OP, we went to one too and it was a MAJOR bust.
I had to stay because it was family and it was just kids running in a gym with hula hoops and roller boards. One kid at time could rock climb. That is it. My child declared it a "baby" party and thought it was the worst.

Anonymous wrote:OP here, my main issue was yes I dont think it was worth whatever they paid.

My other issue is that a lot of the kids didnt know each other. My DD didnt know any other kids except for the birthday child. There were at least 3 other kids in the same situation. Team games would have helped with that and I think they would have enjoyed it more.

Regarding basketball, These were 4-6 year olds...most of them dont have a hope in hell of getting a basketball in an adult size hoop.

If it's not your money, why would this even bother you at all? Other people make different decisions. What you describe would probably have been worth $300 to our family.

Better games might have been ideal, but again, why are you complaining? It's a few hours of your kid's time that didn't go exactly as you would have had the time be used. Kids can learn a lot from unstructured time, including how to meet new people on their own, and even if it wasn't the best experience someone else's birthday party is not primarily about your kid.

OP here, my main issue was yes I dont think it was worth whatever they paid.

My other issue is that a lot of the kids didnt know each other. My DD didnt know any other kids except for the birthday child. There were at least 3 other kids in the same situation. Team games would have helped with that and I think they would have enjoyed it more.

Regarding basketball, These were 4-6 year olds...most of them dont have a hope in hell of getting a basketball in an adult size hoop.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
OP here, obstacle course would have been great, or more toys to play with.
My kid can amuse herself outside looking for leaves and sticks so its not that she can't amuse herself, but I expect more interaction at a birthday party.

Well, good thing you weren't paying!

Come on, Op. They had hula hoops and jump ropes. Even if your daughter didn't want to shoot hoops, she could have skipped rope or used a hula hoop. I remember having contests with other kids to see who skip rope the longest without messing up or to see who could keep the hula hoop going the longest. There were things to do at the party, your daughter just didn't want to do them. Maybe she is not into athletic type play?

I believe OP is saying her daughter had a good time, but that the party was not worth the price.
Again - it's not that the party was bad.
But that parents shouldn't be taken in and pay through the nose for something they could have done themselves for free, or apid the same price for a more fun elsewhere.

As such, OP is rendering a public service by describing exactly what you get at Lifetime Fitness.

Op said that a lot of the kids didn't have fun.

We are members and haven't had a party there yet, but there are a lot of options. Sounds like the parents just picked the cheapest one and got poor staff. Several of the other parties sounded like fun... But I'm a planner and would probably take control from the staff anyways lol.

paid, not apid, sorry.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
OP here, obstacle course would have been great, or more toys to play with.
My kid can amuse herself outside looking for leaves and sticks so its not that she can't amuse herself, but I expect more interaction at a birthday party.

Well, good thing you weren't paying!

Come on, Op. They had hula hoops and jump ropes. Even if your daughter didn't want to shoot hoops, she could have skipped rope or used a hula hoop. I remember having contests with other kids to see who skip rope the longest without messing up or to see who could keep the hula hoop going the longest. There were things to do at the party, your daughter just didn't want to do them. Maybe she is not into athletic type play?

I believe OP is saying her daughter had a good time, but that the party was not worth the price.
Again - it's not that the party was bad.
But that parents shouldn't be taken in and pay through the nose for something they could have done themselves for free, or apid the same price for a more fun elsewhere.

As such, OP is rendering a public service by describing exactly what you get at Lifetime Fitness.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
OP here, obstacle course would have been great, or more toys to play with.
My kid can amuse herself outside looking for leaves and sticks so its not that she can't amuse herself, but I expect more interaction at a birthday party.

Well, good thing you weren't paying!

Come on, Op. They had hula hoops and jump ropes. Even if your daughter didn't want to shoot hoops, she could have skipped rope or used a hula hoop. I remember having contests with other kids to see who skip rope the longest without messing up or to see who could keep the hula hoop going the longest. There were things to do at the party, your daughter just didn't want to do them. Maybe she is not into athletic type play?

Anonymous wrote:
OP here, obstacle course would have been great, or more toys to play with.
My kid can amuse herself outside looking for leaves and sticks so its not that she can't amuse herself, but I expect more interaction at a birthday party.

Well, good thing you weren't paying!

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I remember very vividly when I was a kid back in the early 80s/90s the best parties were in those indoor play places with various obstacle courses. Definitely going to hold my kids' parties when they're at that age.

OP here, obstacle course would have been great, or more toys to play with.
My kid can amuse herself outside looking for leaves and sticks so its not that she can't amuse herself, but I expect more interaction at a birthday party.

They probably wanted to limit the amount of toys laying around because kids were engaged in free play basketball and other active/running around type play.

Are we micromanaging other people's parties now?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I understand, OP. They could have had the same experience for free at a playground.

I hope the hosts complained to the manager.

Except they had an air conditioned venue that was not subject to rain cancellations. There is that.

FWIW, my kids would have both had a blast at a party like.

Sure, but it's not worth $300 or however much they paid.

These venues cost money. The kids had cake/ice cream, a game that was directed by staff and then the free play with the gym equipment.

Was set up/clean up also done by the staff? I think the only thing that I would have added is a pinata. Kids love those things.

Liability concerns.

Huh? I have been to a ton of kids parties over the years and have never once seen anyone injured during the pinata. You have the kids stand in line a ways back from the pinata and take turns whacking it with a pinata stick 3 times while blindfolded until the candy/toys spill out. This would be an incredibly easy thing for 2 staff members to manage safely.

Sign a waiver.

Anonymous wrote:I remember very vividly when I was a kid back in the early 80s/90s the best parties were in those indoor play places with various obstacle courses. Definitely going to hold my kids' parties when they're at that age.

OP here, obstacle course would have been great, or more toys to play with.
My kid can amuse herself outside looking for leaves and sticks so its not that she can't amuse herself, but I expect more interaction at a birthday party.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I understand, OP. They could have had the same experience for free at a playground.

I hope the hosts complained to the manager.

Except they had an air conditioned venue that was not subject to rain cancellations. There is that.

FWIW, my kids would have both had a blast at a party like.

Sure, but it's not worth $300 or however much they paid.

These venues cost money. The kids had cake/ice cream, a game that was directed by staff and then the free play with the gym equipment.

Was set up/clean up also done by the staff? I think the only thing that I would have added is a pinata. Kids love those things.

Liability concerns.

Huh? I have been to a ton of kids parties over the years and have never once seen anyone injured during the pinata. You have the kids stand in line a ways back from the pinata and take turns whacking it with a pinata stick 3 times while blindfolded until the candy/toys spill out. This would be an incredibly easy thing for 2 staff members to manage safely.

Anonymous wrote:I remember very vividly when I was a kid back in the early 80s/90s the best parties were in those indoor play places with various obstacle courses. Definitely going to hold my kids' parties when they're at that age.

So you might want to cross Lifetime off your list - they don't have that. Maybe Dynamite Gym?