Parties

Birthday parties at A Step Outside of the Box include crafts, hair beading, nail polishing, tattoos, games, and much more. Schedule a gathering for any day of the week. Saturdays book up fast, so call early.

Food and beverages may be brought in, and customized invitations are printed for you. A $50 nonrefundable is required.

The Detroit Popcorn Company makes and sells a variety of popcorn and other treats. The company also provides catering, equipment, and supplies for events like birthday parties, family reunions, picnics, and corporate celebrations.

Mrs. Maddox Cake Shop is often described as one of the best cake shops in metro Detroit. The bakers can personalize your cake with hand-picked colors, a photo, drawing, or copy of an invitation in just about any shape you can imagine.

The shop also makes tea sandwiches, miniature pastries, quiches, and petit fours.

Pebbles is the cutest clown in metro Detroit. She makes great balloon sculptures, has a large selection of tatoos, and entertains with songs and games. Her face paintings are works of art.

Pebbles makes regular appearances at Buddy's Pizza restaurants around metro Detroit.

The Wunderground carries a wide variety of puzzles, games, and tools of the magician trade, from starter tricks to more advanced supplies.

The shop also offers classes for kids ages seven to 14 on Saturday mornings. Classes run in six-week increments. There are also a stable of magicians who perform at birthday parties.

Paula Doak, The Merry Music Maker, has developed a fun, interactive music program for children ages two to six. She is available for parties, festivals, and programs at schools, libraries, and churches.

The Merry Music Maker also teaches music enrichment classes at the Grosse Pointe Community Center and the Troy Community Center.

Bouncin' Kidz is an 11,000-square-foot indoor inflatable party place featuring eight giant inflatables.

Bounce parties are available seven days a week and range from $170 to $255 for up to 25 guests. The price includes 90 minutes of bounce time; 45 minutes in a party room; plates, cups, and napkins; party invitations; and a gift for the birthday child. Pizza, desserts, and beverages are available for an additional charge. Other unique items, such as cotton candy, nachos, and slushies, can also be arranged.

Bouncin' Kidz offers field trips and fundraisers, and the entire facility can be rented out for private parties. The company also rents out moonwalks, giant slides, obstacle courses, concessions, tents, tables, chairs, and carnival games.

Inflatable Planet is an 8,000-square-foot indoor inflatable play land where children can climb, bounce, and slide down huge, air-filled play structures - or have a blast in the arcade and win prizes. There's also airbrush tattoos, face painting, and a magician available.

Private parties are scheduled every day except Friday when the play place offers a Toddler Time for ages five and under from 11am-1pm.

Inflatable Planet offers a variety of private party packages, including a $199 party for 12 kids that features two hours in the inflatable area and arcade and up to two hours in the private party room with pizza, soda, and more.

Jungle Java is a cute cafe and kids' play gym, all in one. Relax with a chicken ceasar roll-up and cappuccino while your little monkeys go wild. The menu includes sandwiches, soups, salads, numerous coffee drinks, and a good variety of fruit smoothies. A kids' menu includes hot dogs, mac and cheese, pb & j sandwiches, and mini pancakes. Jungle Java offers free end of the season sports parties, and offers a fundraising program for schools focusing on healthy food and play.

Infants and toddlers up to age three can romp around the Toddler Safari, while older kids go bananas in the Jungle's mazes, tunnels, and spiraling slides. A small rock climbing wall, designed to be safe but challenging, offers additional adventure potential.

Parties: Jungle Java offers several two-hour party packages. The basic $11.50/child party includes admission, beverages, invitations, thank you cards, paper products, and balloons. For $2 more, each child gets a choice of hot dog, mac and cheese, or pb & j sandwich; snacks; and a Jungle Java souvenir. $16.50/child adds a jungle-themed birthday cake, jungle-themed masks, and return passes. $20.00/child adds goodie bags and a Jungle Java T-shirt for the birthday child. The party minimum is eight children for weekend parties. The minimum is waived for weekday parties. A $50 nonrefundable deposit is required. Option of food may vary among stores.

Adult party packages are also available, with many choices of food platters (sandwiches, fruit, cheese and crackers, breadsticks, chips and salsa, etc.).

Imagine a 985-acre historic island park with a beach, conservatory, and lighthouse on an island in downtown Detroit. First-time visitors to the city are shocked that such a jewel exists. But metro Detroiters know Belle Isle well and are proud of its offerings.

Travel across its 1/2-mile bridge and make a stop at the Scott Fountain first. Built in 1925 out of white marble, dozens of lions, dolphins, and turtles grace the fountain. Don't forget some spare change to hand over to your little wishers.

Move on to the Anna Scripps Whitcomb Conservatory (open every day 10am-5pm), home to hundreds of cacti, ferns, and palms. Be sure to bring your camera - this is a beautiful place to capture images of your children amongst the flowers and plants.

Then check out the world's largest collection of scale-model Great Lakes ships at the Dossin Great Lakes Museum (open Sat-Sun 10am-4pm).

Due to budget issues, the zoo and aquarium are now closed (hopefully not for good), but there is much more to do here. There's a giant slide and playscape near the beach, tennis courts, and lots of areas for biking, walking, or strolling.

In the summertime, Belle Isle comes alive with ballplayers, joggers, and golfers (there is a nine-hole course and driving range on the island). Families and the smells of their BBQs fill the park, fishermen line the piers, and at the end of the day cars line up on the west side of the island to get a good sunset view.

Cool facts: The American Indians called the island Wah-nah-be-zee (White Swan). The French settlers placed wild pigs on the island and its named changed to Island of the Hogs. The park was designed by Frederick Law Olmsted, the man who drew up the plans for that little ol' tract of trees known as Central Park in New York City. Famed architect Albert Kahn patterned the conservatory after Thomas Jefferson's Monticello.

To reserve a picnic shelter, call 313.852.4076.

To help preserve the park for future generations, call the Friends of Belle Isle at 313.331.7760.

Parents and grandparents probably remember the plastic elephant keys that set off educational recordings at each animal cage at the Detroit Zoo, which is actually located in a suburb north of the city. Memorable as they were, the keys are gone. The live elephants are gone as well (sniffle!) - off to a better place, for them, in California (and doing just fine!).

The Detroit Zoo is not a zoo of the past. In fact, it has continuously reinvented itself through the years to become a state-of-the-art, great-fun-for-the-whole-family - and-for-the-animals-too - zoological park.

It still has the Penguinarium, Great Apes of Harambee, and the Tauber Family Railroad ($2/one way), but it now also has the Butterfly House, Amphibiville, Australian Outback Adventure, and the Arctic Ring of Life - the world's largest polar bear exhibit, at which visitors can actually walk into a transparent tunnel and watch seals and polar bears frolick above and around.

Kids go wild in the playscape area, with separate areas for younger and older kids. In fact, you might want to move around the zoo clockwise to hit the play area early so your kids don't experience burnout before this point.

Admission to the Detroit Zoo and its features adds up, so if making repeat visits, a seasonal family membership of $74 is the way to go.

Strollers, wagons, wheelchairs, and electric vehicles are available for an extra fee.

Parties: The zoo rents out picnic sites in its park with picnic tables for $100. Tented sites for a catered event are available at an additional charge.

Have a Wild Adventure Birthday Celebration at the zoo for up to 12 guests for $20/child and $21/adult. The price includes zoo admission, pizza or hot dogs and chips, beverages, ice cream cups, gift bags for each child, and decorations.

Parents and grandparents probably remember the plastic elephant keys that set off educational recordings at each animal cage at the Detroit Zoo, which is actually located in a suburb north of the city. Memorable as they were, the keys are gone. The live elephants are gone as well (sniffle!) - off to a better place, for them, in California (and doing just fine!).

The Detroit Zoo is not a zoo of the past. In fact, it has continuously reinvented itself through the years to become a state-of-the-art, great-fun-for-the-whole-family - and-for-the-animals-too - zoological park.

It still has the Penguinarium, Great Apes of Harambee, and the Tauber Family Railroad ($2/one way), but it now also has the Butterfly House, Amphibiville, Australian Outback Adventure, and the Arctic Ring of Life - the world's largest polar bear exhibit, at which visitors can actually walk into a transparent tunnel and watch seals and polar bears frolick above and around.

Kids go wild in the playscape area, with separate areas for younger and older kids. In fact, you might want to move around the zoo clockwise to hit the play area early so your kids don't experience burnout before this point.

Admission to the Detroit Zoo and its features adds up, so if making repeat visits, a seasonal family membership of $74 is the way to go.

Strollers, wagons, wheelchairs, and electric vehicles are available for an extra fee.

Parties: The zoo rents out picnic sites in its park with picnic tables for $100. Tented sites for a catered event are available at an additional charge.

Have a Wild Adventure Birthday Celebration at the zoo for up to 12 guests for $20/child and $21/adult. The price includes zoo admission, pizza or hot dogs and chips, beverages, ice cream cups, gift bags for each child, and decorations.