Gone are the days of traditional birthday parties for kids involving pizza, an ice cream cake, and pin the tail on the donkey. In Hoboken, people’s apartments are so small that they typically pay $500 or more to throw parties for their kids at local venues like MyGym or Pump It Up – or they throw no parties at all.
Some try to throw a party at their local park, but they’re out of luck if it rains.
Parents in Hoboken last week said that they have found it hard to deal with their tiny living spaces when party-time came around, so almost all of the kids’ parties they’ve attended or thrown have been at a kids’ gym, unless they’ve just had a small party for relatives.
“It’s not doable because my apartment is 900 square feet,” said mother-of-three Maria Kennedy last week, about having a party in her house. She estimated that her kids attend perhaps 36 birthday parties per year, and maybe one in nine is in someone’s home.
Other parents reflected her sentiments.
Cara Hilton, who lives in uptown Hoboken, was with her two boys in Stevens Park last week. She said, “Very few [families have parties at home] because there’s limited backyard space and most people find it’s hard to host all the kids in a small space.”
“I’d rather be here. I don’t want to have to leave town.” – Maria Kennedy
____________
But costs can climb. The activity centers and restaurants charge per $15.99 per child, with often a minimum number of children, to more than $100 at the most expensive locale. But sometimes, parents ask to bring younger siblings along to a party. Kennedy estimated that families are spending anywhere from $500 to$1,000 on a single child’s birthday.
“Prices are ridiculous and it’s not fair,” said Kennedy. “It’s a child’s birthday. It should be so simple.”
Kidville, located at 1202 Bernard McFeeley Shipyard Lane, is one of the more popular places in town to host a child’s birthday party. It offers two packages: $695 or $1,195.
The first package offers 90 minutes in Kidville’s Private Party Zone, 10 children plus the birthday child, the party theme of their choice, personalized Kidville invitations, an online RSVP manager, juice and pizza, Kidville art table, party favorsand two party leaders to set up, clean up, “and everything in between.” The second package adds a Jumpy Castle, two more staffers, and other refinements.
Also popular is My Gym at 720 Monroe St., which as a host of activities including a ball pit and zipline. They offer three packages beginning at $395 and ending at $545 for members only. Non-members add $100 to the prices. The most expensive option allows 20 kids to participate and gives the birthday child four free classes.
That same building – the Monroe Center — has several other birthday venues such as Monroe Street Movement Space, Brickz 4 Kidz, Mad Science, and Just 4 Kids.
Some parents head out of town. Pump it Up, a Secaucus gym with equipment for kids to bounce around on, offers three packages, including ranging from $305 to $699. Chuck E. Cheese in North Bergen has three packages ranging from $15.99 per child to $25.99 per child. The most expensive one allows for costumes for the kids, food, tokens, Dippin Dots, and a piñata.
Some places cap the number of kids and charge a penalty of $100 per more for unanticipated extras, as they may not plan for the right number of staffers.
Hiring help
While the cost can be daunting, families find it appealing that these centers do the planning, decorating, ordering food and cake, activities, and cleanup.
Hilton said, “I’ve been to a home party, and it was a lot of fun, but after that, the parents were like, ‘Never again. It was so much work. I can’t do this.’ ”
Party in the park
Some parents choose to cut costs by throwing parties in the local parks. City spokesman Juan Melli said that parents don’t need to get a permit to do so. But he said that parents can’t reserve a particular table or space. Also, there’s the threat of rain.
Hilton said that if families can’t get a table, they can always use picnic blankets for seating.
Even in the parks, some families have hired soccer instructors, clowns, or face painters.
For Hilton the biggest issue is that her one son’s birthday falls in December, which forces her to find an indoor location.
“It would be nice if there were more reasonable options for winter families because it does get pricy, and we really don’t have a lot of choices,” said Hilton
Kennedy said, “I wish there was a specific place in Hoboken that was specifically for birthday parties that you could rent from the city…a big space or just designated sections in parks.”
Just a few people
Other families are opting for smaller more intimate gatherings with only a few friends or relatives to cut costs.
Hilton said that her son’s friend had a party recently in which the family and five close friends saw a minor league baseball game.
Some who still long for the traditional birthday party opt for family-only parties at relatives’ houses, including those in other states.
“My family is a big Italian family,” said Kennedy. “My mom and dad live in Staten Island and they have a pool, so we will go there for my son who has a summer birthday.”
One anonymous mother even said she knew of families who rented a local hotel room to throw a party for a few kids — and used the hotel pool.
Kennedy and Hilton said that they would prefer a party at home if they had the space.
“That would be my ideal,” said Kennedy. “I’d rather be here. I don’t want to have to leave town.”
Hilton said, “A good traditional birthday party at home with water balloons and sprinklers — when we do have friends who have a backyard — it’s really fun,” said Hilton. “I think they would prefer it if we had more space. However, with the limited space, they have just as fun at the recreational centers.”
Kennedy said, “When they have a party they are always excited about picking a place and a specific theme, and I think that’s how most kids are.”