Ready to plan your child's birthday party? 15+ ideas to get you started

Every year, it never fails.  Our kids keep getting older.  As my mom says, "It's a good thing us parent's don't age though!"
Well, some of you parents may love to plan and have big bashes.  You may be filled with many creative ideas and look to pinterest for some added suggestions.
Some of you may dread every planning detail from the food, to the location to the guests. 
I have compiled a list of general pricing and locations to host birthday parties, and some home ideas too for the budget conscious.  This could save you some serious time and guesswork!
All of these ideas are local and I am sure you wanted to know pricing but didn't REALLY want to know.  So here it is, all spelled out in one spot.

1) Bounce Town (Oswego)
Why not let kids bounce off some energy?  This is a fun place for kids of all ages, but it will set you back quite a bit. Depending on if you choose a weekday or weekend day, the party can run between $185-$279
The way I work around that is using the main area for gifts when kids first area. Free to sit and open gifts.  Then pay per child to get in.  So your child won't have a private room? So they won't be able to have extra sugar cupcakes. Send home a treat bag and save some cash.

2) Airtastic (Aurora) Same concept as Bounce Town, but on Frontenac in Aurora. Slightly less expensive between $175-$195 for 10 kids includes snacks or pizza. 
I apply the same principles here as mentioned for Bouncetown.  Open gifts in the café area.  Send home with goody bags and/or treats, and just pay per child hour admission for the budget friendly version.

3)  Rent a bounce house at home.
What child wouldn't want hours or unlimited bouncing at their very own home. No limit on how many attend at home. No time constraints.  Bounce House rentals typically run from $100-$200 per day.  Many new companies are opening up that you can find on craigslist or even bookoo for even less. (check out Oswego.bookoo.com)

4) The Park District.  I know the Fox Valley park district offers a variety of themed parties from dress up, to video games, to waterpark parties, and more.  Generally this runs $12-$15/child.  All the details are taken care of as far as set up, clean up and hosting duties.  Check your local park district, or another for ideas!

5) Blackberry Farm.  Besides the historic nature that kids probably won't appreciate, they will enjoy the carousel, train rides, pony rides, paddleboats, tractors and new playground climber area.  Kids birthday parties can run you from $13-$16/child.  However, you can always pack up a few of your child's friends and pay the $4.50-$7 child (resident/non resident) fee and the $5-8 adult (resident/non resident) fees.  Bring in snacks for the shaded picnic or café areas to snack on and enjoy being your own host!

6) Water Party:  Whether at a Oswego splash pad, or in your backyard, all this takes is some kiddie pools, sprinklers and/or water guns.  Slap on plenty of sunblock and you have yourself a fun time!  The splash pad has a pavilion, but NOTE, they require renting to guarantee you a spot to have there.  You could always chance it, or keep your group outside of the pavilion area in the sunny grass area as well.
If you belong to a pool, or your subdivision has one, contact them for pricing. Generally, it's $5-$9/person for pool admission, but there is quite a bit of responsibility involved with little ones and water!

7)  At home:  I always feel there is a sense of comfort when families have themed parties at home.  I also think it allows for such much creativity and uniqueness.  Fun parties we have had or attended included such themes as DOGGIE DAY SPA/DOG SHOP (kids chose a stuffed dog, make a bed from a show box, used lids from water or milk jugs and hot glued in brown beads and blue glitter for the dogs water and food bowl, make doggy snacks that are for kids to eat but shaped like a bone, etc), FASHION SHOW (kids get hair, make up and nails done, pose for photo shoot and have a runway show), PJ PARTY (kids come in pjs, watch a movie, create their own snacks from the "concession stand,")  and BASEBALL (kids come ready to play baseball, visit the concession stand for hotdogs, popcorn, refreshments, make sports crafts.) Just think, what is your child's favorite sport, hobby, activity or television show.  Then take that and bring it to life with every detail all about that thing!

8)  Chuck E Cheese or Odyssey Fun World.  I know, start cringing now.  The kids sure do love these places though!  Odyssey Fun World caters to both the young and young at heart moreso than Chuck E Cheese does, with more activities for kids rather than the standard skee ball, video games and prizes.  They have a climbing area (additional cost), far more games and in my opinion it's a cleaner facility.  Chuck E Cheese packages start at $12.99 and can go up to $22.99 per child based on date, if they prepare goody bags for you, etc.  Odyssey Fun World pricing ranges from $150-$325 and depends on if you want 20 tokens per child and 1 ride attraction, or more rides, more tokens and paintball added.

9) Phillips Park Zoo,Park, Splash Pad
This could cost you absolutely nothing.  You heard me.  0.  Although Phillips Park does rent out table space in their pavilions, there are quite a few tables that you could show up with a party during the week or early weekend and use it at no cost.  The zoo, splash pad and park are free.  Have kids come with swimsuits under clothing and enjoy time walking through the zoo and reptile house.  Have them join each other and work up a sweat at the park.  To cool down, they can walk back to the splash pad area and get wet!  There are some shady spots to have a birthday picnic by tossing a few large blankets down, or walk back to the pavilions and have cake!

10)  Sky High Sports in Naperville is appealing to jumpers of all ages who love trampolining!  Runs about $250 for 12 kids for a party and for this you receive pizza, water, private party room and party assistant.  Kids can bounce off side trampolines, and a floor or trampolines! There is free Wi-Fi for parents, and even air hockey table and 2 pool tables

11) Brunswick Zone Naperville.  There are many party options. Bring a bunch of kids for bowling and the arcade, laser tag or get a private room and do all of this and/or the indoor amusement park which includes bumper cars, carousel, tilt a whirl and more!  $50-$75 you can get 6 people bowling, show rental, pizza, pop and breadsticks and 90 minutes of bowling.  Or opt for the packages that range from $150-$350 depending on day, and which activities.

12)  Cantigny Woods in Wheaton/Winfield.
Army tanks for kids to climb on, garden areas to frolic through, a beautiful lake and pavilion area. What's not to love?  $5 per car load of people is the cost of admission.  Spots to see: Make sure the kids wear gym shoes and let them climb on the 12-15 army tanks.  Be sure to stop by the Idea Garden for the 5 different senses of plants they can explore.  Walk around the lake and find a nice spot to snack.

13) Fox Valley Mall
Besides a party at Build A Bear, (typically $15+ per child) or Painted Penguin ($10+/child),
you can also/ or just have parents meet you at a certain entrance and take the kids on a carousel ride ($2/child, adults free), let them throw coins in the fountain, make a scavenger hunt of things to look for throughout the mall altogether, free play in the climbing area, toss 75cents in a machine and let them ride on a "tractor," "sports car," or "vending truck," and eat in the food court (bring your own items if you wish!)
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14) Roller skating or Ice Skating party!
 Aurora Roller Skate Center offers parties for $12-$16 per child and includes: