Party On

Who loves kids’ birthday parties?

One thing we’re sure of, the parents of the birthday boy or girl don’t, especially ones who face a winter party when they can’t let the kids loose in the backyard.

So, we outsource. Here’s where to go for kids birthday parties in Ottawa.

Got a hockey fan? Take the party to an Ottawa 67’s game. You can rent your own box to contain the rowdy young ‘uns and ensure that none escape. Pizza, cake and drinks are included, and the birthday is announced on the Video-Tron.

Bring your gang to the state-of-art pottery studio at the Glebe Community Centre for two hours of pure creativity with professional instruction. The Glebe Neighbourhood Activities Group offers a variety of cool party themes for all ages, including watercolor painting, LEGO and dance. The LEGO party is run by Ottawa’s own famous ‘LEGO guy’, Ian Dudley.

Throw a video game party at the Coliseum Theatre. Rent out your own auditorium, where 8 to 12 kids can play Xbox games for an hour while the staff serves drinks and snacks.

The Canadian War Museum offers some off-beat adventures that will appeal to kids who love camouflage, stealth, code-breaking or fort-building. All parties finish with a scavenger hunt. Just think of all that space they can run around in!

Head to 4Cats Art Studio in Hintonburg, which offers parties suitable for ages 3 to 16 with more than half-a-dozen fun themes, including Dragons, Paint Splatter or Pop Art.

Embrace winter with a skating party. A number of Ottawa rinks can be rented for your own private party. The Carleton University Ice House is the nicest among them—or if you want to spend less, ask the guests to simply show up at your local arena for public skating.

Winter birthdays can be brilliant when you look outside the box (but play inside). Tested by Patti R., Ottawa

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