Birthday Party at Playgrounds Fun Zone and Cafe
By Meg Brunson
This past weekend we were fortunate enough to celebrate a birthday party at Playgrounds Fun Zone and Cafe in Glendale, AZ. My daughter is turning 4, and she is a sensitive child who gets overwhelmed and anxious very easily. So much so, that last year we "skipped" a birthday party and celebrated with a special dinner at home. When we discovered that Playgrounds offered after-hours parties, we knew that would be the perfect experience for her birthday party.
If you've never been to Playgrounds Fun Zone and Cafe, it's located conveniently off of the 101 and Union Hills in Glendale. Their Cafe offers gourmet coffee, pastries, sandwiches, salads, and fresh baked cookies that my kids go crazy for, and they have a great kids' menu that includes a Fluffernutter sandwich. I'll be honest, my kids don't get those at home, so it's a very special treat to enjoy one at Playgrounds! They also have wi-fi and a variety of comfy couches, chairs, and tables surrounding the play area so that you can always keep an eye on your kiddos. I love heading up with my laptop to get some work done while the kids play.
The play area is broken up into 3 sections. There is a "Little Crawler" section made just for the youngest guests ages 6-16 months. This area has soft toys and climbing wedges for crawling and rolling in a safe area. The main play structure allows kids ages 10 and under to explore, climb, crawl, and slide. There is also an area designated for toddlers to do all of the same things on a “toddler scale." The 3 separated areas not only provide age-appropriate activities for everyone, but they serve to keep the different age ranges separate so that everyone stays safe and has fun!
The week before the party, a staff member gave us a call to confirm details. We were able to pick colors for the table cloths and balloons that they would set up for us. The birthday girl had decided to have a unique "mash-up" party theme (Moana & Miraculous) and opted for her party decor to be red and black like Miraculous Superhero, Ladybug. The party package included 3 Extra Large Pizzas from Barros (yum, our favorite!), and we were able to add on chips & salsa and a veggie platter. The chips and salsa were a HUGE hit - definitely a recommendation when you book your next party at Playgrounds!
We arrived at Playgrounds about 10 minutes early and everything was all set up perfectly. There were 2 Party Hosts and they were both very friendly and helpful. It was obvious that they were truly invested in ensuring that the kids had a fun party experience. My kids wasted no time - by the time I had set my bags down, their shoes were off and they were off to play! Playgrounds is a socks-only facility, so make sure you bring socks when you visit!
After our guests arrived, the most common things they mentioned was not being aware that Playgrounds offered private rentals, and how amazing it was to have the whole place to ourselves. With such a small number of kids, they were able to really make the most out of the 2 hours of playtime, with no lines and very little need to take turns. Obviously, on a normal day-to-day basis, these skills are worth practicing, but for a special occasion, it was wonderful!
Our party guests ranged in age from 2 to 10 years old, and everyone had a TON of fun. The play structure has lots of hidden treasures including secret mirrors, ropes, tunnels, climbing areas, slides, and windows peeking up from the high spots. While the kids played, the parents enjoyed some adult conversation, munching on the appetizers and just relaxing on some of the comfy couches.
I am so happy that we chose to celebrate our most recent birthday party with Playgrounds. The facilities were clean, the food was delicious, the staff was friendly, everyone had an amazing time, AND we didn't have to clean up! Playgrounds is a great place to host parties or group events and they have packages available to fit a variety of different needs and budgets. My recommendation, however, would be to go for the private after-hours party (it was amazing to have the whole place to ourselves) and don't forget to add on an order of their chips & salsa!
Find more information at http://www.playgroundsfunzone.com/
© 2017 Meg Brunson
Thank you to PlayGrounds Fun Zone and Cafe for sponsoring this post. All opinions expressed are my own. See more pictures and details on Facebook and Instagram!
Meg is a mommy blogger, Facebook marketer, and much more. She is a mom to four kids who live in Peoria, AZ and is the local Editor of KidsOutAndAbout Phoenix - helping parents and caregivers find free and affordable things to do with kids, out and about in Arizona. As a former Facebook employee, Meg remains a Facebook addict and handles KidsOutAndAbout.com's Social Media Marketing in addition to running a digital marketing agency at EIEIOMarketing.com.