Flip Flop and Fly
Your mission, should you choose to accept it: swing over rivers of lava, crawl through deadly snake pits and jump from the window of fast moving military vehicles trying to escape bad guys in your search for hidden treasure.
You in?
While it may not seem like much of a Sunday afternoon to you, your school-aged child will likely have a different point of view particularly when the ropes, pits and jumping are all real-life but the details are purely imaginary.
Welcome to The Flip Factory. Located in an unassuming brick building on a quiet Inglewood street (with parking in front), The Flip Factory is a gymnastics facility with a few added features designed purely for energy-burning birthday party fun.
Take the reverse bungee for example. With the power of two little legs, a harness and four guide ropes, kids can jump 15 feet in the air. The pit filled with giant foam blocks is another hit, as are the climbing wall, ropes, rings and trampolines.
The gym is run by mom entrepreneur and gymnast Darlene Traviss and is the latest venture in her 25 year athletic career. Traviss knows her stuff and remarkably can handle 16 six year old boys (we know, we watched), with the able assistance of another gym employee. While parents are not required to participate in the six to 13 age group, it’s not a bad idea to have another set of hands on the floor. The Flip Factory offers party packages for two to five year olds as well with some mandatory parent participation.
Parties cost $230 and include an hour with 15 kids on the gym floor plus 45 minutes in the party room afterwards to quickly scarf down cake and open gifts before the next group of kids barrels in. (In other words, keep it simple.)
Good to Know: Parties run on Saturday and Sunday afternoons for the majority of the school year. Book way in advance and arrive on time (not early). Your party will have the full run of the gym and party room for your time slot. Kids will work up a sweat so short sleeves and sweat pants are appropriate.
Bring: Your own food, loot bags and lots of water. Watch for downloadable invitations and loot bag packages starting in January 2009.
Of course you don’t have to go with the Mission Impossible theme. Princesses and knights or super heroes and villains would work just as well. Tapping their imagination is the key to turning an exquisitely fun facility into the party place of their dreams.
The Flip Factory
www.flip-factory.com
(403) 617-9591
1423 - 8th Avenue SE
