Rock Climbing Birthday Party Ideas

Back in the summer, I posted a first birthday party from my pre-blogging days and I thought it would be fun to post some others from the past.  As all things do, my party planning has evolved over the years and some parties have far more personalized touches than others.  I decided to showcase this rock climbing birthday party because it was simple but had some fun touches that made it a party to remember.

We rarely go to outside facilities for our kids’ birthday parties because I love the creativity of an at-home party {and I hate how expensive birthday parties can be} but we’ve made a few exceptions.  For Elijah’s ninth birthday, we held the party at a local rock climbing facility.

If you’re planning to host a climbing party, check with local facilities for party packages and be sure to also check sites like groupon.  You’ll often find package deals that can be used to reduce the cost of the party.

Rock Climbing Birthday Invitation

I don’t have a picture of the invitation but we sent a large rock to each child with a tag attached with twine containing all of the party information.  The invitations obviously had to be hand-delivered {or the postage would have been somewhat expensive} but if you’re looking for a simpler idea, an evite is always easy.

Rock Climbing Birthday Party Activities

A rock climbing party is simple because the activity is obvious {wink}.  The kids climbed for a long time, tackling different walls and areas in the facility.  Don’t worry if guests haven’t tried climbing before.  Most facilities will have an employee that will help get the kids roped up and give basic instructions before they get started.  You may want to ask some of the parents to stay for the party to help with belaying.

Rock Climbing Party Food and Cake Ideas

When the kids were ready for a break, we met in the party room for simple snacks {Gatorade and granola bars for a little energy boost} and cake and then the kids climbed some more before the party ended.  

My favorite detail of this rock climbing party was the cake.  It wasn’t perfect by any means, but I loved the idea, which was inspired by a cake I saw in an old Wilton catalog. 

I made a marshmallow rice krispie treat wall, poked lollipop sticks into the top, then created icing climbers held on by shoestring licorice ropes.  It fit our theme perfectly and was a fun treat for the climbers.  I’m no cake decorator but I’ve also learned over the years that kids really don’t care about perfection.

This rock climbing party was definitely an easy one and the kids all had a great time. 

Which do you prefer?  At-home parties or parties at facilities?