Best Place to Host a Kid's Birthday Party: This Week's Readers' Choice
Give us your tips on kid-friendly venues for birthday celebrations!
You could do it the old-fashioned way: bake a cake, decorate the house, buy ice cream, make a punch, set a festive table and put up a pinata.
But if you have your child's birthday party away from your home, you often can combine good food and a fun activity for a memorable occasion -- not to mention a little less stress for Mom or Dad.
So this week's Readers' Choice wants to know: Where's your favorite place to host a kid's birthday party in Stow? A local pizza joint? A kid-friendly gym? What about a tour of the local candy factory or ice cream parlor?
Beginning today -- Sunday, May 27 -- and through 5 p.m. Wednesday, May 30, we'll be asking for your recommendations for places to have a child's birthday party.
Give us your recommendation in the comments section below. With your help, we'll put together a list of nominees. Then look for our poll on Thursday, May 31 and vote! We'll select a winner at 5 p.m. Friday, June 1 and announce it in a story on Saturday, June 2.
In judging, we'll consider comments, poll votes and reviews in our complete directory of local businesses. Be sure to check out our contest rules in the PDF at right.
danielle waskowski
8:21 am on Sunday, May 27, 2012
stow gymnastics has the best place for parties... i think more for your buck.. all you bring is the cake and if you have some snack for them, they even provide cute little goodie bags! you go in to a place focused on you, no 30 birthday parties at once, the kids get a gymnastics warm up, fun music and games, then free play. you get time to eat your cake, no rush, and also dont have to worry about clean up! the kids get about 2 hours, but it can run over, that is not an issue.. while the party in going on, your babies under 2 have a place to hang, and even parents have a workout room that even has a pack and play! all this for 125.00 a party... up to 12 kids... LOVE IT!
Samantha Willow
8:43 am on Sunday, May 27, 2012
oops totally messed up on that! I took my daughter to stow gymnastics for a party, and the staff did great! Really enjoyed the peacefulness of sitting back and really not doing anything whle the staff danced around with the kids and had everyone in giggles... i would highly recommend it! sorry, new to this patch thing, and signed up at my friends house lol!
Amanda Harnocz
10:52 am on Sunday, May 27, 2012
Hi Samantha, thanks for joining the conversation here on Patch. Glad to have ya!
Laura Coon
9:12 am on Sunday, May 27, 2012
LifeCenter Plus is an awesome place for a kids party!!! Their staff sets up, runs the activity and cleans up. There are many themes to choose from or you can come up with your own. The party includes up to 15 kids, drinks, paper products, invitations and cake. All you need to do is show up.
Teri Ashley
9:40 am on Sunday, May 27, 2012
Pump It Up is a great place for birthday parties they provide everything even food they also have a gift box that everyone puts the gifts in that they bring for the guest of honor.
Heather L.
11:12 am on Sunday, May 27, 2012
Sto-Kent Family Entertainment hosts thousands of kids parties a year! Everything is done for you except for the cake and candles. It's all you have to bring! You get bowling, pizza, pop, paper products, a real bowling pin the kids can sign, and amazing glow bowling and awesome music! :-) The day is made to be so special for your child. In the summer you can even do mini golf and/or volleyball with your bowling! You can't go wrong :-)
Heather L.
11:14 am on Sunday, May 27, 2012
And the price at Sto-Kent cannot be beat! It is so affordable!
Holly Colson
11:22 am on Sunday, May 27, 2012
Agreed! I love Pump it Up! They take care of everything and you get yo enjoy the party! The kids have a blast in their inflatables.
sarah
9:18 am on Monday, May 28, 2012
i have to agree with the posts from stow gymnastics. Last month we had our 5 yr old twins boys birthday there and the way the staff worked with us was wonderful! how great to have a birthday party where the kids have totally attention of the faility, get to run around and play like kids, and have a ball! they even have a pet turtle there that the kids get to learn about and hang with. I was so impressed with the party i am signing my boys up for their summer camps while i work considering the great deal they have for that! this is really a hidden treasure in stow, would def send my kids for another party there in a heartbeat!
Troy McClure
9:32 am on Monday, May 28, 2012
If you happen to work for one of these places that you're commenting about, you should at least state that for full disclosure.
Teri Ashley
10:00 am on Monday, May 28, 2012
I don't work for Pump it Up I have seen and had a party there for my son so I was commenting on expierences that I have had there.
danielle waskowski
5:36 pm on Monday, May 28, 2012
i dont own stow gymnastics, but my mom does.. as for the others on here i know them as customers on my end :0)
Maria Grimm
7:33 am on Wednesday, May 30, 2012
LifeCenter Plus is a great place for parties - and the whole family can play as free guests while their child is kept organized and safe at the party. Very affordable - yes I work there but loved the party and playtime for the rest of the family way before ever collecting a paycheck:)
Amanda Harnocz
8:17 am on Wednesday, May 30, 2012
LifeCenter Plus is technically in Hudson and won't be added to the poll. We're only taking Stow nominations, sorry and thanks!
pamela wind
8:30 am on Wednesday, May 30, 2012
How about the picnic shelter next to Soar playground in Silver Springs? Not as all-inclusive, but plenty of room to play & run, and the best playground in the city!
danielle waskowski
10:34 pm on Wednesday, May 30, 2012
pam on a side note, you do have to book the shelter through the parks and rec board to use it for a party or you could be randomly pushed out by a party that has reserved.. :0) it cost around 25 dollars i think....