7 Overlooked Birthday Party Venues

My son will turn 6 soon.  Last year we had his birthday party in our backyard around a picnic table.  We only invited a few friends.  I included a picture from the actual event down below (I am in the blue dress).  This year, I am looking for a way to celebrate his birthday that is a bit more exciting...  I see nothing but inflatables.  I dream about bouncy houses.  I am looking to change things up this year.  If you, like me, want to dazzle your little guests, look no further than this list.  Grab your party hat and your notebook, friends.  My husband, Chris, and I are making this easy for you.  We came up with this list together.  You will find the name of the venue, the suggested activity (choose one or do 'em all!) and recommendations to include in a (reputation) killer goodie bag.  Do not be nervous about calling these facilities to set up your celebration.  From our experience, these businesses love a little something different to offset their monotonous days.  Be bold.  Be a trendsetter.  Be the first of your friends to schedule your little mami's party at the...

#1 LOCAL NURSING HOME

Activity:

• Each child is paired with a Merle, Howard or Bernadette for a card game of their choosing. "Go Fish" is always a good place to start.
• When the game is over, children and their elderly friends make their way to the Main Living Area to share an Ensure shake while watching a soap opera on a fuzzy television;
• Everybody comes back together in the Game Room for a wild game of Bingo (creativity is encouraged).
• Goodie Bag: dentures, Depends, Lysol

#2 SEWAGE PLANT

Activity:

• Tour facility
• Optional canoe race
• Zip line across tanks full of raw sewage
• Race to see who can get out of the plant the fastest
• Goodie Bag:flushable wet wipes, nose clip

#3 CONSTRUCTION SITE

Activity:

http://www.christopherholt.com/

• Buy a taco from the taqueria truck
• Baseball with 2 x 4's
• Pin the nail on the donkey
• Goodie Bag: tire repair kit (the parents will need it after picking their kids up), quick guide to Spanish, hard hat, sunscreen

#4 GREYHOUND BUS STATION

Activity:

http://www.vagabondjourney.com/

• Get each child's taken with a random (sometimes toothless) stranger
• Pose in the bus driver's seat for another picture
• Go crazy on the vending machines with the allotted $2
• Take a lap around the block on the bus
• Goodie Bag: a gallon of antibacterial gel, complimentary bus ticket, toilet seat liners

#5  ELECTRICAL YARD

Activity:

http://www.grpengineering.com/

• Hide & go seek (main objective: don't touch any structures)
• Release balloons & watch them sizzle as they touch the wires
• Goodie Bag: $$$ towards any ER co-payments, spark-resistant umbrella, the game "Operation" (the zapping sound will bring back good memories of your little boo's party)

#6 DEPARTMENT OF MOTOR VEHICLES (DMV)

http://www.newsbiscuit.com/

*In all likelihood, your guests will have to wait for 2 hours in the waiting area before the party actually begins
**The party hostess (who looks a lot like the lady on the right) will call out the numbers for the angry people waiting to have their licenses renewed while lighting your child's birthday candles with her cigarette lighter.

Activity:

http://www.usatoday.com/

• Get your child's vision tested
• Quickly & secretly decorate the State Trooper's windows with shoe polish
• Pass out lollipops to irritable strangers
• Goodie Bag: fake ID (be sure to have the parents bring a small picture of their child to the party), lollipops, gargantuan container of antibacterial gel

#7 AUTO SALVAGE YARD

Activity:

• Scavenger hunt- the children will need to find:
• An alternator
• One busted tail light
• Uncracked windshield
• 4 matching hubcaps
• Timing belt
• Goodie Bag: flashlight, wrench, GOJO soap, mechanics gloves

Keep in mind that these ideas can be tweaked to celebrate anything- retirement, a newborn baby, etc. We just know you will have unforgettable celebration at any one of these fine establishments.

Lastly, I like for this blog to be INTERACTIVE.  I feed off of your creativity & feedback (yumyumyumyum).  So, please, add any venues I may have missed, add items to the goodie bags, etc.  I will then put together a comprehensive guide & sell the heck out of it on Craig'sain'tgonnalikethisList.