Bowling Birthday Party Tips and Ideas

My little guy Mason turned 5 last week and we celebrated with a bowling birthday party over the weekend. I mean seriously where does the time go!? He was just a little baby and now he will be starting kindergarten in a little over a month! Normally I try to save money by having birthday parties at our house rather than renting out a space or paying to reserve a park. Since I knew I was due to have Emmett June 15th and wouldn’t feel like cleaning or prepping for a party this time around we planned to have a party at the bowling alley. Honestly I probably saved money by having it there rather than our house!! When I host parties at the house I feel like I need to go overboard on food, drinks, games and decorations. With the bowling party I wasn’t pressured to fill a house with decorations based on some complicated theme or make a bunch of food and drink. On the way home I joked with my husband that all parties would be at the bowling alley from now on! (He would love that since he has gotten’ on to me for going overboard with birthdays in the past.) I did make and create a few things for the party – because I just couldn’t help myself! I chose a red and black color scheme and then picked out plates, cups, utensils and a few other supplies from Party Pail. Bowling Birthday Ideas:

Make a bowling ball banner. Punch circles out of white cardstock using a one inch circle punch. Glue the cardstock circles onto small black paper plates. Then use a hole punch and twine to create the banner.
Make bowling trophies to give to the kids. Paint smooth circle Styrofoam balls with black acrylic paint. (I used a wooden skewer to hold the balls still while I painted and then put the skewer in a cup until the ball was dry) Using white paint, paint three circles on the top of the ball to make it look like a bowling ball. Glue the balls to the tops of upside down gold paper cups and then write the name of the award on the cup. I made awards for Strike King, A-Lotta Spares, Slow Roller, Best Dressed, Cutest Bowler and Gutter Ball Master.
Bake bowling ball cupcakes! I baked the cupcakes myself to save a few (more like 20+) dollars. I frosted the cupcakes with premade frosting and then used cherry bomb candies and an edible black marker to make the candies look like bowling balls.
At a bowling birthday there is no pressure to come up with party games because bowling IS the game but I did fill a jar with gumballs and have the kids guess how many were in the jar.

Bowling Birthday Tips:

Call the bowling alley a month or more ahead to find out their party rates and to see what is included when you book a party with them. At our bowling alley I paid per child and it included pizza, soda, shoe rental and 2 hours of bowling. The birthday boy was free and they provided a crown and bowling pin. I was required to provide the cake.
When you send invitations remind everyone to bring socks. I didn’t do this and had a few people forget theirs! Learn from my mistakes.
If you decide to go with a color scheme I found it easier to shop online for the cups, utensils, plates, napkins and other items. Party Pail has a ‘shop by color’ section on their website that made it SO easy!! In the past when I have tried to buy everything within a color scheme I have had to make trips to multiple stores or improvise – but not this time! Everything arrived at my front door and I got to work crafting.
If you are taking any of your own decorations remember tape!
If you have to provide your own cake remember candles and a lighter!

Do you have any bowling birthday party tips, tricks or ideas!? Thank you to Party Pail for providing the party tableware. All ideas and opinions are 100% my own.

Enjoy,

I party HERE
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