Cake. Approximately 40 dollars. Ice Cream. Around 20 dollars. Invitations. About 15 dollars. Not having to plan the party at home yourself? PRICELESS.
Does your little one have a birthday approaching? Would you like to give him/her a fabulous party? Don’t fret, Baltimore has numerous exciting locations to pick from. As the largest city in Maryland, Baltimore offers many family-friendly places to host a children’s birthday celebration. Here are a few to choose from.
The Maryland Zoo
www.marylandzoo.org
300 Druid Park Drive
(443) 552 – 5277
What can be more entertaining than celebrating a birthday with elephants, zebras and polar bears? The Maryland zoo, located in Baltimore, would be a fabulous party spot for your special boy or girl. It’s educational, but also amusing for most children. Although staff help is not available with a zoo party, you can still have a wonderful get-together in the picnic area. You can bring a cake, drinks, etc. and have a picnic, then spend the rest of the party touring the zoo. The cost for each child is $8.00 ($8.75 for adults), and kids under 2 are free. A zoo birthday party would be an unforgettable event for your little one and his/her friends.
Amazing Glaze
www.amazingglaze.net
1340 Smith Ave
(410) 532 -3144
Do you have a child who loves to paint and decorate things? Or does he/she just like to express him/herself? Then a birthday party at Amazing Glaze would be a fantastic event! It is a paint – your – own pottery studio. Guests will be able to paint items such as plates, bowls, ornaments, mugs, etc. They will enjoy having a memento to keep or an item to give as a gift. Amazing Glaze has several packages to choose from. The “amazing party” package is $28/child and provides a 2 hour celebration with pizza, cake, tableware, decorations, a customized plate for the birthday girl/boy, and a piece of pottery to paint. The “gala” package runs $22/guest and is a 90 minute party with decorations and tableware. Kids can paint an item and you can bring the cake and snacks. The “buffet” package runs $20/child and is a 90 minute party and provides the pottery – you can bring everything else. The “mosaic” party is $26/kid and is a 2 hour party where children will make a mosaic mirror. A party at Amazing Glaze in Baltimore is something a little different that most guests will enjoy.
Port Discovery
www.portdiscovery.com
35 Marketplace
(410) 727 -8120
Searching for a party that’s fun and will teach the children something new? Then an outing to Port Discovery may be your choice. It is an excellent children’s museum in Baltimore. It offers a variety of fun exhibits such as a “mystery house” where kids can solve a case, a play gas-station where they can pretend to take care of a car, and a puppet studio where children can produce their own show. They offer three packages. The express package is $25 for the birthday boy/girl and $11.75 for each guest. (Kids under 2 are free.) It includes museum admission, a museum t-shirt and balloon bouquet. The birthday child will also receive a free pass to return at a later date. The deluxe package costs $250 and provides admission for 10 children as well as 1 parent or another adult per child, 2 hours in the private room, invitations, a unique activity, and a t-shirt and balloon bouquet for the birthday boy/girl. The super deluxe package offers the same, but with 3 hours in the private room and staff help – call for rates. If you want a fun and educational birthday party for your little one, consider having it at Port Discovery.
Bounce R Us
www.bouncerusmd.com
1821 Whitehead Road
(410) 944-8888
Bounce R Us parties are very popular for younger children in Baltimore. It is a giant indoor play area with inflatable jumpers and slides. Kids will love to bounce around and it is a great way to get exercise. They offer two party packages. The “super bounce” package is for 25 guests and provides 2 hours of play time, party setup and cleanup, invitations, pizza, party favor bags, setup and cleanup. It is $255 on weekdays and $300 on the weekends. The “mini-bounce party” is available only on weekdays before 3:00. It is for up to 15 guests and includes 30 minutes in the private party room and 1 hour of playtime. It costs $185. A Bounce R Us party would be an exciting experience for all!
Full Moon Farm
www.fullmoonfarm.com
4326 Louisville Road
(410) 418-5226
A birthday party at Full Moon Farm would be unique and entertaining for your child and his/her friends. Children will enjoy riding on and interacting with horses. The party includes lots of horse activities and even a craft. They run $14 per child (10 kids minimum) and last 90 minutes to 2 hours. You are welcome to bring your own cake, decorations, etc. It’s located outside Baltimore in Finksburg, but it’s worth the drive. If you want something different than most typical parties, this is the place to go!
Chuck E. Cheese
www.chuckecheese.com
8354 Eastern Ave
(410) 288-9393
Pizza Birthday parties are always in style. Chuck E. Cheese is a fabulous place to host a birthday celebration. Your birthday child and his/her friends will enjoy playing fun games such as Ski-Ball, earning tickets for prizes, and much more. They offer two packages. The “birthday star” package cost $11.99 per child and includes a party table for 1 1/2 hours, staff help, 20 tokens per child, 2 slices of pizza per child, drinks, birthday show with Chuck E. Cheese, a balloon bouquet, and a lunch box for the birthday child. The “super star upgrade” costs 16.99 per guests and includes the same with additional tokens, goody bags, souvenir cups for each child, and a Chuck E. Cheese stuffed animal for the birthday star. You can never go wrong with a party at Chuck E. Cheese!
Northwest Family Sports Center Ice Rink
www.northwesticerink.com
5731 Cottonworth Avenue
(410) 433 – 4970
An ice skating party would be perfect for an older child who loves to skate. It’s definitely not a common type of party, and it’s a lot of fun. The cost is $110 for up to 10 skaters and $11 for each additional child. It provides admission, pizza, skate rental, drinks, and tableware. You can bring a cake and decorations as well. The ice skating rink is great entertainment for children and young teens, and it provides plenty of fun exercise. It is definitely a top notch birthday party location.
PlayWise Kids
www.playwisekids.com
6570 Dobbin Road
(410) 772-1540
PlayWise Kids is a giant indoor play center that would be a wonderful spot for a younger child’s birthday. Guests will enjoy fun activities such as playing in a pretend grocery store, driving a fire truck, creating arts and crafts and much more. They have two birthday packages. The first one is $195 for up to 10 children (can bring additional guests for $10 each). It includes admission, invitations, tableware, clean up and set up, private time in the party room, and t-shirt for the birthday star. They also have a package that is $225 for 10 kids and includes pizza or a hot dog for each child, ice cream and drinks. A Playwise Party would please just about anyone – if you want a creative and interactive party, consider this choice.
Playground / Park Party
www.ci.baltimore.md.us
Various Locations
(410) 396-7000
If you want a party that’s sure to be enjoyable, but won’t empty your wallet, consider hosting it at one of Baltimore’s community parks. Your taxes help support this places – take advantage of them! Just grab a cake, maybe a pinata, and you’re all set. if you want to play a game or two read this article. You might have a back up location in case of rain. A playground party might require a little bit of extra work, but it’s still a great choice.
Happy Partying!
