The best part of helping to manage this blog is being given the opportunity to check out fun activities and events with my kids! Kids in the Capital was invited to host a birthday party at Flying Squirrel’s Ottawa location, and my soon-to-be 7 year-old jumped at the chance (see what I did there?)

The Venue

Flying Squirrel is a trampoline park located in the east end of the city, across from Costco (1901 Cyrville Rd.) There is ample parking (we couldn’t help feeling sorry for all the folks in the Costco parking lot who were being directed by police!!) The facility is HUGE (it’s apparently the world’s largest) and has a basketball and dodgeball court, a flip zone, foam pits, slack line, rope swing and battlebeam. Plus of course, the miles of trampoline freestyle.

Birthday Party Packages

We opted for the Bounce Party, which is suitable for 10 guests and less. The party is two and a half hours long, with two hours of jump time, and includes two pizzas, water and an assigned party host (along with several other special goodies for the birthday kid!) Parents can join in for an additional $8. There are larger packages for more jumpers and adults jumpers as well!

Our Experience

Although it was a hectic Saturday FULL of birthday parties, our experience felt simple and straightforward. I made sure the parents of our guests had done the online waiver before arriving (although even if you forgot, it was quick and easy to do during drop-off) and also let everyone know to bring jump socks if they had them. All the kiddos checked in at the party desk first and then we headed back to our table. Our host went over the rules (where to go, where not to go, the importance of safety first etc.) and then the kids were let loose. Mom was let loose too, and let me tell you, she had a blast ;)

By the time one hour had passed the kids were STARVING. We opted to buy an additional veggie tray to go with the pizza as well as a pitcher of iced tea. It seemed like the perfect amount of food for 10 7 year-old girls, but I would probably want to order a third pizza if we had any more kids (or bigger appetites!)

As soon as the kids were done eating they were free to continue jumping until the final half an hour, when we returned to our table to do cake and presents. Our host was super helpful, serving all the kids drinks and food. My husband and I were shocked at how calm it all seemed, because normally we’re running around doing the serving.

A few things to note:

Each child is greeted over the speaker and everyone shouts Happy Birthday!! before you head back to the table for food. This was clearly the highlight for the birthday girl.
I was worried kids would eat a lot and then feel sick while jumping, but that never happened!! I guess they were burning it off too fast!
No outside food is allowed at the facility (except your cake of course,) so if you have a party time over the lunch/dinner hour you will definitely want to consider some add-ons like fruit or veggie trays or iced tea/pop. You will need to take that into consideration for your total cost

If I had one complaint, it was the need for some better eco-practices. When I spoke to the planner over phone I told them I would bring my own table cloth, cutlery and cups (they have paper plates that we used) and also requested no water bottles (we opted for a pitcher of water instead.) I know many parents are conscious of our plastic consumption these days, so I was really happy that they were able to accomodate my requests!

My daughter claims it was her “best birthday ever” and it certainly was a great experience for all of us. Bonus was that it was a rainy day, and so the kids had a great 2 hours getting all their energy out. I think we all slept well that night!

Have you ever had a birthday party at Flying Squirrel?