Entertainment Services for Kids Parties

Carolon

Let’s face it. DIYing everything for a party requires A LOT of spare time and a bit of vocation, which most working parents do not have. That’s why in this post I’m going to talk about entertainment for hire. My daughter is still too young so we’ve never really had to think about this. Just having some toys around was enough for the babies and toddlers attending. But as she, and the other kids grow up, I might need to start upping my game in the entertainment side of the party.

Here are some ideas of services around Seattle that I thought looked pretty cool.

For 2 years old and up:

Music, Dancing and Storytelling: younger kids are the hardest to entertain because of the short attention span. Having a group play live music, tell stories and engage them in dancing activities is a wonderful option for toddlers.

Heather and Matt from ImaginationBand have been making kids smile for over 17 years around the greater Seattle area.
They have original songs and use puppets and other toys to pass along important values while having fun.

For 3 years old and up:

Face Painting: simple, yet entertaining. It can match the party theme or it can be the theme on its own. You can even set up a photo booth to capture all those cute painted faces.

I loved the face painting work of Amanda Desiree from Mukilteo. She has great reviews on GigSalad.

Inflatable Bouncers: no mystery here. Kids love jumping and bouncing. This is guaranteed fun for virtually any age above 3. You just need space and good weather.

Clowns Unlimited, from SeaTac, is one of those “everything for parties” providers. But I particularly loves their bouncer portfolio. So many varieties!
They also have a younger toddlers alternative. A soft play station they can safely explore.

Cartoon and Film Characters: these are a wonderful addition to a character themed party. Younger kids will be sparkly-eyed when they see their heroes in the flesh.

Seattle-based Live Wires has a plethora of characters that need no introduction. And they go far beyond children’s parties.
With a similar portfolio of performers but more focused on kids there’s, also Seattle-based, Party Princess Productions.

Animals: there are so many cool animal related party entertainment services. Mobile petting zoo, ponies, reptiles. It’s certainly an unforgettable experience for kids of any age.

Based in Snohomish, Seattle Pony Party brings to your party 2 ponies for one hour of riding followed by carrot feeding.
Available for events throughout the Puget Sounds, Seattle Reptile Guy will bring dozens of crawlers that kids will be able to touch.
Animal Encounters, from Issaquah, offers a mobile petting zoo! For birthdays they usually bring a wallaby, a Patagonian mara, small goats, rabbits and bantam chickens.

For 4 years old and up

Magicians, Balloon Twisters, Clowns: don’t be fooled, these classics are still a thing. 

George is a Washingtonian Top Pro on Thumbtack and has been entertaining kids with magic, balloons and a lot more for 45 years.

Science Experiments: did you know you can hire “mad scientists” to do crazy and fun experiments at your kid’s birthday party? Me neither! You’re welcome!

These Mad Scientists will bring spectacular chemical reactions, rocket launches, plasma balls, ooey, gooey slime and much, much more to your kid’s party around King and Snohomish counties. And don’t worry: they do all the clean up at the end.

While all these service options look pretty amazing, they can be quite pricey. We are talking about $200/hour and up here. Bouncy castles can cost up to $800 for 4 hours. If your budget is restricted but you’d still like something fun and practical for your kid’s party, these 3 ideas below are a DIYable way to keep kids entertained for a good chunk of time with not a lot of aptitudes and preparation time required:

Susan Adcox wrote a pretty cool Treasure Hunt guide for The Spruce with instructions and clues you can print.
Melissa Heckscher, for the Red Tricycle, lays out everything you need to know to host a drive in film session at home.

And finally, Barbara Rucci from ArtBar suggests 20 different ways you can set up a cool arts and crafts table.

Have you ever hired any entertainers for a party? Tell us about your experience!