Birthday Parties for 3 year olds?

Planning for my son who will be 3 on 9/4 (just thinking in advance). Any suggestions? We've been to Loudoun fun bounce a few times for his friends, so looking for something different. I can't see it being more than 10-12 kids. Has anyone been to or had a party at the Little Gym here? Any other suggestions would be appreciated.
Thanks!

 

The bounce places seem to be all the rage these days, don't they? Here are some "boy" ideas I've come across - Fire Station, Nature Center, Dulles Sportsplex and most of the karate centers.

 

You can do a fun birthday party at Trailside Park for free. You can even have the fire department bring a fire engine to the party.

 

SarasMom's suggestions are good. We went to a party at the fire station once and, while it was fun, there is more free time for the kids that the parents will need to fill with games or something. You get a tour of the firehouse and trucks and use of the rec room for food and play. Action Martial Arts studio does good parties. They have toys to play on and a big trampoline.

We've been to some parties for that age group at The Little Gym and the kids had a great time. It is fairly expensive, though, I think over $300.

Loudoun County Parks and Rec do parties at several of their facilities, too. If you want an outdoor party, Great Country Farms (and I'm sure some of the other local farms) offer parties.

 

Oh - we went to a party once at Great Country Farms and it was fun. It was in October and the kids got to go on a hay ride, ride a pony, pick pumpkins and see the animals.

Another idea (assuming it's still hot in early Sept and there are no water restrictions in place) is to have a "water party". We attended one 2 summers ago and the parents had 2 different inflatable pools, a slip-n-slide, various squirty toys and a water table set up in the backyard. That was a fun one.

 

Curiosity Zone has some cool things. My son was older when he went to a party there, but they have little kids things too.

 

If my son had a summer birthday instead of a February one, here are the things I would do:
1. Potato-stamp t-shirts in the backyard
2. Scavenger hunt in the backyard
3. Sand-box treasure hunt in the backyard (Pirate Party!!!)
4. Sprinklers and squirters in the backyard.

These are all things my sister did for her kids' June birthdays and they all went over big.

When they're older, tie-dying is a big hit.

 

really great ideas, thanks. i don't want to do the backyard thing for his kid's party though, if it rains, i'll have all those kids, parents and siblings in the house and have to entertain them all. really looking for an all inclusive very active entertaining party out of the house. already planning a big family party for at the house. i think the little gym one looks great, i'll have to check on pricing.

 

We did The Little Gym for Ford, and had a great time. The kids really love it!

 

Going to the Fire Station would be fun (we went to one and my boys loved it). It seems right up a 3-year old's alley.

 

For a three year old, I think the Little Gym is a great idea. My son went to a few parties there at that age and loved it!

 

Never done Little Gym, but my son has been to a party at JW Tumbles and had a great time. Also... I forget the name but there's that place just a few doors down from Loudoun Sport Bounce. My son recently went to a party there too.

 

Jumping Jack Sports (down the shopping center from Loudoun Sport Bounce) is really wonderful - great owners with incredible customer service.

JW Tumbles also does really good kids parties. The staff there is also incredible.

I know you ixnayed Loudoun Sport Bounce. We recently had a party there for my 1st grader and will NEVER set foot in the place again. They did nothing to keep the parties scheduled before and after ours from encroaching on the party time I reserved. The kids at my daughter's party had to work around all these other kids during our "reserved time". After talking to multiple staff members about this, they did nothing. NOTHING. They also gave my kid a "free" t-shirt that was two sizes too small (not that she'd wear it anyway to give them a free advertisement).

 

I know this idea is way too old for a 3 year old, but our neighbor had their son's 7th birthday at Ajax Amusements in Herndon - an indoor video game place complete with vintage pinball machines! They even had Pacman, Gallactica(?), Ms. Pacman, some dance mat thing, air hockey, Playstation, X-Box, Wii (on a huge screen), skeeball, and a basketball game. I have never seen so many adults as involved with their kids at a birthday as I did this game. It was truly a good time had by all!

 

we've been to a party there as well and it was awesome!!!

 

We've been to tons of moonbounce parties and decided to stray from the crowd. We are doing the movie theater for our 4 year old this year. It's a good option as long as you have a small group (12 or fewer kids), otherwise it gets expensive - $15.75 per kid gets you their ticket, a kids snack combo, reserves the party room, and ropes off your seats. There's a concierge that will help you with the logistics and your little one gets to go to the projector room and 'start the movie.' Our daughter's birthday happens to line up well with the release of Wall-E, so it should be a fun time.

 

You might also checking with Claude Moore Park or Frying Pan Park. Frying Pan Park in Fairfax County offers preschooler classes and camps. One of my girlfriends had their daughter's birthday party there recently.

Also, you might try a local farm like Great Country Farms. Also, the local movie theatres offers birthday parties, etc. You can attend a movie also and have a birthday party.

Foodie

 

A friend of mine has had her son's birthday party at Layng's Flower Farm twice. Its great. Dirt piles and slides to play on. Wagon/hay/tractor ride. Nature hike/scavenger hunt. Craft project. Birthday cake with gummy worms.

 

I love The Little Gym! Can't recommend them enough. There is a $25 off bday party coupon on I am Modern magazine for moms. It's a free publication - check it out(www.iammodern.com) and click on Distributors for places to pick up your free copy.

 

I am Modern has a rack at Wegmans as well. Also we had many fun parties at Little Gym, they do a great job.