Monica Bhide Posted June 19, 2006 Share Posted June 19, 2006 Folks -- I am looking for a recommendation for a place to host my seven year old's bday party. He wants a "water related" birthday! I am not sure I can handle a large group of young boys at a pool so I am looking for other suggestions in the Tysons, Vienna, Falls Church, Mclean area. Would love some thoughts. I cant seem to find anything good via google. Thanks a bunch! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Demetrius Posted June 19, 2006 Share Posted June 19, 2006 I think that there is a water park close to Wolf Trapp or the Reston area. That might be something your son might enjoy with his friends. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bbq4me Posted June 19, 2006 Share Posted June 19, 2006 Hey Monica, there's water park on Rt 28 at Willard Rd near Dulles Airport. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jacques Gastreaux Posted June 19, 2006 Share Posted June 19, 2006 There is the Water Mine on Baron Cameron right where it intersects with Rt. 7. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Monica Bhide Posted June 19, 2006 Author Share Posted June 19, 2006 I saw the WaterMine and it looks great but is it good for a birthday party -- I mean will I be able to herd 25 kids and keep them from going all over the place.. Can you tell I have control issues LOL Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jacques Gastreaux Posted June 19, 2006 Share Posted June 19, 2006 I saw the WaterMine and it looks great but is it good for a birthday party -- I mean will I be able to herd 25 kids and keep them from going all over the place.. Can you tell I have control issues LOL Monica:If you have to corral 25 7-year olds, Heaven help you. Think lazer tag instead. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Monica Bhide Posted June 19, 2006 Author Share Posted June 19, 2006 Monica:If you have to corral 25 7-year olds, Heaven help you. Think lazer tag instead. A couple of parents have (been) volunteered to help me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Barbara Posted June 19, 2006 Share Posted June 19, 2006 I saw the WaterMine and it looks great but is it good for a birthday party -- I mean will I be able to herd 25 kids and keep them from going all over the place.. Can you tell I have control issues LOLSurely you won't be the only adult? ETA: Monica and I were typing at the same time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Monica Bhide Posted June 19, 2006 Author Share Posted June 19, 2006 Surely you won't be the only adult? ETA: Monica and I were typing at the same time. I am not that brave!! If it was a pool party, I was going to have a parent per child. But I dont think I am ready for a pool party yet! So I was thinking of other water related fun. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
goldenticket Posted June 19, 2006 Share Posted June 19, 2006 This might be a little farther away than you were looking, but there is Great Waves on Eisenhower Avenue in Alexandria. It's just a few minutes off the Beltway and they have several water slides, a wave pool, miniature golf, batting cages, and a picnic area. ETA - how about a boat ride on the Potomac - plenty of options leave from the Old Town dock and you could start or end with a picnic in one of the nearby parks. Or a picnic with a SuperSoaker battle royale. Another edit - at Algonkian Park in Sterling there's another water park that looks more like play areas than pools DownPour. They also have a stocked fishing lake, but I think fishing hooks combined with a bunch of 7 year olds is asking for trouble Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete Posted June 19, 2006 Share Posted June 19, 2006 Hey Monica, there's water park on Rt 28 at Willard Rd near Dulles Airport. I think that you might be referring to Planet Splash & Play, which closed back in April. A little further out is Splash Down Waterpark in Manassas, VA. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Free Wilma Posted June 19, 2006 Share Posted June 19, 2006 Having been to both the Water Mine and the Great Waves on Eisenhower, I'd definitely recommend the Water Mine for 7 year olds. Great Waves has a big wave pool that could easily get too intense for a 7 year old that isn't a great swimmer. The water mine is a good bit tamer and it seems easier to find a child there. They have a great bunch of picnic tables and the park outside has a merrygoround, IIRC. The lazy river is fun....but not overwhelming. All that said, have you thought about a nice game of toss the water ballon and a squirt gun battle at the local park? Rent a picnic shelter and set up a water obstical course? I saw some got great slinghots you could use with wet sponges. 25 kids, even with help, is a LOT to keep track of at a water park. Unless you are VERY familiar with all of their swimming abilites and have 8-10 parents with you, I'd be a more than a bit nervous. I have a tough time keeping track of three kids at one of those places. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Monica Bhide Posted June 19, 2006 Author Share Posted June 19, 2006 Laura - You read my mind. That is what I have been thinking of all afternoon. I am not sure even with parents, we can handle so many kids. I like the idea of a local park and doing something like what you suggest. That is all he really wants -- his friends and some fun with water on a hot day!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hillvalley Posted June 20, 2006 Share Posted June 20, 2006 Monica, the teacher in me is cringing at the thought of you, 25 7 year-olds, and water parks. Please, do not even go there. You are asking for problems. Save your money, buy a ton of cheap sponges, buckets, water guns, a sprinkler thing or two and you will be the best mom ever. Don't bother with a slip and slide, all you really need is a lot of kitchen garbage bags (regular trash bags are too dark and become hot) and a hose. PM me if you need ideas. To make the thread food related, you'll become the most popular mom on the block if you have hershey kiss-whipped cream challenges. Put a kiss in the middle of a plate and then cover it with a mound of whipped cream. Have each kid put their hands behind their backs and then race to be the first one to find the kiss and eat it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DonRocks Posted June 20, 2006 Share Posted June 20, 2006 To make the thread food related [Are you kidding? This thread is soooo relegated to the delete bin, pending Monica's final decision. ] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RaisaB Posted June 20, 2006 Share Posted June 20, 2006 Isn't it wonderful that you have created this great community where we can ask each other these questions? Now that could be the subject of a new forum. Unfood related questions or comments for the community,or some other wonderfully creative snappy title which your brain so quickly conceives (Mr. Rockwell). (Big collective group hug inserted here.) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PollyG Posted June 20, 2006 Share Posted June 20, 2006 There is a park in Reston on Temporary Road that you can reserve through the Reston association. It has a large picnic shelter, a big grill (2 charcoal bags end-to-end), and portapotties. But the most salient feature is the water fountain with a hose-threaded spigot. If your plan is now water balloon fights/tosses, water guns, slip-n-slide (which, cruelly, has dire warnings about how it isn't for adult use), etcetera, you will want a ready supply of water. The grill is not positioned for child safety and is sort of in the center of the picnic area. It is also pretty much guaranteed to require serious scrubbing. So you may want to bring your own smaller portable grill and set it up to the side. Or you can decide that fire and sugar-crazed 7 year-olds don't mix. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crackers Posted June 20, 2006 Share Posted June 20, 2006 [Are you kidding? This thread is soooo relegated to the delete bin, pending Monica's final decision. ]Ha! Here's one thread I can relate to [finally]. You may think pool parties are difficult but really much easier than going to a park or water park. For 7 year old boys - two hour party. Three max. Hire a kid to life guard if you're somewhere without one. First 15-20 minutes: kids arrive, parents stay and chat for a bit and kids "hang out" and can either go into the pool or munch on snacks (think bags of chips and dips, nothing fancy -maybe some carrots sticks which won't get eaten.) Some parents - usually the ones without other kids - may even want to stay the whole time. Let them. Minutes 20-60: boys swim, jump around, play a couple of semi-organized pool games, [PM hillvalley for ideas] stub toes, get out to eat more chips, blow fart bubbles, call each other poop head a lot. Minute 60 - 80. Delivery pizza mercifully arrives. Cheese pizza. And juice boxes. munch munch. crusts scattered about. Minutes 80-90. Birthday boy blows out candles, distributes cake, opens presents and tosses them aside unless they are squirt gun or other cool pool toy. Kids pose for group photos. Potty time, wash off pizza sauce, maybe get more sunscreen on. Minutes 90-120 or whatever. Back into pool as the first parents arrive back to see if there is any pizza left for them, and to hang out a little more to discuss summer camp plans and size up each others kids, cajole their kid out of the water to dry off and leave. Hand each kid his party bag and a balloon and wait for the last straggling parents to arrive (usually the ones who have other kids and aren't in a big hurry to make sure their little sugar bug hasn't drowned or been bloodied.) Thank them all for coming, put pizza boxes, snack bags, juice boxes and paper goods in the trash and go home with the loot. Repeat annually. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Monica Bhide Posted June 20, 2006 Author Share Posted June 20, 2006 You would not delete this ROcks? Would you? It is about party planning and food and kids.. come on! I really appreciate all the feedback. I have given my kiddo a few options and will post his decision soon! THANKS so much for the great and fun options. (Wait till he now says he wants to go bowling. it would be so typical) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
V.H. Posted June 22, 2006 Share Posted June 22, 2006 At seven years old, I don't know if your son would be too cool for this but Arlington County has two water spraygrounds. Both are near the Clarendon part of the county and an awesome concept. We went to the one at Hayes park this evening after daycare and it's a very nice playground geared more towards the 2-5 year old crowd but the piece de resistance is a solar system themed concrete water area with spraying fountains. There's a nice grassy area with plenty of room for games and running around, a covered pavillion (don't know if you need to reserve), tennis courts, and picnic tables. Might be worth checking out for age appropriateness. The other one at Lyon Village (near the Italian Store) might be more age appropriate. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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