by Tabitha Rhodes
Birthdays for me have always been a big deal. Before my son Marshall was born I used to celebrate in style. I would gather all my friends and have a big to-do. Then four years ago, Marshall was born and my birthdays came and went. But his birthdays have always been big celebrations.
Having a son who was born in July, we had his first two birthday parties in our backyard. I baked cupcakes and decorated with paper streamers. The kids played and frolicked and it was good fun. On this 3rd birthday we planned the same idea – lots of kids, backyard, play – fun! Then it rained. Not just a little Portland drizzle but the rainiest day on the records! OK maybe I’m exaggerating a little but it really was a torrential downpour. We have a pretty small home, so having all those fun families inside made for quite a crowd but we made it work. We also decided on that day – no more big parties at home!
This year, we took the party inside – and away from home. We live in Woodstock and have been going to our new favorite playspace, Kidopolis. They have 8 playrooms with themes and a great big space for eating … and partying. When I approached the owners about having a party with 20+ families of preschoolers in attendance they were ecstatic. They have only been open for a few months and we both agreed it would be a great opportunity to spotlight their birthday party space!
The day of the party arrived and the weather was … well … fine. It wasn’t super hot or raining, but we were still thankful we had decided to have it inside. When we arrived at Kidopolis to set up, one of the owners Dawnida welcomed us and was very helpful. We brought in our own food, cake and decorations for the party room. We rearranged tables and moved around chairs and got it all set up for our guests to arrive.
As families came in, we heard over and over again “Wow this place is cool” from the parents as the kids ran off to play in one of the themed rooms – sports, sand, trains, cars, climbing, reading, dressing up or art – they’ve got it all!
Here’s a quick tour of what’s there. Starting in the front there is an amazing art space with colorful kid sized tables and art easels. Lots of great supplies and fun! There is also the “Theater” space – complete with kitchen, high chairs, a tent, theater, padded letter mat and more. This space is great for the little ones and those who like to pretend!
Traveling back into the space you will find a transportation room with cars, trains and vehicles galore. There’s a sports room with golf, basketball and a ring toss, as well as a sand room where kids can dig and sift. The big space in the back is split into three play areas – a playhouse with gas pump to fill up the ride on cars, a big playstructure for climbing and an area where kids can stack, bounce, play on soft padded shapes, roll in a mini-ball pit or ride on a moving Thomas train engine!
Needless to say, there’s something for every interest in the under 6 age set.
Back to the party! We invited our favorite clowning friends Olive and Dingo to come and play – they made balloon art, told silly stories, sang songs and painted faces! I was even offered a ride on Dingo’s tall bike (which I took of course)!
The food was bountiful and the cake divine (an amazing creation from our friends at Le Cookie Monkey).
The general sentiment from all the families was that Kidopolis was amazing. The party was a hit and everyone had great fun!
We encourage those of you out there with kids under age 6 to go check out Kidopolis – for a party or just a morning or afternoon of adventure!
