How to Have Your Kid's Birthday Party at an Airport!
Sometimes another blogger has a fun idea for a guest post on this site that sounds interesting. This was very much one of those times! The site Fishing4Deals has a fun post they want to share on how to have a birthday party for your kiddo in an airport or flight museum. What better way to celebrate a birthday for a child aviation enthusiast than surrounded by airplanes?! Kids' Airport Birthday Parties Take Flight
If you've been to one too many bowling birthday parties…
If the thought of Chuck E Cheese makes your head swim…
If your kid is crazy about airplanes and fire trucks…
Have you ever considered an Airport Birthday Party?
Believe it our not, many airports and airport museums welcome kids' birthday parties. Some offer turnkey operations where all you have to do is bring the cake; others will give you more leeway in planning the party, with activities tailored to different age groups. With over 300 aviation museums in the U.S. and Canada, chances are there is a venue near you. Many of these museums are located adjacent to airports, so plane-spotting is a popular option.
Here are some of the more interesting possibilities for hosting a child's party:
College Park Aviation Museum (Maryland)
The Airport in College Park is the oldest continuously operating airport in the world. In 1909, Wilbur Wright gave flight training to the first military aviators, and in 1911, the Army Flight School opened there.
Today, private planes fly in and out of College Park, and the airport is also host to a charming, interactive flight museum for children. The exhibit area features ten unique aircraft illustrative of the history of early aviation. The museum is a good bet for a weekend outing on a rainy day, and is also a fabulous venue for a birthday party.
Party packages start at $200, and include:
- a tour of the museum
- use of a flight simulator
- tee shirt for the birthday child
- goody bags including a foam glider, aero prop, parachuting man, mini disc launcher, and a boomerang
- use of the party room for two hours
- a craft activity such as coloring a kite or decorating a picture frame (with a picture of each kiddo dressed in a pilot costume)
Greater Rochester International Airport (New York)
While adults may not be thrilled about the prospect of spending the night in an airport lounge, from a kids' perspective, a sleepover party at the airport could be a hoot!
If your kid is into scouting, the greater Rochester International Airport hosts tours and sleepovers for scout groups several times a year. The tours provide a close-up look at how the airport operates, with special presentations by airline representatives, U.S. Customs, airport fire and rescue personnel, security specialists, or law enforcement officials. Tours are free, and sleepovers are $25 per group.
American Helicopter Museum (West Chester, Pennsylvania)
The American Helicopter Museum is located in suburban Philadelphia where much of the earliest development of helicopters took place. The Museum displays over 35 civilian and military helicopters, autogiros and convertaplanes. The exhibits span the history of rotary wing aircraft from the earliest helicopters to the V-22 Osprey.
Parties for up to 30 people are $225, and include:
- a hands on program on helicopters and flight in the Museum's theatre
- a guided tour of the Museum's helicopters
- a chance to practice your piloting skills in the hands-on helicopters
- a flight suit for the birthday child to wear during the party
- use of the snack bar for two hours
Frontiers of Flight Museum (Dallas, Texas)
Birthday parties at the Frontiers of Flight museum at Dallas Love Field are held in a hanger or in the Coca-Cola Café, complete with themed party plates, party hats and party favors. The fee of $140 includes a chance to:
- taxi down Runway 36R and play in the children's Discovery Area
- watch the in-flight movie
- practice being your own jumbo jet pilot
- climb the control tower and become an air traffic controller
- visit the Wind Tunnel Lab to learn about aerodynamics
- tour the exhibits
Sounds like a blast!
I hope these brief descriptions have sparked your imagination! If home birthday parties are more your style, I will feature a DIY airplane party plan at www.Fishing4Deals.com, in the weeks ahead.
I love these ideas and wanted to add links to a few more airports and flight museums that offer parties and events:
Museum of Flight in Seattle, Hayward Airport in San Francisco, Centennial Aviation Academy in Atlanta, Cavanaugh Flight Museum in Texas, and Zurich Airport. I am sure there are many others as well. What a super fun idea for a kid's party! Thanks so much to Fishing4Deals for putting this together!