I remember having some pretty amazing birthday parties as a kid. My mum was super keen on constructing elaborate decor and props out of deconstructed cardboard boxes. Like, one time I had a pirate party, and she built a ship that took up half the backyard. My little bro had a circus party, and the garage became an (admittedly, slightly ill-appointed) haunted house. Dad made astonishing themed cakes and my older brother would come up with ridiculous games to play.
I can only imagine that being tasked with hosting these things must be a bit of a parental nightmare at times. Not only is there the fact of your kid being in competition for the title of best birthday party ever, but you have to deal with a gang of hyped up tykes letting loose in your care and on your property. When it comes to that kind of thing, all backyards aren’t created equal. I can tell you that my place, for one, would not be up for the award of best kids party venue in Cannon Hill. Way too many half-finished carpentry projects back there.
I reckon my solution would be to take them elsewhere, like to an indoor kids’ play centre. In Brisbane, these aren’t that hard to get to; I’m pretty sure I’ve seen a few around. Not having a kid in tow, I don’t know that much about what the go is with these playlands, but from what I understand, they feature an enclosed play area that’s bigger and better than what you’d find at a park. Think multi level towers (with safety nets), novel climbing frames, trampolines, bouncy things… you get the idea. Even better, they’re staffed and managed for security.
Ultimately, the thing that I remember most fondly about childhood parties is running amok with a bunch of other kids. It didn’t matter if it was my birthday or somebody else’s, or if the cake was any good. What mattered was the excitement of having a designated day of play with a gang of your fellow kids.