Has your child had a LEGO Birthday party (at the Lego store)? Or been to one?

[Corie]

Has your child had a Lego birthday party (at the Lego store)??
Or has your child ever been to a Lego birthday party at the Lego store?


My son really wants to have his birthday party at Lego. I'm just not
sure what to expect.

How do their parties work? Thanks!

[pinkmomagain]

We are going to one this week, I'll let you know.

[Corie]

We are going to one this week, I'll let you know.


Thanks! I'd love to hear about it!

[kijip]

Book early. They were sold out for all of 2010 at our store in March or April of 2010.

There is not a lot of space in our store for the parties. They do a guided build there and can fill their pick a brick favor boxes. We have been to one. Ours is in a mall, so food was walking to a Taco Del Mar in the mall.

We were not able to book there, so we bought the party pack and had it at a party room at a neighborhood pizza joint.

[Corie]

Book early. They were sold out for all of 2010 at our store in March or April of 2010.




Uh oh! I'm screwed then. His birthday is in October.

[alien_host]

We haven't been or done it but they have changed it recently, I overheard it at the store.

They also have this new kit:
http://shop.lego.com/ByTheme/Product.aspx?p=852998&cn=233

I'd love to do it in-store for DD but the no food thing seems hard.

[kijip]

Uh oh! I'm screwed then. His birthday is in October.

It's worth seeing if there is a cancellation or if your area has more openings.

The lego pack parties are super easy to use, and we used the gift card towards lego sets (small ones- actually this camper (http://shop.lego.com/Product/?p=7639)) as party favors. We did the party at a restaurant and then walked to a park after for games and parent pick-up time.

[alien_host]

Uh oh! I'm screwed then. His birthday is in October.

I'd do it at home or can you rent a room? You could have the kids do a minifig building contest. Largest tower etc.

Give series 2 minifigs for goody bag items. Or put lego bricks in a pinata (you could make a lego brick one out of a cardbd box). Endless possibilities!

[HannaAddict]

Have not been to a Lego store party, but just went to a birthday with one of nine certified "Lego Masters" was there. He led builds, brought a million different Legos, cool things already built, built tons of things, etc. The kids, mostly boys six or seven years old, loved it and were quiet and raptly building there own projects while he led the group for about an hour. Then there was food, cake, free play. It was at the birthday boy's home. The mom had read an article in the newspaper about these Lego Masters and I guess two of the nine are in our city. It was a very successful party, kids had a great time and she gave out nice Lego kits for party favors.

[kijip]

I'd do it at home or can you rent a room? You could have the kids do a minifig building contest. Largest tower etc.

Give series 2 minifigs for goody bag items. Or put lego bricks in a pinata (you could make a lego brick one out of a cardbd box). Endless possibilities!

We did guess the number of legos in a number of different jars and we played Creationary. It was a smaller party so the favors were a bit nicer than normal (on the kid side, not on the adult side. But we had already decided to home-school and were not interested in inviting the class to his party were at least 5 boys had been tormenting him all year.)

I made a cake that looked like 3 lego bricks using rolled fondant, mini cupcake bottoms and loaf pans.

[alien_host]

kijip...wow the camper, that's a cool goodie bag item! I have the camper and love it! Your cake sounds fun too.

We did guess the number of crayons in a jar for a back-to-school party. Legos would be really fun and challenging (and cool looking in glass jars).

The question I have about the store parties is that is says 6 and up. A lot of the siblings of DD's friends are much younger so I'm not sure that would work well (like 3 yrs old...I suppose 4-5 might be OK?). Having it at home or renting a rec. room type place does give more options for the guests with little ones (although at the Mall, I wonder if the parents stay or go).

[kijip]

The question I have about the store parties is that is says 6 and up. A lot of the siblings of DD's friends are much younger so I'm not sure that would work well (like 3 yrs old...I suppose 4-5 might be OK?). Having it at home or renting a rec. room type place does give more options for the guests with little ones (although at the Mall, I wonder if the parents stay or go).

It's definitely not a sibling or all parent stay situation, at least here. The store is far too small for that.

[Corie]

Have not been to a Lego store party, but just went to a birthday with one of nine certified "Lego Masters" was there. He led builds, brought a million different Legos, cool things already built, built tons of things, etc. The kids, mostly boys six or seven years old, loved it and were quiet and raptly building there own projects while he led the group for about an hour. Then there was food, cake, free play. It was at the birthday boy's home. The mom had read an article in the newspaper about these Lego Masters and I guess two of the nine are in our city. It was a very successful party, kids had a great time and she gave out nice Lego kits for party favors.



Holy cow, that sounds cool!!!

I wonder how I can find a Lego Master. I'm calling our Lego store today
anyway to inquire about birthday dates. I'll ask them!

[Corie]

I made a cake that looked like 3 lego bricks using rolled fondant, mini cupcake bottoms and loaf pans.


Awesome idea, Katie!! Do you have any pictures of his cake??

[SnuggleBuggles]

At ds1's family party this year I bought 2 identical small sets (a mini car) and the grown ups paired up to race and build fastest. Huge hit. I bet kids would like it too. :)

Beth

[SnuggleBuggles]

Awesome idea, Katie!! Do you have any pictures of his cake??

I made it 2 years ago from Family Fun:
http://familyfun.go.com/recipes/lego-cake-686148/

I used frosting but fondant would be better. I drove myself *crazy* trying to get it to be really square with the frosting (you'd get one side just right but then mess up the frosting around the corner...mind you I'm very novice!).

Beth

[Corie]

The question I have about the store parties is that is says 6 and up. A lot of the siblings of DD's friends are much younger so I'm not sure that would work well (like 3 yrs old...I suppose 4-5 might be OK?). Having it at home or renting a rec. room type place does give more options for the guests with little ones (although at the Mall, I wonder if the parents stay or go).


I called the Lego store today and spoke with the manager about a party. He
asked about the age range of the kids. He was very concerned about there
being 5 year olds at the party. I was kind of shocked about that.

Also, the thing that disappoints me about the Lego party AT the store is there
is no organized Lego build. I was hoping for it to run like the monthly free
mini-model build. (where they have instruction sheets taped on the table,
Lego store associates to help/ask questions, and everyone builds the same
mini-model) I thought it would be cool since the October mini-model is
Frankenstein. But apparently, they don't do that. The birthday party
is just an hour long "free build". That doesn't sound like fun to me. I can
plan a much better Lego party at my house!! :)

[Elilly]

We're having a b-day party for Graham's 6th b-day party soon and this is what we have planned:
1. I froze minifigures in ice cube trays and we're going to see who can free their guy the fastest
2. Guess how many legos in a glass container.
3. Put the lego on the board aka pin the tail on the donkey with the lego bases. I'm going to put the bases on the wall. I used a wet dry erase marker to color the target area.
4. I bought the small cars that are usually about $5 each during the July Target toy clearance. They will each get one and we will build them at the party.
5. I am making a cake with the loaf pan and minicupcakes. Then I found brick candy to put on cupcakes:
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0000DJT3C

Hope this helps your at home party planning!

[jess_g]

Wow these are all such great ideas for a Lego party.

Codie, Can you tell me if your Lego store had dates available for Oct and what it would cost to have the party there. My 6 yr old loves the Lego store.


Thanks. J.

[Corie]

Wow these are all such great ideas for a Lego party.

Codie, Can you tell me if your Lego store had dates available for Oct and what it would cost to have the party there. My 6 yr old loves the Lego store.


Thanks. J.


My store in Cincinnati did have a few times available for October. I did
not inquire about the cost since we have decided to do the party at home.

You can probably find the price information online.

[alien_host]

Wow these are all such great ideas for a Lego party.

Codie, Can you tell me if your Lego store had dates available for Oct and what it would cost to have the party there. My 6 yr old loves the Lego store.


Thanks. J.

I'm not the OP and I'm not sure where you live, but I overheard the sales person at the store at the South Shore Plaza in Braintree say that there were dates in October. They have two levels of parties...i.e. two price points but I didn't hear the entire discussion.

[kijip]

I called the Lego store today and spoke with the manager about a party. He
asked about the age range of the kids. He was very concerned about there
being 5 year olds at the party. I was kind of shocked about that.

Also, the thing that disappoints me about the Lego party AT the store is there
is no organized Lego build. I was hoping for it to run like the monthly free
mini-model build. (where they have instruction sheets taped on the table,
Lego store associates to help/ask questions, and everyone builds the same
mini-model) I thought it would be cool since the October mini-model is
Frankenstein. But apparently, they don't do that. The birthday party
is just an hour long "free build". That doesn't sound like fun to me. I can
plan a much better Lego party at my house!! :)

It must vary by store. Here it is def. a guided build. I agree though that home or out of the store is likely more fun.

[Percycat]

We had a lot of fun planning a lego party at home for DS 6yr party. My favorite detail was the invitation. We made small rectangle "walls" using legos the size of a mailing label; printed the invitation on mailing labels and attached to the lego "walls";cut the label with a razor knife following the edge of each label; separated the labels and put them in an envelope. The kids received the invitations in the mail, dumped out the legos, and had to put together the wall to read the invitation. We included a parents invitation in a separate envelope just in case someone could not figure out the invitation.

Many of our party ideas came from the parties described on this site.

http://www.birthdaypartyideas.com/html/lego.html

My son goes to a new school this year and he is asking for another lego party for his 8yr party. : )

Hope your son has a great birthday.
angela

[avd3875]

Thank you OP, for this thread! The timing is perfect. DS wants a LEGO party for his 7th birthday in two months. Our LEGO store is about 30 minutes away, so not impossible, but not easy. The two price levels are $169.99 or $189.99. For the lower price each child gets to fill a "pick-a-brick" box and then build something with those pieces. The higher price includes a $100 gift card that you then use to buy a $10 set for each child to build at the party. The party host is there to assist kids who need help and keep customers out of the party. They only book parties one month out, so there is time, but we've decided to do it at home.
We're going to buy sets that are <$5 for party favors, and they can use our extensive LEGO collection to build something during the partyWe might also let them build a $5 set during the party so they'll go home with two. I've decided that DH is a non-official LEGO Master (I really should post pictures of some of the amazing things he's built), and he can do so much more with the kids than a LEGO party host.
All the ideas PPs have mentioned are wonderful. I am getting very excited about this year's party. I also found this blog with some great ideas for a LEGO party. http://deannasstuff.blogspot.com/2008/09/its-gonna-be-lego-birthday-party.html

[alien_host]

I like the birthdaypartyideas website, I just wish they had pictures too!

avd3875 does the $169.99 and the $189.99 include the birthday "kit", the one with the birthday minifigures or do you buy that separately?

[avd3875]

avd3875 does the $169.99 and the $189.99 include the birthday "kit", the one with the birthday minifigures or do you buy that separately?[/QUOTE]

Yes, the kit is included in the cost of the party. The kit is $60 if you buy it separately, but when you do it as part of the party you are paying that, plus the $100 for the gift card, and the remaining 29.99 is the in-store party fee, which gets you to the $189.99 party.

ETA: The kit is also included in the $169.99 party.

[pinkmomagain]

Lego party review:
OK it was an hour long and was basically 2 folding tables set up in an L shape towards the front of our very tiny store. No chairs. 10 kids mostly 5yos. Free build - 2 guys basically just dumped legos on the tables for the kids to build with. Minimal guidance. 90% of the time, 90% of the kids were running around the store. For 5 yo's and a freebuild -- wasn't worth it. The truly COOL part was when the kids got to fill their party favor box with all the legos in the back of the store (kinda like a candy store....reaching into various bins).

[baileygirl]

We went to a birthday party at a lego store a few months ago, and our experience was the same as pinkmomagain's. They did let the kids build a mini figure too, and that was ds' favorite part.

[Corie]

After talking to my son further, he really wants his party at the Lego store.
So, it's booked.

The party was $189.99. We get $100 Lego gift card and the $60 birthday kit.
(The birthday kit includes party invitations, thank you notes, and birthday-themed
mini-figures.)

I will probably also get the kids a Series 2 mini-figure.

[jess_g]

Love this trhead! The idea of a Lego party sounds great. Our store is about an hour away so I am not sure how practicle it would be for us but maybe we could make it work. Can someone explain the $100 gift card to me? And what do you do about cake? Maybe have it at the food court? Or do you skip it all together? And how many kids can come to the party?

thanks, J.

[alien_host]

Love this trhead! The idea of a Lego party sounds great. Our store is about an hour away so I am not sure how practicle it would be for us but maybe we could make it work. Can someone explain the $100 gift card to me? And what do you do about cake? Maybe have it at the food court? Or do you skip it all together? And how many kids can come to the party?

thanks, J.

From what I can tell the $100 gift card is to help purchase sets for the participants. My concern is a bunch of kids wanting "stuff" and how to control it. I guess the lego store by us will "put a few choices (made by you) on the checkout counter and the kids are told they can pick from there". You pay for any "overage" due to more expensive sets or tax.

I think you can also just take the $100 gift card home or use it to buy goody bag items (like minifigures, small sets) and not have a choice in-store. The sales person also said you could use it to buy basic sets and have the kids build them there (but I would be worried about missing pieces, keeping it all together etc).

Our store, you cannot have any food. You could go to the food court and do food/cake.

The package is for 10 kids. I think you can add on more kids by paying per child (not sure how much or how many kids max).

[Corie]

Love this trhead! The idea of a Lego party sounds great. Our store is about an hour away so I am not sure how practicle it would be for us but maybe we could make it work. Can someone explain the $100 gift card to me? And what do you do about cake? Maybe have it at the food court? Or do you skip it all together? And how many kids can come to the party?

thanks, J.


You can have 10 kids total. So, we'll invite 9.

The $100 gift card will buy the Lego sets for each kid to build at the party.
And this doubles as their party favor too.

They also get a birthday mini-figure from the $60 birthday kit. (which
it part of your party cost, not additional)

I will probably make cupcakes and bring them in my cupcake courier. I always
make chocolate cupcakes with lots of chocolate icing for my son. He has a nut
allergy.
We'll head to the food court for the cupcakes and we'll also buy pizza for lunch.

No food/drinks are allowed in the Lego store.