Parties

Faces & B'loons by Lauri offers a wide variety of entertainers (balloon twisters, face painters, and more) for parties. The company also provides twisted balloon centerpieces, party favors, buckets of water balloons, and many other balloon-themed items.

Balloon Celebrations is one of the first balloon companies in the world, the inventors of Specialty Balloons, and one of the first to create balloon architecture.

Quirky French Chef Madame Chocolat creates a stir at birthday parties and other events with her interactive cooking show. The chef and her assistant solicit help from the audience to make a chocolate cake.

High Touch High Tech provides hands-on, traveling science birthday parties. The parties are designed for children ages four and older and are totally participatory, safe, and age appropriate. Each child becomes a scientist
and performs real experiments.

Designed for children ages four and older, High Touch High Tech provides hands-on science birthday parties that are totally participatory, safe, and age appropriate. The 'scientists' are professional educators who work in West LA area schools.

The company offers six different birthday party packages to choose from; all packages include a 75-minute science adventure with all supplies and materials for up to 15 children ($5 fee for each additional child), take-home experiments and goodie bags, and a special science gift for the birthday child.

The unique performance troupe Faery Trail Theater is most known for its highly popular outdoor show A Faery Hunt, which takes place promenade style on the trails of O'Melveny Park in the San Fernando Valley and at Corriganville Park in Simi Valley.

The show is interactive, with the audience encouraged to help 'faery' hunters Frances Griffiths and Elsie Wright to locate winged sprites in the woods. As if on cue, one likeable character after another magically appears from behind trees and shrubs until a whole extended family of fairies (and the occasional troll) have gathered to play out an entertaining drama.

The show is suitable for all ages (the phrase "Nothing scary happens in the woods" is oft repeated along the way), most particularly delighting the open minds of the very young, who all turn out in their favorite dress-up clothes. Never fear, however, if you're short on fairy garb; wings, hats, and fairy dust are all available for sale at the beginning of the 'hunt'.

Advance reservations are not required, but they do provide the added advantage of getting a child's name mentioned in the show.

Faery Trail Theater takes birthday party bookings, either as part of the regular Faery Hunt outing or privately. Individual fairy characters are also available to come to parties as entertainers.

Other programs offered by the company include visits to children in hospitals and group activities like Girl Scout badges.

The show meets at parks around the city, including Corriganville Park on the first and third Sunday of every month (meeting in the parking lot) and O'Melveny Park on the second and fourth Saturday. Rain cancels, as do major holidays.

Jessica at Lily Alva Photography specializes in maternity photography as well as babies, children, families, and even birthday parties.

Sessions may be held at the family's home or at any other location.

Movies by Kids is a creative program designed for teaching young students the exciting process of movie making and animation through workshops, summer programs, and enrichment programs.

Movies By Kids also offers music video birthday parties, using a blue screen and stage lighting to create special effect sequences. A DVD copy is provided to each partygoer.

A location lifestyle portrait photographer specializing in babies, children, teens, and relationships. Serving Los Angeles, Long Beach, South Bay and surrounding cities.

A learning studio started by an astrophysicist is bound to be a little different, and The Ideas Studio doesn't disappoint. The founder's professional connections have led to unique collaborations with NASA and Sally Ride Science, as well as with Lego Robotics.

The programs which most set this place apart are the Space Discovery and Astronaut Training classes. In addition to physical training and map skills, these classes offer a unique connection with the International Space Station and special access to its EarthKam. Astronauts at the station exchange email with students and take pictures for them from outer space.

A collaboration with Sally Ride Science includes periodic Family Science Nights, sometimes attended by Sally herself. The Lego Robotics program provides an opportunity to work with complex robot mechanisms that work in conjunction with the classic blocks to become whatever children imagine. The studio takes these devices to elementary schools as well, to augment enrichment and GATE programs.

Other programs include the Inventors Club, after school enrichment, various infant, toddler and pre-school classes, and Fairytale Theater. Special programs are offered for homeschooling groups.

Weekends are reserved for birthday parties, which are available in just about any theme, with custom designed scenery. The giant pirate ship is a popular party feature.

Parents' Night Out offers four hours of entertainment for $45 every Friday night, while adults enjoy local restaurants (like Vittorio's next door).

Summer camp programs are available, too.

The shop offers a great variety of educational toys, including the full line of Lego products.

Top level competitors and slippery-footed families share the ice at Culver Ice Arena.

The rink offers figure skating lessons at all levels.

The Hockey program includes classes, leagues, and both adults' and kids' pick-up games.

Public skating sessions are offered daily, as well as on Thursday through Sunday evenings. Check the website for specific times.

The arena offers very affordable birthday parties, which include use of a party room.

The rink is also available for broom ball, and for late night hockey.

Heartschallenger is a specialty truck stocked with a selection of ice cream, candy, and toys from around the world. The truck is available for birthday parties and other private events.