Birthday Party Upgrades that Kids Will Love

Rent an alpaca or photo booth to make your child’s special day even more memorable.

By Rachel Schlueter August 17, 2023

The days of just pizza and cake for your child’s home birthday party are long gone. To step up your host game, try renting the entertainment.

Little ones can enjoy face painting or princesses, and older kids can watch a movie on an inflatable screen or play on a video game truck. Whatever your party needs, these rentals have you and your next birthday bash covered.

This business brings the barnyard right to your backyard. The petting zoo can include a mini horse, hedgehog, sheep, rabbits, and ducks. Big D’s also offers pony rides, train rides, and carnival games. Add a sweet treat to your party by renting Big D’s ice cream or soft serve truck.

From an 18-foot fire truck slide to a Batman obstacle course, this inflatables business out of Gainesville brings endless activity and fun. Rent bounce houses, slides, obstacle courses, and water slides for your backyard. Bruno’s Bounce House also offers concessions machines, tables, chairs, yard games, and a dunk tank. Prices for the inflatables start around $230 for your basic Disney bounce house for eight hours.

Your birthday party just got a whole lot fluffier. These mini alpacas are friendly and easy-going around kids of all ages (and even dogs). You can hug them, walk them around your yard, and pose for Instagram-worthy pictures. My Pet Alpaca, based in Delaplane, also offers mini goats, baby bunnies, geckos, and snakes. Prices for the first hour with an alpaca depend on your location and start at $85 if you are in Delaplane, Hume, Linden, or Marshall.

Document your party memories with a photo booth. Each booth comes with an on-site attendant, unlimited photo sessions, photo strips, and a prop box. Rentals range from 2 to 5 hours and can be upgraded to include custom photo strips, a memory book, and upscale props. Rentals start at $395 for two hours.

Elevate your next birthday slumber party with an inflatable outdoor movie screen. The backyard movie package includes a 7-foot-tall screen, sound system, high-definition projector, and popcorn machine. A technical crew will attend the whole event, so you can relax and enjoy a movie night under the stars. Prices for a two-and-a-half-hour event begin at $349.

Celebrate in style with professional face painting. Rentals last from one to three hours. Smiley Face Painting also creates custom balloon arches, walls, and garlands that make for picturesque backdrops. And if you are looking to throw an artsy birthday, the business offers custom canvas painting. One hour will cost $175. Two hours runs $300, and three, $450.

Add a magical touch to your party with an appearance from your child’s favorite princess or prince. Each party of no more than 15 children includes two characters, dancing and a sing-along, games, a glamour session, interactive story time, cake time, and pictures. Glamour sessions can consist of nail painting, princess makeovers, or balloon art. An hour will cost $375 and two, $525.

This video game truck allows up to 32 kids to play at once. The truck comes with eight high-definition screens, surround sound, and a large arsenal of games. Your child can play their favorite PlayStation, Xbox, or Nintendo Switch. A two-hour birthday party that includes Fortnite runs $425. Three hours will cost $575 to $599, depending on the day.

Feature image, John/stock.adobe.com

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