Planning For a Birthday Party

My son just turned 6 this past week and my daughter turned 7 last month. Since my son was 1 year old we have celebrated their birthday together. Between those two and my oldest, we have planned many birthday parties. We have had parties at our house and parties out of the house.

There have been parties at ice cream places (which have sadly closed now), Michael’s Arts and Crafts in Springfield, which was a huge success, a pool party at a school which was able to host birthday parties, and most recently a bowling party. We had it at Sproul Lanes in Springfield. For many years I have resisted bowling parties because they always seemed so loud and chaotic but once we attended a few we realized that was part of the experience. To keep it less crazy, we kept our numbers down.

Sproul Lanes allowed six people per lane and I felt that with that number we could safely have two lanes for both children. This worked out beautifully for everyone. Before the kids started bowling their names were entered in to keep score, and once that was done, each guest waited their turn for a chance to bowl. After they bowled for a while, the kids ate pizza, though there was an option of having hot dogs instead, or no meal at all for that matter.

After they finished their pizza, they bowled some more and finished up the party with cake and party bags. The cake, of course had a bowling theme which we had brought with us along with the snacks and party bags. The biggest surprise for my kids was that I had ordered bowling pins from Sproul for each of them.

We were supplied with a Sharpie which each guest wrote their name with, on the bowling pins. What a great day! Now I need ideas for the next birthday, which thankfully, is not until November.

It is never too soon to start thinking about it though. Any thoughts?