Editor’s note: For a guide to cool birthday party craft projects, click HERE! And for a comprehensive list of venues, click HERE!
With NYC’s endless resources, it’s easy to throw a stellar birthday soiree. The hardest part is picking a venue and a theme. Whether your wee one is a tennis all-star or a prima ballerina, we’ve got you covered! From coding parties to musical celebrations, these birthday bashes are the best in the city! Plus, for a list of all the venues mentioned here (plus many more) and their websites, click here.
Domo Arigato, Mr. Roboto
In this digital age, kids have the opportunity and the technology to build whatever their heart desires. Does your kiddo enjoy science, technology, engineering, or math? These birthday venues deliver all of the cutting-edge technology. Build LEGO robots, design video games, and animate stop-motion films at RoboFun. Channel your inner Bill Nye the Science Guy at SciTech Kids, where your child can don a lab coat and mix slime concoctions and Harry Potter potions! Head over to Launch Math & Science and code a basic video game from scratch, with support from their instructors, or learn about rocket science, chemistry, and physics; little ones can even build a robot. Explore virtual reality and watch a Minecraft-themed laser show at Pixel Academy! Party guests will even be scanned into a 3D scene.
Wee Wimbledon
Do your kids love tennis? Take your little Roger Federer or Serena Williams to the courts for a rousing match! These active birthday parties will be right up their alley. Work on your backhand and attack the net at Tennis Innovators! No experience is necessary at Advantage Tennis, where your kids can enjoy an hour on the courts with tennis professionals, party favors for each guest, and a celebration in the lounge. For kiddos who want volley the ball back and forth in a different way, head to SPiN for a unique ping-pong party experience!
Sweet Music
Your budding Bob Marley, Yo-Yo Ma, or even Taylor Swift will love these musical birthday celebrations! At TLB Music, children ages 1-6 can host Playroom Parties, Music and Play Parties, and Music on The Move Parties. Their imaginative themes range from Jungle Boogie to Rock & Roll! Similarly, apple seeds offers ROCKIN’ musical parties that include a themed performance, play time, and plenty of music-making. Older kids can get their rock-star vibe on at The Chord Club—which offers customized celebrations that feature an authentic recording experience.
Wide Open Spaces
In NYC, one thing that can be hard to find is space. Relish in these fab venues that offer exclusive space and facility rentals, as well as party packages that can suit any theme. Green Ivy Schools Enrichment Programs offers eight different space options at their Pine Street School location. Offering a list of outside food vendors and entertainment, they make party planning a breeze! Have a large crew? MAGIC Activity Center can accommodate 15-20 kids in their private rooftop playground. Best for ages 2-8, little ones can play in the bounce house, trampoline, and playground. The birthday kid gets to enjoy a special ride on the flying swing! For exclusive facility use coupled with a program of physical and theatrical activities, turn to NY Kids Club (choose from their Basic or All Inclusive packages). If you have a fun theme in mind, turn to Gymboree Play & Music—they offer exclusive use of their play space and can help you fill it with a party that’s uniquely yours. At Gymtime Rhythm & Glues, simply select a theme and let their awesome staff take care of the rest—it’s fun for kids and oh-so-easy for parents. Feeling particularly fancy? Carnegie Hall offers space rentals in their contemporary Resnick Education Wing!
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From Plié to Namaste
Five, 6, 7, 8! These parties are perfect for your mini movement-enthusiasts. Belly up to the barre and channel Misty Copeland as you head to Ballet Academy East for a dance party, and learn how to pirouette in a private birthday class. Budding dancers can also head to Kidville, where the Pretty in Pink Ballerina Party offers dancing, bubbles, and more. JCC Manhattan lets party-goers Whip and Nae-Nae in their new Hip-Hop dance party, where ages 3-12 can create a custom playlist for a 45- minute class that culminates in a performance with costumes. Get your om on at Karma Kids Yoga, and host a yoga party complete with yoga games; learn basic and challenging yoga poses and mindful breathing techniques. Tumble, climb, and swing at the 92Y’s Gymnastic Jamboree Party at their Gymnastics Studio in the Sky. Looking for an action-packed birthday? At Jodi’s Gym children ages 1-12 can tumble, swing, climb, and stretch with a celebration that’s all about movement!
So Glam
The Craft Studio offers over 20 birthday party packages, with options suitable for different ages—including the super-fun Glamour Girls theme for budding glamazons. Pamper your kids with a glamour party at Cozy’s Cuts for Kids, and rock out in a dance party after your mini mani-pedis. Add a photo finish to the glamorous festivities with Classic Kids Photography on the UES—they roll out the red carpet at their studio and party options include hair, makeup, treats and a pro photographer to capture every moment!
Baller Birthdays
Get your head in the game with these totally baller birthday parties! Wrangle your little sports fans for these athletic celebrations. Play basketball, floor hockey, dodgeball, or soccer at the Yorkville Youth Athletic Association! Kids will have a ball at Asphalt Green, where they can super-charge their recess with a game of dodgeball or make a splash at a pool party. At Chelsea Piers, kiddos can swing into a golf party—or test out their triple axel in a skating party or bowl a strike in a bowling celebration. Young bowlers can also celebrate at Lucky Strike Lanes, where they offer parties that include kid-sized shoes, low weight balls, bumpers, rolling ramps, and a variety of menu options.
Candy Crush
Let your kiddos enjoy an old-fashioned sugar rush with a party that is unabashedly all about candy! Get a classic NYC sweet treat experience at Dylan’s Candy Bar on the UES where kids can enjoy sugar-themed games and Dylan’s famous “candy spree.” For downtown fams, CuRious Candy by local mom and designer Cynthia Rowley offers delicious party packages in their chic West Village location. And in an artsy twist, HiArt’s Candy Sculpture party lets kids (ages 3 and up) build abstract creations from cool candy supplies.
