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A Fairly Comprehensive List of Birthday Party Locations in and around Newton UPDATED
Birthday party planning need not be daunting. Here are lots of ideas for your child’s birthday! Did I miss any? Please let me know and I’ll add to the list!

p.s. More ideas here from Boston Central.

10. Private Baby Animal Petting Zoo. Barn Babies. This particular petting zoo was pretty amazing. We hired them twice for birthday parties (2 of my kids), and they visited my preschool twice. What is amazing about them is that they have enough baby animals — bunnies, kittens, puppies, goat, chicks, ducklings, pig — so that every child can hold a swaddled baby animal for as long as they like. When they want to switch animals, another one gets placed into their arms. The kittens, puppies, and bunnies are eventually adopted but I hate to ask what happens to the chicks, ducklings, goat and pig. The baby goat has a Depends diaper on and a child can walk it around on a leash. They can do parties indoors or out. They don’t advertise but you’d be wise to book early as they get booked up fast. They are based on the Cape.

9. Trampoline. Launch Trampoline Park in Watertown. This is a new franchise that came our way last year and has become hugely popular. Headcount on each gigantic trampoline is closely monitored.

8. Trapeze. My oldest went to this party and had a blast even though she says she is scared of heights. My middle child is booking this for her next birthday. I hope I don’t have to do it!

7. Go Diego Go! home party. I did an elaborate Diego themed home party that took me 6 weeks to plan. I wrote it up and submitted to a Birthday Party site but now I can’t locate it. I printed out coloring sheets from Diego website and stapled it into on side of a blue file folder as a “Field Journal.” I also made a drawing of a keyboard and stapled that on the other side. I got Beenie Babies that matched the footprints and made a scavenger hunt out of that by putting footprints all over the house and backyard. The kids decorated paper towel rolls to make Spy Glasses. They used their Spy Glasses for the scavenger hunt. I hired Barn Babies as entertainment. The final stop was an extra basket of Beenie Babies for trading in case the Beenie Baby you found was not the one you wanted. The kids were only three.

6. Cookie decorating. Cookies by Design. This was the first time we had done this and my middle daughter chose this for her last birthday but it can easily be done at home. The kids had premixed sugar cookie dough to roll out and cut cookies. This was actually the most popular station. They also got colored bags of icing and decorated a plate of baked cookies. Finally, they decorated an apron using fabric markers.

5. Laser tag. This was a popular birthday party that is now a little passé though kids always seem to have fun playing laser tag. We just discovered the Mother Lode of Laser Tag locations, called Laser Quest, that has multiple floors of Laser Tag mazes. It’s in West Roxbury but it’s worth the drive!

4. Jewelry party. Home and at bead store (our two local bead stores are out of business). I did this party at home using stretchy string from the bead store. Each little girl and their mother strung a necklace and a bracelet. I think I tried this party for preschoolers which was a tad too young. I needed other activities like coloring sheets and games because the kids were either really fast at making the crafts or easily bored. My oldest went to a bead store for a birthday party at 5th grade and all the girls made beautiful necklaces. Some did not finish in the time allotted due to intricate designs.

3. Pseudo sky diving. My Mom Friend Julie’s son did this as a Middle Schooler. She said that all the boys LOVED it. The pseudo sky diving using some kind of gigantic fan to create a wind tunnel capable of suspending a person in the air to simulate sky diving. That’s my kind of sky diving: the safe kind.

2. Aquarium. On or off site. Both parties have been hits. We had a party at the Aquarium one year for my oldest when she was in preschool that, unfortunately, coincided with a gigantic snowstorm. Nevertheless, most of the guests made it to the Aquarium for the party. They do a great job letting kids touch sea creatures and it’s also educational! Our aquarium takes the show on the road and will travel to your birthday site. We went to a party that hired them and was also fabulous!

1. Cooking. Create A Cook. We have a cooking school for kids in town, but this can easily be done at home. The parties usually have a food theme with each child making about three items that they can bring home to share. I love that my child is learning to cook. Themes can be anything from breakfast, Thai, Japanese and Italian. And it’s not just for girls. Boys, as it turns out, love the hands on “making stuff” aspect.

Here are more party ideas that we’ve attended or hosted. I hope it helps you plan the perfect party for your child!

Bowling, karate (Giroux Brothers Martial Arts, Esposito’s, Masters of Karate), gymnastics (My Gym, Energy Fitness and Gymnastics, Exxcel) , Museum of Natural History, paint pottery/plaster, video game/Chuckie E Cheese, sewing, knitting, paint ball, swimming (make sure to have plenty of lifeguards!), sleepover, ice skating, snow tubing, ice cream party at parlour (Coney Island, Lizzies, Cabots), Mad Scientist, magician, Puppet theater, movie, mini golf, old fashioned games at home (pass the shoe, scavenger piñata, etc), soccer games, rock climbing (also at BU), dress up (renting a dress up trunk), water slide/bouncy house, water park, farm, sports at YMCA, TOMB, art/ceramics at art school, dance at dance studio (All That Jazz), dance party at home, hip hop dance party, sewing party, Game Truck. There’s a second sewing studio in Newton. Boxing birthday parties at Nonantum Boxing Club. Escape the Room in Boston for an interactive game party where the group has to solve puzzles to escape the room. Boda Borg is a fun puzzle solving multi-room gaming party too.

We just tried an archery birthday party at Bay State Archery and it was really fun. It’s in Norwood. Jump On In has been really popular with kids ages 6 through 9. My boxing gym will do birthday parties. Any kind of sports games party at your location/local park or at YMCA. Jump’n’Slide Center just opened in Wells Avenue; they have activities including arcade castle, huge inflatables, Laser Maze, Cannonball Shooting range, Lego room, make crafts:
- Make a working, punched tin lantern and punched tin art
- Weave friendship bracelets and bookmarks
- Craft a journal or diary
at Durant-Kenrick House & Grounds of Historic Newton.

p.s. Other Guides to Newton:

Best Preschools in Newton

Best Martial Arts Schools for Kids and Adult in Newton

A Fairly Comprehensive List of After School Supplemental Math Classes in Newton

A Fairly Comprehensive List of Dance Studios in Newton

Best Gymnastics for Toddlers and Kids in Newton Area

Best Caretaker and Child Music Classes in Newton

Best Tutors, Music Teachers etc in Newton
February 4, 2012
Best Martial Arts Schools in Newton for Kids and Adults

My kids have been taking Karate for several years with Giroux Brothers Martial Arts and one thing that really impresses me about this studio is the older students who are unfailingly polite, accomplished and kind to small children. The style is called Chun Kuk Do which is the style of Chuck Norris. I also studied kickboxing with Steve Giroux. We think he’s great and really wonderful teacher for kids.

There are two other Karate studios that my kids’ friends’ moms also rave about: Espositos and Master’s of Karate. I went to a birthday party for little boys at Master’s of Karate and I thought the Sensei there was wonderful with children. I am taking Kickboxing at Espositos with Rich with my two girls and it’s both a really intense but fun workout and training session in self-defense. Rich runs the children’s program and is also great with kids.

There is also Oom Yung Doe which teaches 8 martial arts to kids and adults: Tae Kwon Do, Aikido, Samurai, Bagwa Chung, Jiu Jitsu, Tai Chi Chung, Ship Pal Gae, and Kung Fu.

For more on How Karate Helps Kids Succeed, check out the right hand column of Giroux Brothers Martials Arts’ new blog. Confidence, self-control, self-discipline, setting and accomplishing goals, are some of the by products of karate that children benefit from.

How to Find a Martial Art for Your Child

Karate Kids: The Benefits of Martial Arts

Here’s a short primer on some of the common styles of martial arts from Better Homes and Gardens:

“choosing a style

One of the great allures of martial arts is the huge variety of styles. Here’s a brief explanation of some of the most popular ones:

Aikido is a gentler self-defense style that emphasizes mental acuity, good breathing, relaxation techniques, and timing. In essence it focuses on finding the body’s spiritual center, as well its physical center of gravity. Techniques include throws and joint locks.

Judo teaches the principle of using your opponent’s strength against him, rather than relying solely on your own. It’s highly physical with foot, leg, and hand strikes as well as throwing and falling.

Karate is a broad term that covers hundreds of styles that employ highly rehearsed strikes and blows using both your hands and your feet.

Kickboxing is a strenuous, high-contact sport that requires more protective gear than other disciplines. It emphasizes muscle flexibility and control, particularly in the legs and feet. Kickboxing can be slow-paced or fast and is growing in popularity.

Tae Kwon Do combines the art of hand and foot fighting. Two techniques kids love to learn in this discipline are breaking boards and sparring with opponents”

I studied a little Aikido and Tai Kwon Do. Aikido is so precise in technique that to be an effective weapon for self defense, you have to be pretty advanced. It’s better for adults. Tae Kwon Do has more kicks in the the repertoire and is not as effective for street fighting though it IS an Olympic sport. Kickboxing doesn’t have the belt structure, so it’s great for kids who don’t want to memorize forms and work their way up a belt system.

Karate is the catch up to pretty much describe any martial art, particularly for kids.Some have weapons and some don’t, so be sure to ask. I find that kids like learning how to handle weapons like a Bo Staff or swords but they must work their way fairly high up though the belt system before being allowed to touch one. I think that’s a great incentive to motivate children to progress. I know my daughter was excited to finally learn the Bo Staff at Giroux Brothers which indicated she was about half way to her junior black belt.

Here are more places to study martial arts:

J. H. Kim Tae Kwon Do – he has multiple studios throughout Boston.

Calvin Chin Martial Arts Academy – I saw them perform at a Chinatown event and they were impressive!

Gracie Barra Boston Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu – I’ve only seen adults here.

Oom Yung Doe – This is new to Newton and seems to more adult oriented.

Clark’s Self Defense – Walk in to inquire. I called several times when researching a karate studio and no one ever returned my call.

Nonantum Boxing Club – My Dad Friend who is a Golden Gloves champion recommended a trainer to me. He’s very happy here.

p.s. Other Guides to Newton:

Best Preschools in Newton

A Fairly Comprehensive List of Birthday Party Locations and Ideas for Kids in Newton and Boston

A Fairly Comprehensive List of After School Supplemental Math Classes in Newton

A Fairly Comprehensive List of Dance Studios in Newton

Best Gymnastics for Toddlers and Kids in Newton Area

Best Caretaker and Child Music Classes in Newton

Best Tutors, Music Teachers etc in Newton

February 4, 2012
Nutrition Solutions with Health Coach Stacy Schwartz

Do you have questions about nutrition but don’t know who to ask?

Come to our 4 week nutrition solutions workshop where you will get all of your questions answered.

In this workshop you’ll learn:

. How to incorporate delicious greens into your diet.
. Tips to eat foods you enjoy and not deprive yourself.
. To understand how your lifestyle affects your cravings.
. Steps to make easy healthy meals for you and your family.

February 7th, 14th, 21st and 28th from 7:30-8:30pm

Nutritional Health Coach Stacy Schwartz will lead the seminars.

Contact: Allison Benitez at 617-458-9758 for more information and to register. You won’t want to miss this!

February 3, 2012
Free Event: Simplicity Parenting at Mason-Rice, Feb. 6th, 7-9pm

Do you ever find yourself scheduling play dates 3 weeks in advance because your child has no free time? Do you think you might have too many toys in the house? Are there too many gifts coming into your home around the holidays or when it is your child’s birthday? Are you and your children over-scheduled and overwhelmed?

If you answered “yes” to any of these questions, please join us on Monday, February 6th at Mason-Rice from 7-9:00 pm to learn about “SIMPLICITY PARENTING” which can help kids and parents feel calmer, happier and more secure. Consultant and author Kim John Payne will speak about how to simplify your child’s toys and books, clothes, meals, bedtime and schedule, as well as how to filter out distractions from the adult world so you can feel more connected to your children and family. This is a free event hosted by the Mason-Rice, Angier and Zervas Elementary School PTO’s.

To view any book more closely at Amazon, please click on image of book.

February 2, 2012

Classes at Waban Library: Yoga for Adults, Music and Dance for Kids!

Morning Adult Yoga Classes

Tuesday and/or Thursday mornings from 8:50 am-10 am for 10 Tuesdays/Thursdays.Cost will be $150 for a 10-week session. Sign up for both, Tuesday and Thursday classes, you will receive a 10% discount. ($270 for both Tues/Thurs). Drop ins are welcome at $18 per class. Classes go for 10 Tues/Thurs starting January 3/5 – March 20/22

To sign up email us at wabanlibrary@gmail.com or check out the website for more details, www.wabanlibrarycenter.org

Jazz, Hip Hop and Creative Dance

$96

Ages 4 to 6 yrs.
Eight Fridays, 1:15pm-2pm

Dancers will learn the basic elements of Jazz Dance and Hip Hop set to today’s popular music. Taught by Grace Noyes, the class will include stretching exercises, progressions across the floor and sequences of age appropriate choreography that will build week to week. This fun, lively 45 minute class is offered to students who danced with us last season as well as new students. $96 Class dates:1/27, 2/3, 2/10, 2/17, 3/2, 3/9, 3/16, 3/23

Music Making

Six Fridays (EVERY OTHER WEEK)

9:30-10:15 am

Ages 15 mos. to 3yrs.

Linda Emmanuel

Kids will discover their inner musicians! Fun instruments and props will help us explore concepts like fast/slow, loud/soft and start/stop. Taught by Linda Emmanuel, who has a Master’s in Dalcroze Eurhythmics from the Longy School, a B.M. in Vocal Performance from New England Conservatory. $72 Class Dates: 1/20, 2/3, 2/17, 3/3, 3/17, 3/31.

February 1, 2012

Newton Library Employee Arraigned on Child Porn Charges (Link Roundup)

image Josh Reynolds for The Boston Globe

When it rains, it pours, apparently. “One week after a Newton elementary school teacher was arrested on child pornography charges, a Newton Free Library staffer has been arraigned on similar charges in Newton District Court.” from Newton Patch

“For the second time in two weeks, residents of Newton, which touts its reputation as one of the safest cities in America, were staggered by the accusation that a trusted public employee was involved in child pornography.

Authorities announced yesterday that they had arrested Peter Buchanan, a 10-year city employee who had worked most recently in the Newton Public Library’s audio visual section.

State Police accuse Buchanan, 47, of downloading and sharing child pornography. He pleaded not guilty in Newton District Court to three counts of possession of child pornography and two counts of distribution of material depicting a child in a sexual act.” from Boston.com

Newton Library Employee Arraigned on Child Porn Charges (Newton Patch)

Father of Newton child porn suspect says his son needs help (Boston.com)

Second child porn arrest made in Newton (Boston.com)

Newton library pedophile faces child porn charges (Wicked Local Newton)

Newton Library Employee Arrested On Child Porn Charges (WBUR)

Library Worker Arrested On Child Porn Charges (The Boston Channel News)

Newton Library Employee Charged with Child Pornography (Boston Criminal Lawyers Blog)

January 31, 2012
$5k College Scholarships from Hood for New England Athletes (Girls and Boys) Who Volunteer

The Hood Sportsmanship Scholarship presented by Hood Milk is open to seniors enrolled in a high school in one of the six New England states. Seniors must be attending a two- or four-year accredited college or university in the fall of 2012 and meet the following criteria:

* Minimum of a 3.0 GPA
* Participated in a varsity sport in high school
* Volunteered in his/her community
* Displayed a high degree of sportsmanship while participating in sports in high school

“The Hood Sportsmanship Scholarship program was established to recognize exceptional high school seniors in New England,” said Lynne Bohan, spokesperson for Hood. “We have been overwhelmed by the quality of submissions from students over the past two years, and look forward to celebrating 18 more students who serve as role models in their classes, communities and on their respective sports teams.”

Students can enter for a chance to win the Hood Sportsmanship Scholarship online at Hood.com now through February 1st, 2012. Students will be asked to complete the application form and write a short essay explaining how they display sportsmanship and integrity on and off the field. Voting will be open to the public beginning on February 15th and will run through March 15th online at Hood.com to determine the 10 finalists from each state who will be interviewed by a panel of judges. The final 18 winners — 3 from each state — will be notified in May and be invited to attend an awards banquet.

Three high school seniors in each of the six New England states — Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire,Rhode Island and Vermont — will be awarded a $5,000 college scholarship for a total of $90,000.

For more information, and rules and regulations, please visit Hood.com.

January 31, 2012

Spring Fling: An Evening for Library Lovers Benefiting Newton Free Library, March 31, 6:30 pm

Mindy Kaling will not be able to make the Spring Fling due to a scheduling conflict.

Mindy Kaling, author and actress on

“The Office,” will be one of our honored authors this year.

Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me?

More Honored Authors:

Mix & mingle with hosts Tom Ashbrook and Bill Novak,
distinguished authors, friends, and library lovers —
while savoring delicious food from Bakers’ Best, bidding on the
silent auction, and listening to live music.

Tickets go fast, so make your reservation
online today at

www.newtonfreelibrary.net

Leah Hager Cohen

Leah Hager Cohen’s The Grief of Others is a 2011 New York TimesNotable Book of the Year. Losing a newborn is terrible enough, but when the baby comes wrapped in a shroud of secrets, insufferable grief often tears family members apart. The Ryries are just such a family.

Edith Pearlman

Binocular Vision: New & Selected Stories is a feast for fiction aficionados. The 2011 recipient of the PEN/Malamud Award, Ms. Pearlman gives new meaning to the word “storyteller” in these 21 short stories, which include themes of young love, old love, thwarted love, and loved denied — and span settings from Jerusalem and South America to New England locations.

Tim Riley

Tim Riley is NPR’s music critic and biographer of John Lennon in Lennon: The Man, the Myth, the Music – the Definitive Life. Mr. Riley’s well-researched account of Lennon proves that there is still room for one more biography of this legendary figure.

Lou Ureneck

In Cabin: Two Brothers, a Dream, and Five Acres in Maine, memoir writer Lou Ureneck turns his disappointments that come from middle-age job loss, the death of his mother, a health scare, and a divorce into a moving meditation on brotherhood and a return to a simpler, more meaningful way of life.

For more information about the event and authors, please visit website .

Sponsorship opportunities are available.

(Call Rosemary at 617-796-1407)

January 30, 2012

GIVEAWAY: Newton’s New Philharmonia Orchestra and 5 Family Tickets to Family or Classics Concert! Exciting UPDATE!

Thank you to everyone who left a comment. Exciting News!!! EVERYONE WHO LEFT A COMMENT WINS!

HI Mia –

Thanks SO very much for all the concert hype, we truly appreciate it. I just noticed that 14 people have commented on the story so far. Originally we said we’d like to giveaway 5 Family Tickets but we have decided to give a Family ticket to everyone who has commented. The venue holds something like 500 people so there’s no reason not to bring as many people in as we can!

If more people respond, I can giveaway a total of 80 tickets.

To redeem their tickets, they need only e-mail me (krobbins@newphil.org) with their full name by 10am on Sunday, January 29^th. They should reference you somewhere, either in the message or subject line. Unless they say otherwise, I will assume they want tickets to the Family Concert.

Will you be able to join us?

Thanks again and please let me know if this works for you!

Many thanks,

Kara

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Anna Larsen’s composition is being performed on Saturday, February 11 at 8pm and Sunday, February 12 at 3pm in a special concert featuring young artists and composers.

The New Philharmonia Orchestra is a Newton-based community orchestra under the umbrella of the Newton Cultural Alliance.

“Our mission and motto is Music for All and we accomplish this by providing a Classics Concert Series, Family Discovery Concert Series, Pops Concerts, Summer Concerts, and music outreach and education. We strive to produce high-quality classical music accessible. New Phil would also love to be added to your resource roll. Our next three programs this winter should be rather interesting to your readers. We are doing a Family Discovery Concert & Instrument Petting Zoo side-by-side with student performers and narrator this month, our February Classics concert features the World Premiere of a symphony by a 12 year old plus a concerto performance by teenager Aaron Wolff, and we are doing a “karaoke” concert on St. Patrick’s Day.”

GIVAWAY: 5 Family Tickets (2 Adults and 2 Students) to attend ANY Family or Classics Concert. Maybe you’d love to use it for …

Winter Dreams Family Discovery Concert and Instrument Petting Zoo

Sunday, January 29 at 3pm

Featuring a side-by-side performance with
Newton All-City Orchestra
Greg Livingston, Director

Narrated performance of the musical adventure
How Bear Lost His Tail
by local composer Pasquale Tassone
Narrated by Emily Paley, NNHS Senior

Click here to purchase tickets

To win tickets, please leave a comment. Winners will be selected at the end of January.

January 27, 2012
GIVEAWAY AND DISCOUNT: Newton Face Painter Extraordinaire Marisol Santana and GIVEAWAY for Zeebree Crayons

Congrats to Ina. She won the Cupcake Crayons!

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Check out these extraordinary faces painted by Newton Elementary School Special Education Aide and an Afterschool Teacher Marisol Santana! She really has fanciful creations and is available for birthday parties or events! She can be reached at marisol (at) zeebree (dot) com . She is offering a discount of $25 off any face painting party of 2 hours or more if you mention this post.

In addition, she also has a recycled crayon business and she is giving away a set of 6 Cupcake Zeebree crayons. To win, please leave a comment.

p.s. Yes! These are all crayons! You can actually color with them!!!

p.p.s. She is always looking for large crayon donations to repurpose into these cool crayons. If you have a crayon donation, please email her or leave a comment and she will pick up herself.

January 27, 2012