Today we’re sharing everything you need to know for the ultimate park birthday party.
If you are fortunate enough to have a kiddo whose birthday doesn’t fall between the months of June-September, you are in luck!
The East Valley is the perfect place to be able to host a birthday party at your local park. My son’s birthday is in March and here are all the tips from our past 4 years of doing them.
If you’re looking for more local birthday party venue reviews, check out all our East Valley birthday venue reviews here.
XO,
What Parks are Good for Birthday Parties?
Our parks in the valley are so amazing but there are a few specific things I look for in the places we’ve picked in the past.
First of all, bathrooms are a must. We have a wide range of ages at our parties and find that having an accessible bathroom is so important (especially for those potty training years!)
Second important thing is a park with ramadas that are reservable. You can check your city’s park and recreation website where they have listed which parks have ramadas that you can reserve, pricing, times available, and requirements for any inflatables you might want. Usually this is around $25.
Third is shade. Even in the cooler months, the direct sun can get toasty. Fortunately, a lot of our parks have shade structures covering the playground equipment and that’s important to us.
Last thing we look for are wide walkways/bike paths! My kids love to bring their bikes, scooters, and cars to the park and we encourage our guests to bring theirs too so they can zoom around together.
Which Parks Near Me are Best for Birthday Parties?
Okay, okay! Here’s a few favorites:
Red Mountain Park in Mesa
Discovery Park in Gilbert
Mesa Riverview Park in Mesa (good for warmer month parties with the splash pad as an option!)
Falcon Field Park in Mesa (you can see airplanes take off and land from the park!)
Freestone Park in Gilbert (can add-on the train ride as a fun experience, too!)
Desert Breeze Park in Chandler (again, you can add on a trail here, too!)
What should I bring to set-up a park birthday party
The beauty of park birthday parties is there’s little to no set-up or clean-up, but there are a few key items that’ll make things easier for everyone.
- Scissors
- Tape
- Trash bags
- A wagon to carry everything to and from the car
- Paper towels (kids are messy, need we say more)
- Baby wipes (helpful to avoid having to go all the way to the park bathroom to clean up sticky hands, etc.)
- Hand sanitizer (helpful to avoid having to all use the park bathroom all at once before treats/meal)
Do I need to decorate for a park birthday?
A park venue gives you room for versatility. You can go all out and get inflatables, balloon arches, character visits.
Or you can order a decoration set off of Amazon or printables from Etsy to support a small business and call it a day.
Or, you can keep it simple and just show up!
One thing to be mindful of is wind. The East Valley doesn’t seem like it’s windy until you’re trying to hang banners and keep a table cloth on a picnic table. Trust us.
A few tips for park decor to be mindful of:
- Table cloths on picnic tables will need to be taped down or use table cloth clips
- If you’re having a balloon arch made, let the vendor know it’s going to be displayed outside so they can make it as sturdy from the wind as possible
- You may need a step-stool or ladder to hang things from the ramada
- Bring tape and scissors for the set-up for unexpected needs
A park ramada is a great blank canvas that you can do as much (or as little!) as you want.
Best Food for a Park Birthday Party
Keep it simple with snacks and juice boxes, or if you’re looking to serve up something heartier, I’ve found the best options are party tray style catering options.
If you’re picking up the trays before the party starts, consider cold options like subs so there isn’t as much worry about food cooling down.
For warm food, we’ve found it works best to have someone (a best friend, aunt/uncle, etc.) go pickup the food and come to the party at the time you want food served. For example, if the party is 10 a.m. – noon, having someone run out to pick up the food at 10:45 and bring it directly at 11 a.m. ensures it’s hot for serving.
Typically it’s most helpful to select a catering option nearby the park so that it’s super convenient for pickups.
Some of our favorites are: [hyperlink to all]
–Chick-fil-a party trays
–Someburros party trays (across the entire East Valley)
-Bean burrito bundles from Boca Taqueria (Mesa and Gilbert locations)
Games and Activities
This is what makes park birthdays the best in my opinion: you don’t really have to program activities for kids–the park playground provides so much entertainment.
Along with bringing bikes and other wheels to zoom around on, I always bring our park bin that has bubbles, chalk, outdoor toys, and outdoor balls.
You can also set up inflatables. But always remember to check on your city’s website for the rules/requirements as sometimes you need to provide additional paperwork (like liability insurance) or additional fees.
