https://boards.hellobee.com/ Pregnancy, Baby and Parenting blog, by Hellobee en Sun, 05 Apr 2026 08:58:11 +0000 https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/birthday-bowling-celebration-suggestions-needed#post-2795212 Fri, 05 Jan 2018 09:36:33 +0000 Mamaof2 2795212@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@irene: we had DS's 6th birthday at a bowling alley and my suggestion would be to get 2 lanes - they had 3 kids per lane so the games went faster and there wasn't a lot of sitting around and waiting - 5 people in 1 lane is a lot of waiting for kids </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/birthday-bowling-celebration-suggestions-needed#post-2795208 Fri, 05 Jan 2018 09:17:46 +0000 yin 2795208@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>If you planned on inviting more people, I would suggest keeping everything in one location. Since it's just the 5 of you, dinner afterwards at a restaurant would be a great way to end the night. Cake should also keep well in the car. My kids went bowling this past summer and had a great time. We kept it super simple, and they had the most fun cheering on the adults. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/birthday-bowling-celebration-suggestions-needed#post-2795178 Fri, 05 Jan 2018 00:23:21 +0000 MamaCate 2795178@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@irene: that sounds fun! If you know that I’d where you will go, could you call the restaurant and ask for advice about the cake? </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/birthday-bowling-celebration-suggestions-needed#post-2795169 Thu, 04 Jan 2018 23:27:19 +0000 lamariniere 2795169@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I didn’t read all the comments, but my son was invited to a few bowling birthdays last year (for 6 and 7yos). We went to one of the parties since we were friends with the family. I wouldn’t count on playing more than 2 rounds (is that the word?). The kids have fun, but can lose interest since it is somewhat slow. The place we went to had bumpers, ramps, shoes and 6lb balls for the kids. With the party we attended, we went out to dinner with the birthday family after the main party was over. I agree, bowling alley food is not my thing. Have fun! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/birthday-bowling-celebration-suggestions-needed#post-2795158 Thu, 04 Jan 2018 22:03:54 +0000 irene 2795158@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@ALV91711: I had no idea there are bowling leagues for little kids !</p> <p>@MamaCate: So tonight I asked DS where he wants to have dinner on his birthday. He said at this tapas place that 5 of us used to go to all the time (but not as much recently for whatever reason). They usually have live salsa music on sunday nights and the two kids used to dance every time we were there. It is a little out of the way from the bowling alley, and I don't know what do we do with the cake, but I guess I can put the cake in an ice box in the car (should be fine in this weather), go bowl, head to the restaurant with the cake.</p> <p>Thank you everybody! Please continue with any suggestions you see fit. xoxoxo </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/birthday-bowling-celebration-suggestions-needed#post-2795150 Thu, 04 Jan 2018 21:21:13 +0000 MamaCate 2795150@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@irene: what is your LO’s favorite restaurant? My DD loves Panera as well as a local sandwich place that is similar. It is a good compromise for kids/adults because everyone can usually find something they like. If you did bowling and then his favorite place (assuming it was somewhere similarly casual) then you don’t have to worry about time and he would be excited, plus the food might be better? Just a thought. We play up the idea that you get to choose things on your birthday so picking the restaurant can feed into that. Don’t overthink it! It sounds like a fun idea! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/birthday-bowling-celebration-suggestions-needed#post-2795147 Thu, 04 Jan 2018 21:15:35 +0000 ALV91711 2795147@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Kids love bowling! DS is 4.5 and in a bowling league. They play one game and that is usually enough. They do have light enough balls. Get the kids to stand at the line, hold the ball with two hands and roll between their legs. </p> <p>I would do practice, rest, bowling and then restaurant for dinner &amp; cake. </p> <p>Hope you guys have fun. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/birthday-bowling-celebration-suggestions-needed#post-2794949 Wed, 03 Jan 2018 20:51:06 +0000 irene 2794949@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Thank you so much for all the suggestions! I am still torn as to if we eat there or eat dinner somewhere... but definitely won't try to pack too much in. I want to make it really special but overpacking it is not a good idea. Thanks for blowing common sense my way ;-) </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/birthday-bowling-celebration-suggestions-needed#post-2794943 Wed, 03 Jan 2018 17:36:07 +0000 birdofafeather 2794943@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>everyone has good tips about the actual bowling, but just popping in to say that i wouldn't do baseball, movie and then bowling all in one day. you all would be spent! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/birthday-bowling-celebration-suggestions-needed#post-2794815 Wed, 03 Jan 2018 11:58:46 +0000 avivoca 2794815@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Bowling parties are so fun!</p> <p>- With kids, I would plan on bowling for maybe an hour, eating, and letting them play in the arcade if there is one. One of the perks of bowling is getting to eat bowling alley food, which is usually pretty good and cooked to order. Kids love it, so I would probably just do that instead of trying to do a separate treat (more expensive) meal.</p> <p>Most bowling alleys have gutter guards, lighter kids balls, kids shoes, and ramps for little kids. If they offer it, maybe you can do glow bowling (also known as moonlight bowling)! They turn out the lights and turn on blacklights so all the colors glow and it's super fun. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/birthday-bowling-celebration-suggestions-needed#post-2794752 Wed, 03 Jan 2018 09:27:52 +0000 kiddosc 2794752@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I would only count on bowling holding their attention for an hour. Some alleys have you pay by the hour, and some by the game. Request bumpers and a ramp for the kids, most alleys will have lighter balls for the kids. I also wouldn't count on the staff bringing out a cake, bowling alleys are typically very self serve. I'd probably let the kids bowl for an hour, then spend some time in the arcade, then head to dinner. </p> <p>If your son is overstimulated by movies, I probably wouldn't try one before bowling. Bowling alley's are typically a bit loud with the sound of pins crashing and music playing and all the screens showing the scores and typically some animations for good throws. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/birthday-bowling-celebration-suggestions-needed#post-2794747 Wed, 03 Jan 2018 09:15:33 +0000 looch 2794747@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>The bowling alley near me has light balls, rails in the gutters and stands that kids can use to push the balls off, since actual bowling using the finger holes can be a challenge for kids (and the light balls don't pick up enough speed to knock pins down).</p> <p>Can you make a reservation for two lanes, one for the kids and one for the adults? I am not sure they'll bring your cake out unless you use them for a party, so I'd check on the logistics. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/birthday-bowling-celebration-suggestions-needed#post-2794734 Wed, 03 Jan 2018 07:45:51 +0000 Mrs. Champagne 2794734@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Is there anything else to do at the bowling alley? We live in a small town so we basically had the place to ourselves for my sons birthday. But it had an arcade, mini putt and bowling and the kids just ran from place to place. It was a 2 hour party. Brought out pizza at the one hour mark and cake after that. </p> <p>The screens display the scores not actual shows, in my experience. </p> <p>I would not take him to a movie in a theatre for his birthday, especially if he didn't enjoy it last time. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/birthday-bowling-celebration-suggestions-needed#post-2794731 Wed, 03 Jan 2018 07:25:44 +0000 hellocupcake 2794731@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I was going to second the short attention span. My daughter and niece (5 and 5.5) LOVE bowling, get so excited, ask to go frequently but still only last about a game or even 1.5 games. At the place we go to they offer bowling by the hour, so we usually pay for an hour and sometimes don’t even last that. </p> <p>I would probably plan:<br /> Practice, home to rest for a little, bowling then dinner :) </p> <p>Im not sure I would add a movie because it might be too much and bowling plus dinner would be more important to me :) have fun!! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/birthday-bowling-celebration-suggestions-needed#post-2794730 Wed, 03 Jan 2018 07:22:12 +0000 Mrs. Lemon-Lime 2794730@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Is it possible to find a nicer bowling alley that has better food? Part of the fun of going bowling IMO is ordering food while you’re there similar to ordering popcorn and candy at a movie theatre. The alleys we go to are a little trendy and have decent food and drink menus.. </p> <p>Depending on how competitive the kids are they may want to just bowl one game. The alley may have some an arcade with age appropriate games that could be fun to play while transitioning from the alley back to the car or waiting for food at the alley.</p> <p>Never hurts to ask if the staff can bring out the cake, but most alleys we go to there’s a dining table nearby the where we play that we can lay claim to. Your cake could go there from the beginning.</p> <p>The alleys should have little balls for kids and bumpers to prevent gutter balls. </p> <p>A bowling party sounds fun! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/birthday-bowling-celebration-suggestions-needed#post-2794724 Wed, 03 Jan 2018 01:13:02 +0000 Kemma 2794724@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I took both my kids (5 and 2) to a bowling party in August and most of the kids were quickly losing interest by the end of the first game so I would say aim to play one game then see how everyone is feeling (we also went bowling yesterday and the same thing happened). The kids had heaps of fun but they still have pretty short attention spans! If your bowling place has air hockey or other arcade games the kids might enjoy those after bowling? </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/birthday-bowling-celebration-suggestions-needed#post-2794722 Wed, 03 Jan 2018 00:35:29 +0000 T.H.O.U. 2794722@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>So you bowl games and usually you bowl one or two games. Each game time just depends on how fast you bowl! </p> <p>Dinner and food at the ally is usually not great quality but maybe yours is better. That’s easiest because you could eat during the second game maybe. </p> <p>Going to dinner after would be fun but you may be stuck leaving bowling mid second game to get to your reservations on time. </p> <p>Yes I think they are all sensory over load but by age 6 I think they can handle it. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/birthday-bowling-celebration-suggestions-needed#post-2794714 Wed, 03 Jan 2018 00:08:41 +0000 irene 2794714@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I need help on planning a "non-party" birthday celebration for my DS -- He will be turning 6.</p> <p>DS and I agreed that we will have a birthday party every other year. We had a party last year, and this year we will have a low-key celebration with friends. He is turning 6. We checked out a bowling alley close to our house and it got DS very excited. I have never bowled before (!!!), so I really need some input on putting this together!</p> <p>There will be 5 of us - DS, DH, me, and DS's BFF and my friend (BFF's mom). The celebration will be in late January so I assume we can not count on the weather and probably would be wise to stay inside.</p> <p>- We may have a baseball game practice earlier in the day, so it makes sense if we start bowling in the late afternoon, say 3:30pm or 4pm. Is it normal to stay and play for 2 hours, and then have dinner there while you play? And ask them to bring out a cake (that we brought in) at the end? </p> <p>- Will it even be a possibility, say, if we bowl between 3:30pm-5pm, and have a dinner reservation somewhere else at 5:30pm, and have proper dinner and birthday cake there? I am just curious if bowling for 1.5 hours is enough or will it cause a tantrum to drag them out of the alley to dinner. The reason is really because I just wish we will be able to treat ourselves a little better than hot dogs / cheese pizza (this is just me, hope I am not offending anyone :heart: ) </p> <p>- The venue we went to has a lot of TV screens. I have peeked into another venue which is pretty much the same. I know the kids are going to be 6, but I wonder if it would be sensory overload, and if it would be too much for them.</p> <p>- Do most venue offer lighter bowling balls for little kids? I just don't want the experience to be miserable for the little ones for their first bowling experience.</p> <p>- Say if we have the baseball game/practice early in the day, and we have some time in the afternoon, will it be feasible to watch a movie before bowling? Or will that be way too much considering there will be so many screens in the bowling alley? </p> <p>- DS has yet to watch a full movie in a theater (the last time was a year ago when we tried to watch Finding Dory, DS was traumatized. He broke down in tears and we had to leave half way. We haven't tried to go to a theater again except we did watch a few movies on the TV screen at home, and he was fine). So if we don't do a movie and if we do have some time in the early/mid afternoon, any wise ideas/suggestions of a light activity we can throw in? </p> <p>- Any other wise suggestions?</p> <p>Thank you so much in advance!! </p>