Children's birthday parties are serious business - especially for kids under the age of 12.

If you're anything like my parents, you go crazy with planning out the location, goody bags, props, themes, etc. I had many princess and ballerina birthday parties in my day, and while my mother takes a lot of pride in all of the parties she put together for my sister and me, I'm almost certain she wishes she'd just booked time at a venue and let all us kids loose into the birthday abyss.

When it comes to birthday party venues in Northern Colorado, there are the obvious staples - Fort Fun, Rollerland, and Chipper's Lanes. These are all great oldies-but-goodies. If you're looking for something a little different - something that's also not Chuck E. Cheese's - look into some of these places:

  • Lee Martinez Farm - Who doesn't love pony rides? The Fort Collins farm offers birthday party rentals and activities for kids.
  • Fiona's Fairy Garden - Little girls (and boys!) will love building their own fairy garden in Loveland.
  • EPIC (Fort Collins) or Greeley Ice Haus - Kids will have fun trying something out of the norm while getting some exercise through ice skating.
  • The Playground or Jumpin' - While playing on a park playground or jumpin' rope would make for a fun and inexpensive birthday party, I'm talking about The Playground at the Greeley Mall and Jumpin' at Centerra, inflatable indoor playgrounds for kids.
  • Battle Zone Arena - I wish this place was around when I was a kid, because it's really awesome. Think Nerf war fun that boys and girls will absolutely love in Loveland.
  • Fly High Trampoline Park - Trampoline parks are always a good idea not only for birthday parties, but weekend play dates year-round. Fly High is located in Fort Collins.
  • Loveland Laser Tag - Laser tag can be found at Chipper's Lanes and Fort Fun in Fort Collins, but Loveland Laser Tag is another option if your kid wants to play laser tag for their birthday.
  • Fort Collins Museum of Discovery - Something educational, stimulating, and of course, fun! FCMoD has several different event spaces available to rent for birthday parties.

Those are just some ideas. For more inspiration, check out this whole list of Northern Colorado kids' birthday party ideas put together by Kristina Lim.

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