Beltway Bambinos

A few friends of our friends as well as family members have had birthdays during this pandemic. We celebrated the best way we could think of; a drive to our nephews house blaring Stevie Wonders ‘happy birthday’ with handmade posters and cards and we mailed gifts via Amazon to others. While neither are ideal, we still were happy to be able to wish them a happy birthday during this tough time. Another great idea is to organize a birthday parade; I saw it play out on Glennon Doyle’s IG when her daughter’s friends planned a fun surprise parade and it brought tears to my eyes. Now that we are looking at months of this social distancing some of our favorite places have thought about how to continue to make birthdays specials for our kiddos. So prepare to bake a birthday cake, order a birthday banner or themed decor and check out the options below. We introduce to you virtual birthday parties!

District Dabble Lab
Virtual Parties: Like they do for Birthday Parties at the DabbleLab, Emily will do a completely customized theme (mermaids, unicorn, rainbow) party for the child. She always personalizes something for each attendee, so if the parent would like to include the birthday child’s friends in a Zoom party, they are welcome to send the names and Emily will make a art kit for each one for the parent to pick-up and deliver to the guests of their virtual party.  If the family is doing something just for the child and his/her siblings, Emily will create completely personalized and custom craft kits for them.  

Dabble On-The-Go Art Kits: These change weekly and include three projects and a personalized art bag.  Orders should be placed the week before and they are ready for delivery or pick-up on Monday of the following week. Emily will deliver within 2 miles at no charge and between 2-10 miles for a $5 fee. Anyone can do contact-free pick-up at the DabbleLab. 

Red Panda Art Studio
Red Panda Art Studio is now offering virtual birthday parties! They will facilitate a 45-minute art activity with you and your guests! Art activity can be customized to any theme using materials most families will already have at home (markers, paper, paint, etc)– or you can arrange for them to create customized art kits to deliver to participants! Red Panda aims to bring some art fun to your Zoom party during this time! Extend the birthday fun by creating together! Email Stephanie for all of the details! 

Virtual Art Classes: Stephanie is also offering virtual art class. Both of my kids are taking art class with their besties once a week and it is perfect. The projects use art supplies you likely have at home and are done over Zoom.

Henry’s Sweet Retreat
At home birthday party package includes decorations, cookie activity, games and cake and is available for curbside service! Included are 16 pre-baked sugar cookies for the family to decorate with 4 colors of icing and 4 kinds of decorations. A bright colored rainbow “Happy Birthday” banner and special hat for birthday kid and a birthday cake. The package includes an 8” cake (perfect for a family) decorated and a special message. This also includes games for 4-6 year olds and games for 7 & up that have instructions. Some choices are: Jelly Belly jelly bean tasting – they’ll give you 6 (fairly simple) flavors to try and figure out! Henry’s Helper – dress a paper doll cut out using frosting as glue. Missing Candy Game – figure out what candy is missing. M&M game – includes cups, m&m’s and straws. Candy Ball Saran Wrap ball (all you need is dice). Soda Tasting – they’ll give you 3 unique sodas to taste blindly to figure out the flavor.

ArtJamz
Offering various virtual classes and at-home paint kits. Unleash your inner artist! at home with an ArtJamz at-home paint kit and/or order a few for your kids friends and have your own Zoom party. You could also sign-up the attendees for a jamming live virtual painting experiences taught by a talented artists.

All Fired Up
While they are not offering virtual birthday parties, they are delivering take home kits with everything you need. You could browse the choices and order a few for your kids friends and have your own Zoom party!

Badlands
Beginning this weekend, Badlands has launched Badlands Birthdays in a Bag! – providing everything you need to replicate a themed birthday party, Badlands style! There are 4 themes available for purchase:  Born to sparkle (unicorn), Hear Me Roarrr (Dinosaur), Shellebrate (Mermaid) and Calling All Heroes!  (Superhero).  Each kit contains décor, birthday signage, plates, cups and items to deck out your birthday party at home.  Also included are a mindful moment card, activity sheets and virtual activities with accompanying materials like themed bingo to enjoy with friends and family at home or virtually! 

Birthdays in a bag can be ordered via Badlands’ recently launched non contact Pull-in Pantry, a service providing pantry staples, alcohol and STEAM activity kits like Slime, Build a Rocket and Craft Kit (with more kits to come in the weeks ahead).  The Pull-in Pantry not only provides a vital service to the community, but also helps to support Badlands’ staff pay relief during this challenging time.  The pantry operates every Thursday – Sunday from 12pm – 6pm.  Orders can be placed anytime and a pick up window chosen or call 240-599-5108.

The Great Zucchini
The award winning children’s entertainer who needs no introduction is offering 30 minute Zoom parties.

Mad Science
Live, virtual, interactive birthday parties are now available. Let Mad Science host your child and up to 40 of their friends in a secure Zoom ‘party-room’. Mad Science is Washington FAMILY Magazine’s 2019 Winner for Best Kid’s Entertainer. Call for more details at 301-593-4777.

My Gym Bethesda & Potomac
Party On! (Online, that is!) Everyone is at home and social distancing, but don’t let that stop you from throwing a birthday bash your child will always remember. My Gym LIVE brings great birthday parties to your home, living room or backyard! A 30 minute My Gym live birthday party includes LIVE age appropriate interactive entertainment from a My Gym Teacher. Dance, play games, party virtually and make memories together! My Gym birthday shirt for the birthday child is available for pick-up as soon as they re-open and they receive 4 free weeks of live online classes for the birthday child. Each party attendee will receive one free live online class for party attendees.

Marsha Goodman Wood
Virtual Birthday parties! I’m so glad to be able to provide this option for people to make their child’s birthday special even while we stay safe and practice social distancing. It’s nice doing these on Zoom because all the children can see each other and dance together from a distance. Usually the musician mutes everyone else while performing a song so the party participants can make noise without cutting off the performer and interfering with the audio. Then, the performer can unmute the participants to give people an opportunity to talk back or to each other between songs. It’s really a nice way to be able to celebrate while we can’t meet in person. There are some other online options that work for parties, too, such as Google Hangouts (and if a parent had another preferred platform, I’m open to anything that works best for the family).  I try to keep my performance like I would at an in-person party, with songs tailored to the age of the birthday child and partygoers, and lots of opportunities to sing & dance along. I also provide the host & participants with album downloads so all of the families can have some music to enjoy even after the party is over. My goal is to give the birthday child and their family a joyous day and a positive experience making music together at home! The best way for families to schedule is to go to the above link and contact Marsha either by email or phone 202-246-6688.

Zig Zag Zooooom! 
The incomparable magistical laffinator, Zig Zag offers a variety of virtual shows for young and not-so-young kids.  Packed with Puppetry, Music and Kid’s Magic, Zig Zag’s shows will fill your home with joy and laughter.

Busy Bees
For Busy Bees, parties equal happiness and togetherness. They say it’s time for us to bring that back to our families! They have created a way to be “together”, while we are apart. Through designed celebration packages,  your lil’ ones and their friends will join together in the same mission  while at the “same place” (enter same Zoom backdrop created for each of the activities)! Packages are perfect for virtual playdates, or virtual birthday parties.
Order yours now for curbside pickup at our Falls Church store on the specified date.

If you’re wondering how to make a child’s birthday special, socially conscious, and STEM-tastic amidst the pandemic, look no further than Rosie Riveters! We’re bringing our immensely popular programming to virtual birthday parties for kids turning 5 to 10 with Rosie Celebrates!  And you’ll be celebrating with a social conscience; all proceeds from Rosie Celebrates parties go directly toward supporting our mission to provide free STEM programming to girls ages 4-14. What does that look like during COVID-19? We’ve been providing STEM kits just like the ones we use for Rosie Celebrates to local children in need free of charge.