Kids Birthday Party Ideas in Geelong, From First Birthdays to Teens
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Every year the same question comes around: what are we doing for the birthday? You want something your child will love, that their friends will talk about, and that doesn't leave you scraping icing off the ceiling at 10pm.
We host circus birthday parties at our Grovedale studio, so we talk to a lot of Geelong parents about parties. Here are the ideas that work best at each age, plus a simple planning timeline.
Three questions to answer before you book anything
How many kids? A party for the whole class is a very different event to a party for five close friends. Settle the guest list first, because it decides the venue and the budget.
What's your budget? Include food, cake, decorations and party bags, not just the venue. A home party with a hired activity can cost as much as a venue once everything is added up.
How much work do you want to do? Some parents love running games. Others would rather someone else runs the activity and they just bring the cake. Both are fine. Be honest with yourself before you commit.
Ideas for little ones (1 to 4)
At this age, shorter and smaller is better. An hour or so with a handful of familiar faces is plenty.
A morning picnic at a playground or the Geelong Botanic Gardens
A home party with a few simple stations: bubbles, a sandpit and a dress-up box
A party at a play centre built for under fives
Inviting friends from their weekly class, such as Tiny Circus, so the faces are familiar
Plan around naps. A party that starts at 10am usually goes far better than one at 2pm.
Ideas for 5 to 8 year olds
This is peak party age. Kids want to run, climb and be loud, so give them somewhere to do it that isn't your lounge room.
An active venue party where a host runs the activity
A themed party at home: superheroes, under the sea or circus
A backyard sports day with a few simple events and ribbons
A beach party in summer, with a backup plan for the wind
Activity-led parties work well here because they give the whole group one thing to focus on. Ninety minutes of guided activity is usually enough to tire everyone out before cake.
Ideas for 9 to 12 year olds
Kids this age love learning something they can show off afterwards. Skills-based parties go down well:
A cooking or baking workshop
A party where they learn a new skill, like circus, climbing or skating
A small sleepover with a movie and pizza
A scavenger hunt around your street or a local park
Many kids this age would rather have three close friends and a really good activity than a big party with the whole class.
Teen birthday ideas
Teens are harder to impress and quick to rule things out as "for little kids". Ideas that tend to land:
Something they'll want to share with friends afterwards, like learning an aerial trick
A small group activity followed by dinner out
An evening party rather than a daytime one
Letting them plan most of it themselves
Ask them early. A teen who helped choose the party is far more likely to enjoy it.
Why active parties work so well
A party with a clear activity solves a lot of problems at once. Shy kids have something to do besides stand around. Energetic kids have somewhere to put that energy. The birthday child gets a moment in the spotlight without it feeling forced.
There's also far less to clean up at home. That alone is worth a lot.
What a circus party at CircArts looks like
Our kids and teens circus parties are for ages 4 and up. You get your own party area and coaches at our Grovedale studio, and the party lasts two hours.
The first 90 minutes are circus. Real circus coaches take the group through aerial silks, trapeze, hammock or lyra, juggling, hula hoops, acrobatics and circus games. Coaches adapt everything to the age and ability of the group, so it works for complete beginners and for kids who already train.
The last 30 minutes are for celebrating. We set up tables and chairs in the studio, and there's a kitchenette. You bring the cake, food, drinks, plates and decorations.
A few things that make it easier for parents:
We email you party invitations to send to your guests
Guests' parents complete a quick online sign-up and safety waiver before the day
The birthday child gets a circus present to remember the day
Every guest gets a free trial class afterwards
All equipment and your own party coach are included
Packages go from up to 8 kids through to 32, with one circus coach for every 8 kids. At the time of writing, parties start from $480 for up to 8 kids. Check the party page for current packages and available times.
A simple party planning timeline
6 to 8 weeks out: Choose the type of party, set your budget and book the venue or activity. Popular dates go first.
3 to 4 weeks out: Send invitations with a clear RSVP date.
1 to 2 weeks out: Confirm final numbers, order the cake and sort party bags if you're doing them.
The week of the party: Check dietary needs and pack a party kit: candles, a lighter, a knife, plates, napkins and bin bags.
On the day: Arrive early. For our parties, we ask you to come up to 20 minutes before the start with the cake, so everything is set before guests walk in.
Ready to plan the party?
If your child climbs everything, loves a challenge or just wants a birthday nobody else in their class has had, a circus party could be the answer. Planning a party for grown-ups instead? Have a look at our hens, bucks and adult parties.
See circus party packages and book a date
Questions first? Text us on 0489 082 643 or call 0420 211 844.