HudsonValleyGoodStuff

Fun-E Farm at the Hudson Valley Mall: Bouncy houses & good times!

Fun-E Farm Barnyard Playhouse opened at the Hudson Valley Mall a few weeks ago. I have been wishing for a bouncy house place like this in the area for a long time! The winters are long here and kids need a place where they can jump and bounce off a lot of energy! There is The Little Gym, of course, but you can't just drop in there any time you want cheaply. At Fun-E Farm, kids can bounce all day for $9.50. A good deal! They are also working on special Drop and Shop and Date Night event times so parents will be able to leave their children their while the Fun-E Farm team supervise them.

I went there on one of their first days. The bouncy houses are very cool. One has a huge slide. There is a quiet lounge near the restrooms in the back, which is perfect if you need to feed a baby, or change a diaper, or catch your breath!

It takes a lot of power to run these bouncy houses and there is music playing in the background so it is quite loud. Just want to keep that in mind in case your kiddies are sensitive to noise. Mine are, but the fun of jumping won over! They also put on birthday parties here. I'm sure this is is one business that will prosper once the word gets out. A few of my friends are already regulars there. It is a great place for a play date. Join their Facebook page if you want to keep up to date with Fun-E Farm website happenings.

Birthday Party Venue: Indoor Pool at Kingston YMCA!

I went to the Kingston YMCA for the first time last week to attend a kid's birthday party at their indoor pool. The pool  was heated and there were plenty of floating devices and swimming boards for the swimmers to use.  The deep end of the pool is 11 feet so be mindful of that for those who like to be able to touch the floor with their feet. There is also a whirlpool at the YMCA though unfortunately, I didn't have time to try it out. After the kids swam for an hour or so, we all went to an arts and crafts room to enjoy cupcakes. I'd definitely recommend it if you are looking for swimming pool birthday party venue.  You don't have to be a member there to host a birthday party. There was plenty of space to park in the parking lot. For more info, visit the YMCA website

Texas Roadhouse in Kingston: Fried Pickles, Big Margaritas & Prime Ribs!

We celebrated Valentine's Day early tonight, and had a decadent comfort food dinner at Texas Roadhouse on Ulster Avenue in Kingston.  I have been curious about this place for awhile, but have never been there since they are not open for lunch during the week and my daughter has a peanut allergy. (There are peanut buckets on every table, and peanuts and peanut dust every where and written warnings about the presence of peanuts on the front door).  The restaurant was packed on Friday night. The loud country music gives it a sort of wholesome kind of rowdiness.

I was looking forward to having a margarita all week, and craving bar food! One look at the menu, I knew I was at the right place! What's not to love about a place that asks you if you want your sweet potato loaded with cinnamon butter or caramel and toasted marshmallows.

We started with the chicken wings "mild" though they tasted flaming hot to me.  My husband had the prime rib, and  chose sweet potato and Caesar salad for his side. I had the grilled salmon, but was more excited about the sides (sweet potato with toasted marshmallows & a cup of chili). 

I would definitely come back here, but it is hard not to overeat here so I will probably just save it for those occasions when I really crave fried pickles and margaritas.  I will get the prime rib next time. I had a few bites of it, and it was one of the best I've tasted!  It is very kid-friendly and I did notice a lot of families eating here. It is also a great place to celebrate a birthday as the staff do the whole clapping-singing-and-hooting thing when they bring out a birthday dessert. For more info, check out theTexas Roadhouse website. 

Cool Places for Kids Birthday Parties in the Hudson Valley

 

   

The Hudson Valley has a lot of great spaces to host kids birthday parties. I find hosting a birthday party outside the house takes away some of my party planning stress. 

Here is a list of places I've partied at:

The Little Gym, Kingston--It's a simple birthday program, but a surefire kid pleaser really no matter how old your child is. The gym room is bright and spacious and very safe.Parties last 90 minutes. The first 1 hour is spent in the gym doing activities and/or structured free play depending on what you want. There is a balance beam, parallel bars, large wheel shaped cushions, a gigantic mat, rings, parachute play, and an inflatable trampoline--(the most anticipated event as seen in the top photo!). Afterwords there is pizza and juice for the kids. (If you want enough pizza to feed the adults too, just order it through them and pay for the extra pies). Approx. $200 covers 12 kids plus membership fees. (Additional guests are $12 each). Birthday girl or boy gets a cute Little Gym t-shirt too. You bring your own cake and goody bags, and anything else you want. They pack the gifts away and tie balloons on the goody bags for you. The staff are all very energetic. The Little Gym also offers camps and Parent Survival Nights.Check out their website for more info here The Little Gym (845) 382-1020.

Skate Time 209 Roller Rink & Skateboard Park, Accord--I have been to this roller rink, but never had a party here. I'm hoping someone I know will host a party here. They have a beautiful rink and skateboard park. Skatetime 209, (845) 626-7971.

Henry Hudson Planetarium, Albany.--This was a bit of a wild-card. It is an-hour away, and I was a bit nervous as I remember having major planetarium-phobia as a kid. All the kids had a great time. Henry Hudson Planetarium. (518) 434-0405. 

Excel Gymnastics--Saugerties. It is a fun place to host a birthday party, especially if you have a budding gymnast. It has more of a rugged professional gymnastics feel with chalk available near a lot of the apparatus. There is a cool foam pit, a huge bouncy trampoline. The only con is that they can have two parties simultaneously so if you prefer a totally private party for your group, it may not be a good fit. You bring your own food. Exel Gymnastics (845) 336-0706.

Local Firehouses---I was once invited to a birthday party at a local firehouse.  The mom who hosted it was a volunteer EMT, but according to her anybody can rent the hall for a party for a fee. (I think it was around $200). Probably not all firehouses can offer this, but worth looking into.

McDonald's--I went to a fun party at the McDonald's in Kingston on Albany Avenue. The kids had a blast on the equipment and a staff member brought a Ronald McDonald cake. If you are on a budget, this is a good deal. $7 per child.

The Childrens School of Yoga, Monroe--I attended one of their classes, but haven't been to one of their birthday parties (yet!). It could be a good choice if your child loves yoga or you want something a bit mellow. Check out Childrens School of Yoga website for more info. 

What are other great birthday venues in the Hudson Valley?