Birthday Parties at The Parklands of Floyds Fork
Did you know that you can have your child’s birthday party at The Parklands of Floyd’s Fork? We just had my son’s 7th birthday party there and it was different and really nice. Of course, we did luck out with incredible weather and that didn’t hurt!
We booked the party for 2 hours. I was able to set up 30 minutes prior in a room equipped with tables and chairs and lovely natural light. They said you can have up to 30 people. We had about 15 kids and some adults and it was comfortable. There is a sink in the room which was convenient for post-outdoor pre-cake hand washing. Also, the bathrooms are right near the room. The staff interpretive ranger stopped in to check on my progress and discuss the party.
When the kids started arriving, they gathered and started to get excited. Our Interpretive Ranger took that as a clue to go grab a tank with a turtle and tell the kids about it, and feed it a worm! Then, when everyone arrived, she gathered the kids outside to give them some ground rules and hand out the nets – we were off for a creek walk.
We all walked together to the Sycamore Trail. It is a really kid-friendly, relatively short trail that gets close to the water. Lots to explore. I would advise having adults in the front and back to help the Interpretive Ranger because the kids do get excited and wander ahead and you do need to cross one road.
The kids did not shy away one bit from exploring the water. The Interpretive Ranger was there to tell the kids about the things they found or to give ideas for exploring and what to look for. With kids that varied in age, this party was a bit scattered in that some were really into throwing stones in the water and others wanted to climb the huge fallen trees while still others thought wading in the water was a good idea. Honestly, this made me very nervous. I really didn’t think kids would go in the creek given it has a swift current but they did but not far. I didn’t even know to ask the question as to whether or not this was allowed. So, I had to keep a keen eye on the kids so they only went in slightly and it really took away from being able to enjoy the party – I was really nervous watching the kids like a hawk. I would advise making the decision before hand about allowing kids to get their feet in or not and making it clear to them. I would have preferred that no children go in the water, there was plenty to find and do without getting wet.
After about 45 minutes of exploring all around the creek and finding mussels, fossils, and shells, we headed back toward the playground. The kids liked asking the Interpretive Ranger questions and when we had to wait for the group, she quickly started a game with them to hold their attention. The exploration part of the party was over and the kids ran to the playground to play for about half an hour. Then, we gathered the kids to go to the party room where we enjoyed cake, snacks and drinks. The kids were all worn out and tired, nice and quiet eating their snacks. I love when the parties are really active and this involved learning as well, great combination.
All in all, I think the party options at The Parklands of Floyds Fork are a great alternative if you are looking for something new for active kids (what kid isn’t active?!?!). Click here to see their flyer telling you all about the options – call for pricing, they have a discount for members.
Stephanie
