials can allow you to save money.

Sonia's Dance Rhythm, 534 W. Wise Rd., Schaumburg, 847-524-4122

Here's another place to go if you have kids with boundless energy. Sonia's Dance Rhythm offers a chance for party goers to dance their hearts out. Two-hour packages include $200 include pizza and beverages, balloons and decorations, and your choice of a 30-minute dance lesson taught by a professional instructor or a take-home craft project.

Available times here, however, are limited, as the studio is mostly concerned with private lessons. Parties may be booked after 4 p.m. on Saturdays or at any time on Sundays. Cinnamon Trammell, ballroom dance director and manager of the Schaumburg location, noted that the studio's most popular offering is the Hip Hop birthday party, targeted for kids ages 11-14. Parents beware. If you stay with your child, be advised that you will probably be dragged out onto the dance floor to participate.

Other party offerings at Sonia's include a Fancy Ballerina party for younger celebrants or a Bollywood Dreams bash where you can learn how to dance the way they do in Bollywood films. You can even get henna tattoos for an additional cost. Book about a month in advance, although parties may sometimes be accommodated as little as one week ahead of time.

My Party Princess, Inc., 1118 S. Roselle Rd., Schaumburg, 847-895-2340.

Does your daughter love to be pampered? Then this is the perfect place to book a birthday party for her. Owner Melissa Raitano opened the venue in 2005 capitalizing on the Disney Princess rage that was going strong at the time. Since then she has expanded her offerings from the original princess and diva parties, to include Spa, Pajama, Camp Rock, and Hannah Montana themes.

"You definitely have to move with the times," Raitano said. "People usually start with the Princess parties and then come back for something else. We purposely make them all so different so people don't feel like they're getting the same thing all the time."

Prices start at $180 for a 90-minute party for six girls and go up from there. Most of the packages indicate that a two-hour party is required for eight or more girls. The birthday celebrant always gets a little extra pampering, usually an extra special makeover or hairdo. Packages include makeovers or funky hairdos for all participants, or in the case of the spa party, manicures and pedicures. Some packages also include karaoke and an appropriate take-home craft.

A host of options are available, from the light lunches and dinners and birthday cakes to, manicures for moms. Add on goodie bags and thank you notes, and you virtually don't have to do a thing. One of the most popular options is My Party Princess's Limo Service.

"It's a pretty pricey option as it costs $175 each way," Raitano said.

Up to 20 partygoers may be transported to My Party Princess in a huge limousine that has eight flat screen televisions inside. Partygoers usually meet at the celebrant's home for this option. Another option for Princess Parties is renting the Pumpkin Carriage, which is only available during warmer months. A popular off-site option is having a princess visit your child during a home birthday party.

Possibly the best advantage of booking a party here is that neither the parents or party-goers will feel like they are herded in and out of the facility. My Party Princess accommodates only one party at a time, and allows for sufficient time in between events so that guests are not rushed. Raitano recommends booking eight to ten weeks ahead of time.

Gameworks, The Streets of Woodfield, 601 N. Martingale Rd., Suite 115, Schaumburg, 847-330-9675.
For birthday celebrants who are hooked on electronic games, book your party here, even if the party-goers are a bit younger. Starr DeGrado, Gameworks events assistant indicated that Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday afternoons before 2 p.m. are great times to have parties for young children.

"If you have younger kids and want to watch them, that is absolutely the very best time for them because we are not that busy and they can have a really great experience," she said.

Gameworks party packages start at $14.99 per person with a minimum of 10 guests and include pizza or hot dogs with chips, birthday cake, and a one-hour game card per guest. Parties require a one-hour party room rental which is an additional $25. Additional food, such as party trays or pasta is also available, as well as helium balloons, goodie bags, and the like. Game card upgrades are also available.

Game cards that are provided with party packages differ from those that patrons usually receive when playing at Gameworks, in that these special cards provide unlimited play instead of basing play on credits. This allows party-goers to play credit-heavy games that they normally wouldn't be to do. Another unique aspect of the Schaumburg Gameworks location is that Sega, which owns the chain, does a lot of test marketing at this facility.

"We have a lot of sports games and virtual reality games that you won't see at our other facilities," DeGrado said.

Book your party at Gameworks with at least two weeks notice.

Schaumburg Park District, various locations, 847-490-2509. www.parkfun.com.

If you are on a budget, but don't want to host a party at home, consider one of the options offered by the Schaumburg Park District. Starting at $140 for three hours of fun, you can get the perennial favorite pool party for up to ten guests. Parties are available year round at the indoor Water Works facility and June through August at one of the district's three outdoor pools. Each package includes food, cake and ice cream, use of the party room and party coordinator, and play time in the pool. Park district requirements indicate that there must be one adult in attendance for every eight children nine and under so make sure that you have a sufficient number of parents who will stay with you if the party is large.

Park district facilities are also good for parties for younger children. The Splash and Play Party option splits fun time between Water Works and the park district's Early Childhood Activity Center. A number of packages are available at the Kenneth Alley Safety Park, including basic and deluxe safety park parties where partygoers can bring their own bicycles, tricycles or big wheels to ride, as well as miniature train and jeep parties.

Another option for children under eight is scheduling an outdoor education party at Spring Valley Nature Center. These are available Monday through Saturday, 2-5 p.m. Choose from Nature Detectives, Pioneer Adventures, Barnyard Buddies, or Chicken Capers.

Have a real sports enthusiast? Consider an event at the park district's sports center. Themed parties here include: Fantastic Gymnastics, World Cup Soccer, Grand Slam Baseball, Super Spike Volleyball, Slam Dunk Basketball, Dodgeball, or Tiny Tot Gym Jam. These parties include instruction and/or supervised group activities in addition to the usual food and beverage package.