Minneapolis Bouldering Project
1. Artsy Parties
Simply Jane Open Artist Studio offers painting lessons for kids (and a box of dress-up clothes if the mood strikes). Ages 5 and up. 5411 Nicollet Ave., Mpls., 612-354-3961, simplyjanestudio.com
“I love it because they have better paints than I have at home. Oh, and the canvases! Parties there are fun because the people who work there are so nice.”
—Elsa Vogt, 6, Minneapolis
Parent POV: For kid crafters, Leonardo’s Basement has lots of projects and themes to choose from, like toy making, electricity, chemistry, or painting. Ages 6 and up. 150 W. 60th St., Mpls., 612-824-4394, leonardosbasement.org
2. Controlled Climbing
When your parents say you’re jumping off the walls, tell them to take you bouldering! Ages 4 and up. 1433 West River Rd. N., Mpls., 612-308-2800, minneapolisboulderingproject.com
“I liked climbing with my friends. We got to go really high and it wasn’t even scary!”
—Teddy, 4, Edina
Parent POV: Bouldering is a great party option for younger kids! They are fearless and will learn to fall safely, and you’re all but guaranteed a car nap on the way home. Our son and his friends spent almost two hours climbing in the party room, with help from two coaches, as well as in the toddler area, which was a little easier for some of the smaller kids (bonus: there’s a slide). You can bring in your own food, or have it delivered. They even set up the room, hung decorations, and helped clean up! —Teddy’s mom
3. Chef's Choice
Way Cool Cooking School
A birthday party at Way Cool Cooking School includes three different cooking projects, and you can choose from a bunch of different party themes, like Cupcake Wars, Mermaids, Legos, Harry Potter, and Pasta Making. Ages 4 and up. 16544 W. 78th St., Eden Prairie, 952-949-6799, waycoolcookingschool.com
4. Fun Fights
Swashbuckling kids get ready: Sabers, épées, and foils are at the ready at the Center for Blade Arts. Ages 6 and up. 4744 Chicago Ave. S., Mpls., 612-501-0640, centerforbladearts.com
“My party was super fun! You’ll get really into it, and you can use the moves in light saber battles.”
—Torben, 7, Minneapolis
Parent POV: We had a fantastic birthday party experience here, with kids ages 6 through 13 in our group. Everyone was engaged and had a great time. Our coach Tyler knew just how to handle a bunch of rowdy kids. The first part of the class was instruction and practice of basic fencing moves, and safety. After that, the coach fit all the kids with masks, jackets, and gloves. Then it was on to the fencing portion. The club handled setup of tables, chairs, and tablecloths. We were allowed to bring in food, drinks, and cake. It was super easy, and very enjoyable. The pricing is also reasonable. —Torben’s mom
5. Virtual Reality
There are lots of VR places around town, but REM5 is one of the newest and coolest! Ages 5 and up. 4950 W. 35th St., St. Louis Park, 952-855-7592, rem5vr.com
“I had so much fun here. We had our own pod, so I got to play with my brother Graehm, my mom and dad, and my aunt and uncle. We took turns playing the games, but you can also play against each other. We liked the one called Job Simulator, where we got to knock over coffee, eat donuts, throw papers around, and answer the phone with big, cartoon-y hands. We laughed a lot. We also had some good wings and cherry soda!
—Finley, 7, Pierz
There are tons more birthday party ideas at mspmag.com/birthdayparties.
