Keeping lists of important tasks, shopping or dates is a good habit that most parents have already mastered.
However, there is one list that changes every year because our kids grow out of it and that is THE BIRTHDAY PARTY IDEA LIST.
Every year children will always need a bit of inspiration on how to spend their birthday, and parents now have a list for that too!
When it comes to birthdays we really want each year to be special, even during times of Covid-19. Whether you want to plan it solo or get the help of a professional, there are few things to consider.
What your child wants, within reason
Firstly, we should point out that each child is different and has personal interests, favorite games, cartoons and superheroes. They have a favorite color, a favorite meal and a favorite dessert. Additionally, they may have a favorite spot in the city or playground they prefer. Taking these preferences into account, within reason, and communicating with your little one so that he/she will know what to expect and agrees with it, will definitely help in creating a memorable day.
If your little one wants a small or large gathering and you have agreed on the form of the party, then one more thing to consider is the number of guests you expect to host. Celebrating and staying safe at the same time during the pandemic of COVID-19 is important for your family and all of your guests.
Below is a curated list of some fun birthday party ideas to give you inspiration for your next celebration. Keep it handy throughout the year, especially if you have children of different ages. We will be updating it regularly.
INDOOR PLAYGROUNDS FOR YOUNGER KIDS
The suggestions in this category cater to birthdays of toddlers or a younger children and to parents who like to be certain that rain or cold weather will not ruin their plans. When choosing a venue and planning for snacks and cake, we should keep in mind that at this age the party also includes the parents. So there should be coffee and some snacks for the moms as well! If parents are not invited it is good to mention it in the invitation so arrangements can be made. Zurich has a great deal of locations perfect for this like the ones on the following list:
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Minicity - Sihlcity Indoor-Spielplatz
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Monkey Town
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Springding
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Starbie Spielhalle für Kinder in Dietikon
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Spielzänti – Kinderwelt
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Paradisimo Kinder Indoor- Spielenplatz & Cafe
TRAMPOLINES & INDOOR ACTION SPORTS FOR OLDER KIDS & ADULTS
If we are celebrating an older child, a teenager or an adult we should add to the excitement by picking a suitable venue. If we don’t want it to be a surprise we could let them pick a place on their own, maybe one they like to go to with their friends. There are a lot of indoor activity parks with trampolines, laser games and other sports that host parties and will make their birthday memorable. We have chosen some of our favorites:
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Flip Lab Zürich
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BounceLab Trampolinhalle Rüti ZH
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Skills Park
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Bimano
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Laser Arena Zürich
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Windwerk
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Beachplus
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VR City
PARTIES WITH A CULTURAL & EDUCATIONAL THEME
For an educational and creativity themed birthday, there are many options to host birthdays with a learning a learning opportunity. Museums, science schools and exhibitions all around Zurich like Lindt Chocolate Museum or Logiscool give us the option of organizing a birthday party for our young ones and their friends where they can enjoy themselves while learning through playful activities. Some favorite picks are listed below:
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Kunsthaus Zürich
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Lindt Home of Chocolate
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House of Laederach Kids Birthday Party
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Knies Kinderzoo
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Logiscool Zürich Süd & Zürichberg
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Urania Sternwarte
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Sauriermuseum Aathal
PARTIES IN FARMS & ANIMAL PARKS
Feeling like celebrating in nature? The COVID-19 era has all of us thinking “outside” the box when it comes to large gatherings. A great option is to plan a birthday party outdoors in an open playground, a farm or animal park near the city. Places like Erlebnishof Tüfi in Adliswil or Lützelhof in Pfäffikon are perfect for the occasion! Check our list for more options:
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Erlebnishof Tüfi in Adliswil
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Bauernhof im Stoss in Feusisberg
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Bächlihof Jona
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Juckerhof Seegräben
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Lützelhof in Pfäffikon
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Stall Engi
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Natur- und Tierpark Goldau
Read more about birthday parties in farms here Perfect Farms around Zurich for Birthday Party and Wild Animal Parks in Zurich.
INFORMAL PARTIES IN OUTDOOR PLAYGROUNDS
You could also throw an informal party or a small gathering at your childs’ favorite outdoor playground. You will need a picnic blanket, a cake, candles, some beverages and paper dishes for the cake. Children know how to have fun and play in the open so they will enjoy it for sure, but if you want to add to the fun you could always organise a special birthday treasure hunt. It is pretty easy to do it yourself and there could be special presents for your guests as a price! These are some of Zurichs’ greatest outdoor playgrounds to organise a birthday party:
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Artergut
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Park im Grüene
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Wilderness Park Zurich
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Nature and Animal Park Goldau
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Freestyle Park Zürich
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Erlenmoos Freizeit Park
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Restaurant Waldhaus Katzensee
PARTIES WITH SPECIAL THEMES
Last but not least if you choose to celebrate at home or somewhere with a special theme we have a list for that too. Whether you want to treat your little one to a manicure/hairsalon treatment with a few friends or host a sleepover with a special theme and tipi tents, the are endless in the city of Zurich and the Zurich lake region. There are even options for outdoor rope climbing and action parks that cater to small groups.
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Mal Raum Storycraft mit Mady
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Creative You
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Kinderträume Events
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Teepee Friends covering the greater region of Zurich, Zug & Luzern since 2018 with all handmade decor items and tipis accessories
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Wow tipi covering the greater region of Zurich, Witherthur & Basel
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Seilpark Zürich
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Atzmaennig
THE ALL TIME FAVORITE CLASSROOM BIRTHDAY
The classroom celebration is always an option (except on the holidays ofcourse), and most kids will almost always agree to treating their class with a little snack and to blow a candle together. To make it even more personal parents can prepare together a special snack for Znüni time. One of our all-time favorite and easy recipes is for gluten free chocolate & blueberry muffins, by Jamie Oliver. It is highly recommended by the school to prepare itemized and packaged snacks for the classroom which you can either buy or prepare at home, in particular due to Covid-19 safety regulations.
See the detailed recipe below:
Gluten Free Choc & Blueberry Muffins | Fruit Recipes | Jamie Oliver
Whatever you decide to do, always remember to include your child in the planning process (except if it is a surprise party of course!).
Children love to take part in the invitation writing or the making of the treats. And is a wonderful way to infuse them with a sense of responsibility and accomplishment, an important part of growing-up. This way you will be certain it is what they wished for and if anything unexpected happens it can be managed as a team.
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Some info about the author
Maria grew up traveling extensively around the world, with a significant part of her childhood spent in Dubai during the late 80’s. She continues to travel as often as possible around the globe, with her family. She moved to Switzerland 7 years ago, shifting from a 10-year career in banking in Athens to a full-time mom of 3 children.
After the birth of her 1st child, she realized that various needs of parents traveling in Switzerland and many countries that she visited were not fully covered by the existing internet platforms. Focusing in particular on the need for families looking for educational things to do with small children while having fun, Maria took an entrepreneurial turn and partnered up with a talented team of developers to design Momizen.com, a technologically advanced web application for finding fun and educational things to do with kids on-the-go.
In her free time, she reads (mainly at-loud to an audience of 3), practices yoga, loves movies, sailing, surfing, skiing and most often can be seen cycling around her neighbourhood with her children in Canton Schwyz. Maria holds a degree in Psychology and a Master’s in Business Administration from the University of Kent, in Canterbury. She is also a certified yoga teacher for adults and kids!
She can be reached by email at maria@momizen.com.