Having hosted the best birthday parties on the planet for decades our Party Professionals share their perfect plots to put the super in your superhero birthday party. And while our fun centers are closed to make sure everyone stays safe, follow the guide below to throw your own superhero party at home.

Select a superhero. Does your 5-year-old boy go bananas for Batman? Is your 6-year-old girl wild for Wonder Woman? Focus your theme on a superhero and invite his or her siblings and, perhaps, pets to participate.

Create a cake. We’ve seen some creative cakes and cupcakes over the years. From that hulking green humanoid to the webbed wonder, put your super subject on center stage, and build from there. And while supplies can be limited, many grocery store bakeries are churning out cakes and are happy to help with advance notice.

Pick out party supplies. Plates that say Pow! Cups emblazoned with the caped crusader. And even placemats created with copies from comic books. We’ve seen it all. Some of the largest selections are available online or can be ordered over the phone and picked up curbside.

Prepare to play. Action! Parties are nothing if not time to play. The kids might not be able to run wild in our huge arenas, but they can plot to stop the toppling of Megopolis in the backyard. This is where you moms and dads really shine.

“Kids love it when their moms and dads act silly – especially in front of their friends,” says longtime Party Pro Caitlin Richards. “They love it when mom puts down her phone and jumps into action.”

Be the bad guy or gal. Every superhero needs a villain. Rather than turning kids into kryptonite-wielding bad guys, parents can play the part – bonus points for anyone donning a mask. Maybe Momvex has discovered blueprints to Megopolis Merchant Bank and plans to empty the vault. Before the heist, she’s hiding near the oleanders. Send the good guys to capture her before it’s too late! But watch out for her sneaky escape!

Keep The Action Going. Thankfully, Momvex was captured. Your gang of superheroes can use cardboard boxes to keep the villain locked up. But wait! It looks like Dadoom has escaped across the river with the blueprints. Send the superhero squad through a homemade obstacle course in hot pursuit!

Prepare to party. As the kids wind down, prep your super party space. Order some pizzas and load out the lemonade. A little imagination can go a long way.

Time for food and fun. Chasing down Momvex and Dadoom burned a lot of energy. But with hot pizza or cool sandwiches and cold drinks awaiting, your superheroes will be ready to spring into cake-eating action in a flash!

Leave the mess to us. With the action winding down, you and your caped crusaders should be ready to call it quits. After all, throwing birthday parties is hard enough – even for super parents of superheroes!

HERE ARE SOME OUTDOOR OFFERINGS

Cook. Housekeeper. Teacher. Referee. Being a parent can be frustrating at times, especially when spending weeks on end inside … together … with kids … and pets … and each other. It’s time to listen to the advice of parents through the ages: “Why don’t you go outside and play?”

When inside activities turn into downside boredom, it’s time to get outside for some fresh air and fun. To help out when the well of ideas runs dry, we’ve put together some suggestions that might just help you power through another week or two or four with the family.

ADVENTURE

First up, the adventurous and interesting. We’re talking about everything from scavenger hunts and geocaching to obstacle courses.

SCAVENGER HUNT

We all know what this is. Make a list (or use ours!) of things you see around your neighborhood. Make it as easy or as challenging as your kids (or you) can take. Go along for the ride or tell them to go it alone. Make it a contest with a small prize (E.g. ice cream sundae, extra screen time) or just for fun. Whatever you end up doing, just be sure to follow the safety guidelines of your hometown.

GEOCACHING

No clue what this is? You’re not alone. You can learn more about it on Wikipedia, but it’s basically a technology-enhanced treasure hunt. While this might be ideal for the older kids, little kiddos will fun this super fun to do with mom or dad. Download an app and find additional instruction on one of the largest sites for geocaching.

SIDEWALK CHALK OBSTACLE COURSE

For many parents, sidewalk chalk is a great tool for kids to express (relatively quiet) creativity. But they can also activate that creativity (and burn off some of that pent-up energy) with a sidewalk chalk obstacle course. Start here. Hop on one foot there. Run in a squiggly line and then do 10 jumping jacks. The combinations are truly endless. The stamina, on the other hand, might not be. Let the imagination run wild or get some inspiration from this pink-loving bundle of energy. 

OLD FAITHFUL

With 30 minutes of activity under their belts, the kids are certainly worn down by now, right? Right?! Right. Even with all that fun in the history books, there’s always more to do. And while creative activities can get the juices flowing, don’t forget about those that have withstood the test of time.

BIKE RIDING

Buckle up the helmet and hit the road or sidewalk or multiuse path. Wherever you choose to ride, the freedom of a bicycle is always welcome relief from staying home. Stuff some water, snacks and a blanket in a backpack and head to the park. It sounds simple because it is! Which is also why it might not be obvious at first blush.

KICK A BALL

Depending on what country in which you live, soccer might not be the most interesting sport to watch (except when your own kids are on the field). But a uniform truth is that kicking a ball around for a little while can be fun for anyone. Whether it’s soccer or a quick game of kickball, grabbing a ball and heading to the backyard can kill a little time along with a little boredom.

CLOUD GAZE

Scavenger hunt – done. Obstacle course – check. Bike riding – yep. It’s time for a break and a trip back in time to when kids (and adults!) had time to lounge on their backs and stare at the clouds. That one looks like a dog. That one sort of looks like an elephant. That one with the gray poking out of the top sort of looks like your mother. Yikes! Sorry. In any event, take a break and let a peaceful mind wander. Bonus points to the gazer who finds one that looks like a heart.

GET TO WORK

So, you’ve tried to have fun. And you’ve tried to relax. But everyone is still feeling a bit restless. Well, it has come to this, hasn’t it? Time to put the kids to work.

WASH THE DOG

While these days you might be going a day (or two?!) between showers or baths, the poor old pooch regularly goes for … how long?! Wow! But no judgment here. Really! We mean it! In any event, Lola or Lune or Cooper is probably due for some scrubbing. Get out the garden hose and, preferably pup-friendly soap along with your pint-sized staff to get down to business. Don’t forget the towels … for everyone. It’s a dirty job, but someone’s gotta do it!

WASH THE CAR

While your car is probably about as lonely as your office chair right now, it’s likely collecting dust. And as long as you’re washing things, why not grab that garden hose again, a bucket and some suds to freshen up that Ford? While when you’re all said and done, your little helpers may not have quite the technique of that detail guy down the street, you just might have had a little fun in the process.

WATER THE YARD

Did you know that some people out West wash their cars (and dogs) in the yard to water the grass while getting things clean. Such is life in the arid parts of our fair country. If you’re not out West or otherwise didn’t think of driving a two-ton vehicle on that manicured lawn, tell the kids to go old school and water the lawn manually. With sprayer in hand, wander from corner to corner applying an even amount of water. Or, better, yet, stick your thumb over the end of the flowing tube and send those kids off screaming. They’ll have fun and you might just get a little relief from your own cabin fever.

But in this case, more is better. (Get ready Mexico! This one is for you!)

Pump It Up has expanded its borders (literally), bringing you more inflatable fun at an international level.

With the newest addition of the Monterrey, Mexico location comes all the benefits of the locations in the United States, but with Mexican flare.

What does that mean exactly? Read on to find out more.

Birthday Parties at Pump It Up, Monterrey

Come one, come all, for everything kid and everything birthday.

In the States, Pump It Up brings joy to birthday boys and girls with giant indoor inflatables, games, and even an inflatable throne. Birthday parties get a private space all to themselves, which includes games and a lounge area, all in an indoor inflatable setting. There is even a custom option for food, drinks and more.

The staff at Pump It Up decided to bring all of that birthday goodness to Monterrey Mexico. That means the same fun-filled experience with the same high standards no matter which location you choose.

Something to Consider

If your family is the type to go on vacation for a birthday and you’re thinking of taking that vacation to Monterrey, Mexico or surrounding areas, book a party at Pump It Up!

They will take care of all your birthday needs, so you can enjoy the vacation and the birthday celebration without any hassle or wasted vacation time.

Reservations are simple and easy. The party is a blast. And the cleaning is not your problem! The team at Pump It Up helps you every step of the way. Just the way it should be.

So you can relax and enjoy your time away. And isn’t that the goal of every vacation?

The Extras

Can you believe that there is more? You better believe it, but this time it’s all about the group events.

Children as part of field trips can come play and jump in their own safe, private arenas complete with food and drink, if so chosen. And just like the birthday parties, the Pump It Up team will make your experience a smooth and easy one.

And they are philanthropists, too! Pump It Up Summits helps interested parties organize a fundraiser for any organization. Guests can jump and enjoy the huge inflatables all for a good cause.

Teams of any kind can also enjoy the inflatable fun with access to a private party room for prizes and trophies to be displayed.

Get Your Happy On

You surely don’t need to wait for a special occasion to make your day a happy one. If you live in or near Monterrey or plan to go there for vacation, they have plenty of “Open Jump” times to make any ordinary day feel special.

And to top it off, they have events throughout the week where any child can come for a good time. So next time your child is on vacation from school, it’s a gloomy rainy day, or you’re all just itching for a good time in beautiful Monterrey, get on over to Pump It Up to brighten the day.

Look at that, an ending with a rhyme. It must be true!

We get it. It can be hard to see past the unending options, costly overnights, and long days away from your child. But there is another way.

It’s called day camp.

When Opportunity Knocks

“Camp helped me make new friends.”
​“Camp helped me feel good about myself.”
​“My child gained self-confidence at camp.”

These are just a few of the comments expressed by kids and their families after attending summer camp. And while newbie jitters are normal, you can bet they’ll get hooked on the experience by the end of the session.

If you’ve ever looked into traditional resident camp options, you and your child may have hit an emotional wall. The separation and independence required of resident campers may be too much for some families, and that’s okay! Because there is another way to get all the benefits without the trauma.

Kids who are too young, too shy, or too ill-equipped for overnight stays and parents who are not ready to let go of their child for an entire one to two weeks session should consider day camp options to cut out the anxiety.

Day camp can be an amazing first independent experience for any child, giving them the opportunity to strengthen friendship building skills, be responsible for their own belongings, try new things, and take risks in a safe environment.

This first experience away from home can set the tone for future long-term experiences away from home. Kids can learn to push past their comfort zones in a productive way, led by experienced camp staff. And this can open so many doors to future opportunity and independence.

What To Look For

You want a natural camp setting with camp-specific activities, such as horses, arts, and crafts. You want your child to experience things he or she wouldn’t be exposed to at school or another familiar setting.

Staff should have all the necessary credentials and be intentional with their words, actions, and activities. When done the right way, kids will take this positive reinforcement and use it to better themselves. Not only that, but they will take it home at the end of each day to their families, further strengthening the family unit and continuing the learning experience well beyond their days spent at camp.

Look at reviews from other camp attendees about their experiences, good and bad. What other people have said about camp should always be taken with a grain of salt, but they shouldn’t be ignored either. If majority rules that it’s a good place for kids to learn and grow, you can probably trust that it really is. The opposite is also true.

The camp you choose should be a place your kids can just be kids. It should provide an environment where kids can break away from the stress and pressures of the organized learning they get at school. Yet, it should refresh them to a point where they are ready to go back to school when it is time, summer memories in tow.

Lastly, the camp you choose should partner with parents in the whole process. When your child has behavioral issues, they should take guidance from the parents to overcome them. When your child experiences obstacles, parents can help the child work through it. When anxiety or homesickness occurs, parents can help the child resolve those feelings.

This is one of the most important differences between resident and day camps. As long as parents don’t think of pulling their child out of camp as a solution to overcoming these obstacles, this relationship between parents and camp staff can be the most powerful tool in a child’s development.

The Outcome

Kids should come home dirty, sweaty, happy, and tired with so much to tell you that there isn’t enough time in the world for it all.

You don’t have to send your child off to resident camp to get all the benefits of camp, whether it’s a “single subject” summer program or a generalized summer camp experience.

A natural setting where caring counselors focus on helping kids form connections, reach outside their comfort zones, learn new physical, social, and emotional skills, laugh, and grow without the influence of technology? Yes, you can get all that at day camp, too!