Masterminding a child’s birthday party can be quite an affair. But don’t stress, we’re here to help! When it comes to choosing an immersive celebration hotspot in the Grand Rapids area, we’ve got you covered with this list of some of the coolest kids birthday party venues.
Whether your kid’s an animal fanatic, sports enthusiast, arcade master or a fashionista who just wants to dress up and sing her lungs out on the karaoke stage, there’s a party place listed here for you. So read on, and let’s get planning.
Aerials Gym
- Address: 6001 Coit Ave. NE, Grand Rapids
- Phone: 616-364-8320
- Hours available for scheduling: 11 a.m.-6 p.m. Saturdays and noon-3 p.m. Sundays; call for daytime hours Monday-Friday
- Costs: multiple packages available: $110-$265/up to 15 people, $4/each additional person
The honoree and partygoers can get moving for a good time and tumble on the matts, leap from the spring boards, flip into the foam pit, and catch air on 13 trampolines at this indoor gym. Party packages discern how much time is spent in the gym and how much in the party room, celebrating with song, cake and gifts.
Airtime Trampoline and Game Park
- Address: 3681 28th St. SE, Grand Rapids
- Phone: 616-773-1563
- Hours available for scheduling: Call to inquire about time slots
- Costs: multiple packages available: $225-$585/10 people, $24-$28/additional person
Practice your freestyle aerial action at this indoor park featuring wall-to-wall trampolines. Flip into the foam “Mosh Pits,” catch air to dunk basketballs, and get vertical during a mad game of dodgeball. Schedule parties on the weekends to get at the center of the action when the DJ mixes at the park. Packages include pizza and drinks.
AMF Eastbrook Lanes
- Address: 3500 Lake Eastbrook Blvd., Grand Rapids
- Phone: 616-949-7650
- Hours available for scheduling: Call to inquire about time slots
- Costs: $13.99-$20.99/child, $18.99-$25.99/adult
Hit the lanes, roll the balls and listen to the pins fall. Parents needn’t break the bank to host a good time. Party packages allow you to choose your own fare, plus soda, lightweight balls and optional bumpers.
Catch Air
- Address: 2978 28th St. SE, Grand Rapids
- Phone: 616-200-6956
- Hours available for scheduling: Call about available time slots
- Costs: Weekday: $169-$319/8-27 people; weekend (rates apply starting 4 p.m. Fridays and on holidays): $229-$379/8-27 people
This fun center prides itself in serving up personalized birthday parties. Add some spunk to your child’s next bash with a bubble and laser dance party, a climbable and soft play castle, a volcanic ball pit, tubular slides, mascots that can bust a move, glow in the dark play and interactive games. There’s even a Tiny Town and soft-play toddler area, hits among the littlest guests.
Craig’s Cruisers
- Address: 5730 Clyde Park Ave. SW, Wyoming
- Phone: 616-530-2900
- Hours available for scheduling: Call to inquire about time slots
- Costs: $179-$279/up to 10 guests, $17.99-$24.99/each additional guest (max 20)
Here there’s no shortage of ways to play. Partygoers can challenge their buddies to bumper cars, arcade classics, the laser maze, indoor go-karts and rope courses. Reserve a private party room to honor, grub and recharge. Packages include open access to the pizza pasta buffet.
The Fun Spot Roller Skating
- Address: 14 52nd St. SE, Kentwood
- Phone: 616-534-8106
- Hours available for scheduling: Call about or choose online dates and times
- Costs: Public birthdays: $130-$250/10 people, $10-$18/additional person; private birthdays: $175/up to 30 people, $300/up to 50 people, $7/additional guest
Break out the skates at this roller rink that accommodates self-serve, full-service, private, public and even glow parties. You bring the cake, drinks and decorations to deck out your child’s party space.
Grand Rapids Children’s Museum
- Address: 11 Sheldon Ave. NE, Grand Rapids
- Phone: 616-235-4726
- Hours available for scheduling: Call to inquire about time slots
- Costs: $190-$420/up to 60 people
Do you have a curious wee one? Then the Children’s Museum is the place to host their next birthday bash. Chock-full of exhibits featuring fun discoveries to be made, kids can surround themselves in a giant bubble, build blanket forts, board the Imagination Playground, create light pictures, climb mini rock walls, play “classics” like Lincoln Logs, Keva Planks and much more. No matter their interests, there are games to explore. Take a break from the play and dig into the cake in one of two available party rooms.
Grand Rapids Treetop Adventure Park
- Address: 2121 Celebration Drive NE, Grand Rapids
- Phone: 616-226-3993
- Hours available for scheduling: Call to inquire about time slots, May-October
- Costs: $31-$35/person
Do your kids have a natural affinity for the outdoors? Then get back to nature’s basics and maneuver the obstacles in the trees at this adventure park, immediate neighbor to Celebration! Cinema. Parties start with a ground school lesson, then climbers are free to take to the courses compatible with their comfort levels. There’s even a Junior Park for tiny siblings, ages 3-7. Note that 10 or more guests must be scheduled to reserve on a day the park isn’t open to the public.
Gymco
- Address: 2306 Camelot Ridge Court SE, Grand Rapids
- Phone: 616-956-0586
- Hours available for scheduling: 9:30-11:30 a.m., 1:30-3:30 p.m. for up to 12 guests Mondays-Thursdays; 9:30-11:30 a.m., 1:30-9 p.m. (in any two-hour increment) Fridays; 9:30-11:30 a.m., 2-4 p.m., 4:30-6:30 p.m., 7-9 p.m. Saturdays
- Costs: $156-$192/1-12 people, $234-$288/13-18 people, $312-$384/19-24 people, $390-$480/25-30 people; exclusive gym rental available for larger groups, call about pricing
Get your limbs moving and your blood pumping at this kid-friendly gym. Customizable parties include activities such as rock climbing, obstacle courses, relay racing, rope swinging and other games tailored to the party’s age group. Bring the celebratory treats. Grub and open gifts in a private party room. There’s even a refrigerator to keep the yummies cool.
Jester’s Court
- Address: 3707 Northridge Drive NW, Grand Rapids
- Phone: 616-784-5437
- Hours available for scheduling: Call to inquire about time slots, Sunday-Saturday
- Costs: $129-$359/8-32 people, Monday-Thursday, $149-$379/8-32 people Friday-Sunday, $8/additional person (up to 3)
Birthday honorees and their guests get unlimited play time in the Jester’s Court, where soft play is the name of the game, featuring inflatables and obstacle courses. The tiniest guest and siblings can explore Toddler Court, where they experience the same fun on a tinier scale. Packages include a private party suite, drinks, paper utensils, and courtesy set-up and clean-up by the Court so parents can simply nab the kids and go.
John Ball Zoo
- Address: 1300 W. Fulton St., Grand Rapids
- Phone: 616-336-4300
- Hours available for scheduling: Call to inquire about time slots
- Costs: $100-$220/base for 10-20 guests; overnight package: $500/up to 12 people
The base package includes a cupcake, drink and souvenir for guests, plus a special gift for the birthday boy or girl. Want to visit the nocturnal critters? Book the Overnight Birthday Celebration. Bring your sleeping bags, enjoy interactive activates, and make breakfast for the animals the next morning. Overnight pricing includes cupcakes, drinks, breakfast and admission.
Karin’s Horse Connection
- Address: 8001 Patterson Ave. SE, Caledonia
- Phone: 616-570-1106
- Hours available for scheduling: Call to inquire about time slots
- Costs: $160/base party package for up to 6 kids, $10/additional child and $50/additional horse
Horses make regular appearances at kids’ birthdays because these gentle beasts make soothing and entertaining party companions. Meet and learn the names of the team that call Karin’s Horse Connection and Legacy Stables home. More than 20 horses come in all sizes to meet the ages and needs of all children. Partygoers can play with miniature a miniature horse, brush and help tack horses, play games on and off horseback, feed the horses treats, and get chummy with other animals about the stables. There’s even an indoor arena and heated viewing rooms for those rainy or wintry days. Sitting arrangements available for gifts and grub.
The Mud Room
- Address: 1971 E. Beltline NE, Grand Rapids
- Phone: 616-259-7269
- Hours available for scheduling: Call to inquire about time slots
- Costs: $175/up to 6 artists, $19/additional kid
Kids can channel their inner Picassos and get creative with acrylics on canvas, paint pottery, fuse glass or sculpt pots on the Potter’s Wheel. Reserve a table for up to 16 kids in the semi-private Party Room where the cake can be broken out and the presents opened while the art sets and the creative prowess settles. Recommended for ages 7-16.
The Salvation Army Kroc Center
- Address: 2500 S. Division Ave., Grand Rapids
- Phone: 616-588-7200
- Hours available for scheduling: Call to inquire about time slots
- Costs: $170/up to 30 guests
Eager swimmers can float on a tube, lazy-river style, slip down the waterslide, play pool, basketball and more at the water-park experience. Party packages include a set-up and clean-up, a private party room and drinks.
Photo courtesy of Tree Top Adventure Grand Rapids
This post was originally published in 2017 and is updated regularly.
