Birthday Party Ideas

I need readers' help on this request as I do not have all the necessary information!  I'd appreciate it if you could pitch in and provide the info. to us in the comment section especially on where to get tables, chairs, bouncy houses, canopies, etc.  Any input will be appreciated!!

I was wondering if you could write a post on doing birthday parties here on island.  We have done 3 bowling birthday parties and now Owen wants to do a birthday party at home.  Where do you get supplies (tables, chairs, bouncy houses, canopies, party plates, invitations, and goodies)?  He is turning 6 and I dont even know where to start looking.  Bowling alley is so easy as they do it all for you (including invites!)

Party Supplies

Oriental Trading Company is a popular company for party supplies.  I personally have never ordered from the company myself, but many people have suggested this company for party supplies. It seems that they have pretty much everything you need to have any type of parties. 

I would also try 100 Yen shops to look for some party supplies. 

I do not know where people go to rent tables, chairs, bouncy houses, and canopies.  If you know of the information on this, please share the info. with us. Thank you!

Places to have a birthday party

If you live on base, you probably have enough space to have a party at home, but if you live off base, you might want to go somewhere outside to host a party due to the limited space.  I am not a great party planner, but I have friends who are very creative, so here I am going to write about places where my friends had their children's parties. We had a great time, so I say that I recommend those places for parties.   

MONA KIDS JUNGLE

Mona Kids Jungle is an indoor play area located right by Camp Kinser.  It is a neat place to host a party for little kids.  There is a lounge area for adults to sit and watch kids play.  There are also two little party rooms you can rent and you are allowed to bring in food from outside.  Kids can play in the indoor play area first and then you can bring them into the little private room to have some snacks.  You do not have to worry about the weather since it is an indoor facility.   

WAGO - aka Family Fun Land

WAGO is also an indoor amusement facility with two different play areas for little kids and a game area for big kids and grown-ups.  There is a party room/space you can reserve which is very spacious.  The party room is right next to a Japanese fast food stand of WAGO, but you can also bring in your own refreshments and they could provide water and plastic cups. 

TEE HOUSE PARK ON KADENA

This is a neat park for a party.  It has a couple of covered areas with tables and benches where you can serve food and drinks.  If you rent a bouncy house, you can place it next to a covered area.  Kids can also play at two different playgrounds of the park.  It can get very windy depending on a season, but if the weather is nice, it is a fun place to have a party.

Sunabe Baba Park aka Dolphine Park

If you live near the sea wall or close to Kadena Gate 1, this is a cool park to have a party for kids.  It has a covered area behind the palyground with tables and benches.  This sitting area has a little more privacy than the playground area, so you do not have to worry about strangers coming to the table.  (At least we didn't have that problem.)  There is some open space next to the tables, so if you want, you can do some games.  There is a small beach behind the park, so if the weather is nice and hot, kids can play in the water, too.

If you could share birthday party ideas and places to get supplies on Okinawa, that will be wonderful. 

Comments

[JenniferV]

For those of you on MC bases, MCCS will loan tables, chairs, and canopies at a very cheap price. It is even less expensive if you pick up the items and set them up yourself (which isn't too hard, my husband and dad did it last year using our van). I believe you call Outdoor Recreation to make reservations, but I am not certain of that. I don't know if they will deliver things off base or on non-Marine Corps bases either. I also found on-line that MCCS loans bouncy houses - see http://www.mccsokinawa.com/mccs.asp?id=132 for prices and times. I apologize for not having more specific information about this; hopefully someone else will have more info!

[Lan]

Good stuff, Kaho! Thank you! I love planning for birthday parties and the go-to site that I always use is www.birthdaypartyideas.com . Like okinawahai, it's a community website where we share ideas on theme-related parties.

We've rented through Kadena Recreation Center and they're reasonable as well, esp. if you're a Kadena Officer's Club card member, which gets you 10% off any of their services that they offer. But I don't think they deliver off-base. You can find more a list of of equipment and prices at http://kadenaservices.com/outdoor.html

Oriental Trading Company is also a good source, but beware that if you choose standard shipping (which is sometimes offered free of charge if you spend more than $60), it will sometimes take 6 weeks to arrive. You can pay an extra fee for the priority shipping.

That's my 2 cents. Good luck w/the party planning!
-Lan

[Aviva]

http://www.mccsokinawa.com/mccs.asp?id=186

Try that for bouncy rental with MCCS! Great prices, I've heard. Go for it!

Also - McDonald's restaurants off base have great playgrounds and free computer games for kids to play with - and they'll set up a room for the party. Almost every time I'm there I see a party going on.

Anyway - for in-home parties, the craft store on Kadena (across the lot from the commissary/BX entrances) has TONS of balloons, crafty things and whatnot and I'm sure you could find some fun thing for the kids to play with there, depending on age. Definitely party decorations & such.

As for goodie bags - I hit the 100 yen store and stocked UP. I used some plastic tumblers and painted the kids' names on them with a paint pen and filled them up with trinkets and candy.

Hope all that helps!

[Lori]

What about an Ice Skating Party?
Kadena's travel agency at the Schilling Center has directions and discounted tickets.

[staci]

Very worth checking out!!!!
Here's a great site that has beautiful printable toys as well as paper goods, cards, games, etc. Free. Very sweet. You can get on her mailing list- I look forward to it each month.

http://www.thetoymaker.com/

[Joelle]

www.birthdayinabox.com

That's where I've bought stuff the last couple of years. Their delivery is pretty fast and I love the one-stop-shopping cuz I'm not the most creative party planner. Their options pretty much do it all for you: theme, gift bags, all the decorating/serving stuff you'd need.

[Michelle]

PLEASE HELP!
Does anyone have some names and phone numbers of bouncey house rental companies that go to off-base homes. We used Bouncin' Bananas last year and now their website says they closed.
Arigato!

[Bambi]

bouncin bananas pcs'ed and a lot of there stuff went to bouncing palooza (something like that). They are on the web (and if the name is correct) at www.bouncing-palooza.com. Do a google search for something to that effect and it should come up

[Bambi]

ok, i searched myself. its www.bounce-a-palooza.net
don't know if they deliver off base, but it doesn't hurt to ask!

[Diana M.]

Here is what we did for parties:

daughter's 3rd birthday ~ McDonalds because we were new and didn't know too many places

daughter's 4th birthday ~ Araha beach for "pirate" theme which was cool with the ship there and you can use the tented pavillions

daughter's 5th birthday ~ Yamauichi park outside Kadena gate 5, it was a kitten-theme and we were going to have a bouncy house there, too, but the bouncy house person (palooza) didn't come through, but the playset was great and you CAN set up a bouncy there. I asked someone at Schilling to translate for us

son's 5th birthday ~ monakids (easy & everyone knows it)

son's 6th birthday ~ Kadena marina, nice because you can reserve the pavillions and the beach is close by.

son's 7th birthday ~ our house with a bouncy from Kadena (affordable and easy to set up, they have free delivery on base)

Hope this helps!

[jlk]

Anyone host a party lately at Wago Family land and know the costs for the room, each child? I know there is a membership fee but does this apply for a party as well? Thanks

[Bounce-a-Palooza]

I just googled bounce-a-palooza for kicks, since we just bought the business a few weeks back and this article came up. So to answer a few questions, Bounce-a-palooza does deliver off base, we take care of set up and pickup, we deliver to all of okinawa although there is a fuel surchage to remote locations. If you would like more info go to bounce-a-palooza.net , email bouncehouses@gmail.com or call 08034279862. We'll do whatever we can to help make your event a success. Thanks-Ben

[Nikki]

I had my son's 4th birthday party at the zoo. It was great. The children loved to play inside the museum area. We set up tables outside the museum (brought in own food), sang happy bday, and the parents and kids went and enjoyed the zoo. Very nice.

[Jackson]

Hello:

I am looking for ideas around Camp Zama/Tokyo area for my soon to be three year daughter. Her birthday is at the end of February. We aren't interest in bowling or house parties...please help!!

[Joelle]

Jackson, most of us live down on Okinawa -- so I'm not sure many of us will be able to help you out much! But you never know!

[Dana]

My soon to be 4 year old wants a princess tea party this year. There used to be a post for tea parties, but apparently it was removed. Any ideas? Her birthday is in a couple of weeks! Thanks!

[J. Burger]

Speaking of books, since arriving on the island I have heard several people refer to a book on all the local parks that a couple of military spouses put together a few years back. This book supposedly has information on the parks as well as directions. I haven't been able to find it anywhere! Has anyone else heard about this book? Does anyone know where to find it?

[kim]

I was at Crafty Things at Kadena today and found the ceramics room. They do kids parties! You buy the different ceramics and the kids paint them. I believe each kids piece is $8. You can then use one of the rooms (free) for your cake and gifts. Easy, fun, inexpensive party with no clean up at home!!

[Brande]

Kim, would you be able to give directions to Crafty Things on Kadena when entering Gate 3 for a newbie? Much appreciated!

[Amy]

okay, PLEASE help me! i am about to be 13 and there is no where to have my birthday here on island! im getting to old to go to like...mona kids jungle and where my birthday is it is WAY to cold to go to the beach or somthing...i need some help fast

[Tara H]

Amy, we had my 14 year olds at Round one.
Maybe that.

[bordercollied]

I was just going to say-Round One is definitely a teenage favorite. I know a couple that also enjoyed the bowling alleys on base so you might enjoy Round One's bowling alley better. I also think that Forest Adventure would be an awesome birthday adventure and kids love it!!

[Erica T.]

This comment isn't so much for the teenage birthday party but for smaller kids. I just had Bear Buddies come out to my daughters birthday party. It was such a hit! They are like Build A Bear. Tracey the owner is wonderful and comes out to the parties. She brings out the stuffing machine and all the kids get to pick their own animal. The birthday child picks out their animal and oufit ahead of time so no one has the same one. She is located in the first floor of the Kadena BX. She is worth every penny I spent!

[kim]

I am looking for a park that has a plug for a bouncy. I went to the Yamauichi Park but couldn't find a plug. I'd really like a park that is off base in the Kadena/Foster area. Thanks for any help!

[Mia]

HI!
I was wondering whether any of you can provide info on helium-filled balloons in terms of where I can get these (and how far in advance I need to order for 15+)? I prefer Camp Foster or Kinser but will do Kadena (only if I have to). Thanks!