Remember when planning a birthday party for your little one was so simple? All you needed was a Caspar Babypants CD, a few crafts, some fish crackers and a birthday cake in the shape of your tot’s favorite TV icon—Elmo, Thomas the Train or Lightning McQueen. Oh, those were the days. Now, your grown up kiddo, who has moved past all preschool-type items mentioned above, is asking for a hip birthday party. But where to start? Before you end up with an entire houseful of kids doing the Harlem Shake in your living room, consider these Seattle area birthday party ideas for your next big kid bash.

Cooking Party

Future chefs unite. At Frog Legs Academy the birthday boy or girl can choose from a variety of themes, including cupcakes, individual pizzas, smoothies and more. Party packages start at $360 for 8 children. Similarly, on-site catering service Lovin’ from thе Oven offers children’s cooking classes for birthday parties for kids ages 6 and up. Parties are held in either уοur own home or at a licensed kitchen space in the Seattle area. Call for details.

FrogLegs Kids Culinary Academy: 206-954-9094 or email froglegsskca@comcast.net
Online: froglegskca.com

Lovin’ From the Oven: 206-371-5961 or email bridget@lovinfromtheoven.net
Online: lovinfromtheoven.net

Party Busses

Don’t have enough consoles in your house for all the little gamers? Now you can have the party roll up to your front door – literally. Eastside-based Games on Wheels offers a variety of games for Xbox 360, Kinect for Xbox 360, Nintendo Wii, and Sony Playstation 3. Birthday party attendees can play together as a team or compete against their friends. Similarly, the Games2U party bus offers 4D virtual reality rides, mobile gaming theaters, high-tech laser tag, even giant hamster balls! Seattle-based The Game Truck is yet another great option. Climate controlled for up to 16 players, the Game Truck includes four 55-inch high definition flat screens, Xbox 360, three PS3s, four Wiis, an on-site game coach, and all the newest games kids love. Prices for the game buses start between $249 and $319 for a two-hour party.

Games on Wheels: 425-440-3882
Online: games-on-wheels.com

Games 2U: 1-800-71-GAMES
Online: g2u.com

The Game Truck: 888-602-4263
Online: gametruckparty.com

Pottery Painting

Bring in your own cake and have your ceramics too! Paint the Town in University Village and Creatively Yours at Crossroads in Bellevue will have the kids fine tuning their fine art for hours. A minimum spend of $130 on pottery is required for birthday parties at both locations, which includes paints, clear glaze and firing. Finished art can be picked up in 3-5 days.

Paint the Town
4611 NE University Village Street
Seattle, Wa
206-527-8554
Online: ceramics-painting.com

Creatively Yours
Crossroads Bellevue
15600 NE 8th #G-1
Bellevue, Wa
425-747-2280
Online: www.paintedbykathy.com

Bounce and/or Fly Party

For bouncy house graduates, big kids can spend their birthdays jumping, rolling, swinging, pit plunging – even flying! Seattle Gymnastics Academy – with three different locations in Ballard, Lake City and Columbia City offers structured gymnastics time and party rooms. Sky High in Bellevue and SkyMania Trampolines in Kirkland is the place to go for jumping galore. All trampoline frames and springs are covered by 2-inch thick safety pads so there’s no falling off in these facilities. Still want to go higher? Check out iFly, where kids can do some indoor skydiving! A wind tunnel moves air up inside a vertical column, creating the indoor skydiving experience. All group packages include classroom instruction, flight gear, and a DVD of everyone’s flight. Party packages start at $249 and go up to $699.

Seattle Gymastics Academy Lake City
12535 26th Avenue Northeast
Seattle, Wa
206-362-7447
Online: seattlegymnastics.com/lakecity

Seattle Gymastics Academy Ballard
5313 Shilshole Avenue Northwest
Seattle, Wa
206-782-1496
Online: seattlegymnastics.com/ballard

Seattle Gymnastics Academy Columbia City
5034 37th Avenue South, Suite 200
Seattle, Wa
206-708-7497
Online: seattlegymnastics.com/columbiacity

Sky High
1445 120th Avenue Northeast
Bellevue, Wa
425-990-JUMP
Online: sea.jumpskyhigh.com/

SkyMania Trampolines
11801 NE 116^th Street, Suite B
Kirkland, Wa
425-825-7599
Online: www.skymaniatrampolines.com

iFly Seattle
349 Tukwila Parkway
Tukwila, Wa
206-244-iFLY
Online: iflyseattle.com

Swim Party

North of Seattle, the Mountlake Terrace Pool is the perfect place for swimmers of all abilities. The pool has an oversized shallow leisure area with a fun island and plumbed spray toys, as well as a lazy river, deep water and shallow lanes. Several party rooms are available on Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays, prices start at $135. The pool at the Federal Way Community Center is another great option. In addition to a two-story corkscrew slide and a lazy river, this pool has a play structure with two small slides, water guns, and several spray toys, plus basketball hoops for water b-ball and an additional six-lane lap pool with a diving board. Pool party packages start at $100 and go up to $259 for a party of 30.

Mountlake Terrace Recreation Pavilion
5303 228th Street SW
Mountlake Terrace, Wa
425-776-9173
Online: cityofmlt.com/cityServices/recreation/facilityRentals/pool.htm

Federal Way Community Center Pool
876 South 333^rd Street
Federal Way, Wa
253-853-6900
Online: itallhappenshere.org

Science Party

Weird Science? You bet. Staff from the Pacific Science Center will put on a 40-minute interactive science activity followed by a 20-minute liquid nitrogen ice cream demonstration (and yes, you can eat the ice cream!) When the party’s over, guests have free range of all Pacific Science Center exhibits. Choose from Weird Science, Astronomy, Dinosaur or Bug & Butterfly themes. Packages start at $155 for 15 people.

Pacific Science Center
200 Second Avenue North
Seattle, Wa
206-443-3625
Online: pacificsciencecenter.org

Movie Party

Give a flick! At the Thornton Place Theatres near Northgate, up to 20 kids can celebrate a birthday in their party room before or after watching a favorite movie. Hourly rental for the party room is $50 and prices are $18 per child – which includes a movie ticket, snacks and a projection booth tour. Fill out this form online for additional details.

Regal Cinemas Thornton Place Stadium
301 NE 103rd Street
Seattle WA 98125
206-517-9943
Online: regmovies.com

Knight Party

Knights in shining armor unite! At Equine Life Solutions in Bothell, up to eight kids can enjoy A Day with a Knight birthday party celebration. Kids will spend 30-minutes on horsemanship and riding, 60-minutes on archery or swordsmanship and 30-minutes in the party room. Party packages start at $295 which includes one horse for every two riders, lessons with a trained professional, and party décor. For an extra fee, you can add additional horses, pre-party photos with a knight, and extra participants. Parties take place on Saturdays during the fall, winter and spring months.

Equine Life Solutions
19329 51^st Avenue SE
Bothell, Wa
206-351-1248
Online: equinelifesolutions.com

What are your favorite big kid birthday party spots? Share the love and let us know in the comment section below!

–Kristina Moy & Allison Ellis

Photo credit: Paint The Town Facebook page, Kenna Konoske, The Game Truck website, Federal Way Community Center website, Pacific Science Center Facebook page, Games 2U website, Equine Life Soluntions website,