“The best part is the questions; the kids ask amazing questions.” —Chelsea Fairbanks, Marin Humane Society
Beyond cake and presents, a child’s birthday is a milestone for the entire family, so why not treat is as such? Here are some of the many North Bay businesses and organizations that combine celebration with cerebellum.
Hands-on
Anyone who knows a child (or has been one) knows the joy of Lego, those colorful plastic building bricks that have sparked imaginations for generations. Now envision a group of kids let loose in a room with buckets of bricks, wheels and “hard-to-find and older pieces that most of the kids have never seen before.” It’s an invitation for mayhem of the very best kind.Tamar Raff’s husband, Caleb, and son, Daniel, started collecting and building Lego projects together as a way to bond. Their shared love of the construction toy led to The Brick Hutt, a retail store, located first in Cotati and now in downtown Santa Rosa (they also have three eBay stores). It’s a serious Lego lover’s dream: large and small building kits from all the popular (Duplo, city, entertainment themes and Friends) and educational (architecture, Technic) lines, as well as rare and discontinued items, individual pieces and replacement parts, Lego-themed accessories and even bulk bricks (sold by the pound).
The store hosts about 15 parties per month in a special room at the back, decorated with all things Lego. The sweet spot, says Raff, is kids ages four to 11, but “we’ve also had some adult parties.”
Parents must provide their own food and refreshments (Raff says Sift, an award-winning bakery located nearby, makes custom Lego cupcakes if requested), and goodie bags can be added to the party price. Bags contain a mix of Lego pieces valued at about twice the favor’s cost.
For a two-hour birthday party, “We try to keep it free build,” says Raff. “No minifigures, weapons or kits. We want them to use their imaginations—and they do.
“It’s often the parents who don’t trust their child’s ability to have fun without [a kit and building instructions], but the kids are really efficient at finding their fun,” she continues. “Once you take away the instructions, figures, wands and weapons, it’s just a bucket of pieces. That’s when the real creativity happens. And what they come up with is so amazing—and they’re so excited to tell you about it. Parents are often floored by their kids’ imagination.”
Fundemonium in Rohnert Park is another local business that gets kids involved in building and creating. Officially a craft and hobby store, Fundemonium offers toys, games, crafts, educational and hobby products for all ages. It also hosts daily activities and events, such as indoor RC (remote controlled vehicles) and slot-car racing, Lego play and board game tournaments; and it can “turn just about anything in the store into a party.”
A two-hour party at Fundemonium consists of an hour of the activity of your choice (everything from model building to jewelry making); 30 minutes for cake, food and presents; and 30 minutes in the Wonderground activity area. Basic food (pizza, hot dogs and such) is available for purchase, as are party bags. If you’d like to bring in your own food, there’s a service charge, but there’s no charge to bring in cake or cupcakes.
Lush cosmetics at Santa Rosa Plaza will begin hosting private parties this month, including a session making an effervescent bath bomb. The Lush tagline, “Fresh natural cosmetics,” aptly portrays this international company’s mission to create beauty and body products using only natural, sustainable materials and no animal testing. It could be just the thing for the eco-conscious tween in your life.
Live and learn
The Bay Area Discovery Museum in Sausalito hosts approximately 300 birthday parties per year for children ages one to eight. The museum was established in 1987 with the mission to ignite and advance creative thinking for all children, and its parties do just that. It’s able to accommodate groups as large as 100 and offers a variety of party themes, including jungle animals, pirates, princesses, construction and cars, and superheros. With some party packages, the area is decorated according to the chosen theme, and birthday facilitators will lead kids through some hands-on activities, such as making volcanoes, perfecting superhero capes, constructing a collaborative raceway or a variety of other fun and engaging activities. For one party package, an onsite bounce-house is included.
According to Elizabeth Friedrich, events manager, the Discovery Museum’s goal to “bring creative thinking to all stages of childhood. This is done through both physical and intellectual exploration, so we strive to bring this into our birthday parties as well.” Popular places at the museum include the art studio (where children can paint on a wall), Tot Spot (where infants and toddlers can explore animal homes and habitats, such as a stream) and Discovery Hall (featuring some of the best hands-on exhibitions from museums around the country).
Food isn’t provided as part of the party packages, but parents can bring their own snacks, drinks and cake, or they can opt to have the event catered by Bean Sprouts café, which is located on museum grounds. In addition to the party, guests enjoy free admission to the museum’s award-winning exhibits and programs for the day. Every child leaves with a free book as a token of his or her day at the museum.
The Children’s Museum of Sonoma County and Scientopia Discovery Center in Napa also host parties; contact them to find out more.
Back to nature
At Connolly Ranch in Napa, kids (and parents) can get up-close to farm animals and connect with the natural world—romping on trails, snacking in the garden and creating one-of-a-kind takeaways like seed balls or woven wool bracelets (sourced from the ranch’s resident sheep). According to Program Manager Hylah Egeland, parties are best suited for children ages two to eight, although as the ranch expands its camps and programs to reach older kids, the party offerings are expanding as well.“Our mission is to connect kids and families to nature,” says Egeland. “There are gardens, animals and trails to enjoy. We encourage involvement and exploration. A trained animal educator leads the tour and oversees the interaction.”
Though it’s located only five minutes from downtown Napa, a trip to the ranch takes you far away. “We highlight the importance of spending time in nature—just running and playing,” says Egeland. “Not all kids get to actually spend time outside, but it’s so vital.
“We offer a nice balance of activities, structured and unstructured,” she continues. “Our rules are mostly common sense and let children enjoy the freedom of exploring nature in a safe manner—for example, demonstrating how to safely climb trees. Parents can relax, but the kids never stop moving.”
A party reservation books the 13-acre property, so if you’re interested in a particular date, it’s best to call as early as possible. There’s a kitchen available, but Connolly Ranch doesn’t provide any food or refreshments.
Similar organizations that host parties include Clover Leaf Ranch in Santa Rosa and Morning Star Farm in Novato.
Pets and presents
You can celebrate alongside rescue animals at Marin Humane Society, where the focus is on both fun and education. “We start with a tour of the facility,” says Chelsea Fairbanks, humane education coordinator,who facilitates birthday parties for the organization. “I talk about the organization’s 108-year history in Marin County and the services we offer. We view adoptable animals, visit the barn and talk about animal care. The best part is the questions; the kids ask amazing questions.”During a two-hour party, guests spend the first hour touring the facility, visiting with a resident animal (the birthday child can choose either a dog, cat or small companion critter), playing animal-themed games and making a creative takeaway (some examples include decorated hats, backpacks and animal treat bags). The second hour is party time; parents must bring their own food and drinks, but MHS provides all related goods (plates, cups, utensils). There’s also a complimentary goodie bag for each child that includes animal and MHS swag.
Fairbanks recommends making a reservation at least one month in advance, since parties can only take place on Saturdays from September through May because of staffing limitations.
In some cases, the party family plans and adopts a pet as part of the day, which is wonderful, says Fairbanks. But, she also cautions, “We don’t encourage [spontaneous adoptions], because animals aren’t gifts. They’re sentient beings.” Even if adoption doesn’t happen, the birthday child gets to name a shelter animal as part of his or her celebration. Parties here are best suited for children ages six and older.
Sonoma Humane Society, Sonoma County Wildlife Rescue and Santa Rosa’s Safari West also host birthdays on a limited scale.
A good time
A child’s birthday party used to consist of cake and games in the backyard with a few neighborhood kids (and the cousins, if they could make it). But these days, birthdays have become much more than that. Why?
It comes down to time (or the lack of it). “Today’s parents are busier than ever,” says Friedrich. “They want to let someone else take over the planning and organizing of their children’s birthday, and we can do that. In addition to leading activities, our excellent birthday facilitators assist with setup and handle all the clean up. We want parents, friends and families to enjoy each other and the party. We’ll do the rest.”
Raff agrees: “It’s easier and more pleasant for parents to host a party away from home,” she says. “And from a child’s point of view, it’s totally different to be here—in the party room, building Lego with friends—than to be doing the same thing at home.”
As parents work longer hours and family time becomes more precious, adds Egeland, “People are looking for something really special. They want to make a memory—both for their child and for themselves.”
Isn’t that the point of every celebration?
