Sunday, June 22, 2014

Birthday Parties at Great Country Farm; A gift for parents and kids alike!

Everyone riding the Cow Train!
My son turned 4 years old last week, and for the first time in my life, I actually enjoyed his birthday party! We had it at Great Country Farms, in Bluemont, VA, about 30 minutes from downtown Sterling.  I hosted the first 3 parties of his little life in our home; spending months planning ahead, stockpiling decorations and food, preparing my home days in advance,  running around like a police chief during the parties, and cleaning up confetti, cemented blue frosting, and scraps of wrapping paper for days afterward, I decided enough was enough!   I made a promise to myself; no more home birthdays!  Boy did I make the right decision.    They took care of everything, and we even had our own party host to help us with set up, tear down, and organization!  I tried to take as many pictures as possible, some before the party in March, which explains the rain gear, but most were taken on the day of the party.  Enjoy!

The kids had an absolute blast; Great Country Farms is like a beautiful, educational version of an amusement park.  It has more attractions than any family could possibly hit in one day, spread out of acres of beautiful country scenery, including  extensive customized
The Lifecycle of a Monarch
 play structures, a giant bouncing pillow, a mining sluice, petting zoo, and more! Also, wherever you look, there is something to learn.  They have detailed interactive displays on the lifecycles of apple trees, butterflys, and more!

We started out in one of their two party venues; ours was the "corn crib," a beautiful historic structure covered in real grape vines, and decorated with fairy lights.  Our host met us with a golf cart at the
car-- no lugging decorations, cake, and presents! It was wonderful.   She also brought us the pre-ordered food and drinks- kettle corn cones, home-made apple cider donuts, and a adorable tin beverage barrel filled with water, soda, and juice.  Miles better than anything you will find with other kid birthday packages!  They have an extensive menu, and everything is prepared on-site in their "Roosteraunt," most with local ingredients.   The party is customizable as well; you can choose from the "barnyard bash", "laser tag," or "evening bonfire."  We chose the "barnyard bash," and it included a cup of animal feed for each child, to feed the animals. We also chose to include a trip on the "cow train" for each child, but the options are endless!
Feeding the goats!

Jumping Pillow!
The best part about this venue was the variety.  We had children from age 0-9 at the party, girls and boys, each with their own interests and developmental skills.  With all of the different attractions, everyone- including the adults- found something they enjoyed.  The older kids jumped on the bouncing pillow, or mined for gemstones and fossils, while the younger kids played on one of the many beautiful playgrounds*,  dug up dried corn with bulldozers in the corn bin, or fed the barn animals.   Additionally, the farm doesn't close until 6pm on the weekends, so although you can only use the actual party for about 1.5 hours, there is no limit to how much time you can spend exploring on the farm.  The entire day was very relaxed, fun, and easy; unlike every other birthday party I've had for my son.  As icing on the cake, the prices are actually CHEAPER what I spent on home birthdays; less money spent on food, decorations, and preparations, not to mention the unpaid mommy hours spent cleaning before and after the party! Thank you Great Country Farm! We will definitely be back again!
The Fabulous Corn Bin!

*playgrounds include a giant wooden ship, wooden monster truck, spider-web, play houses, sandbox, giant tube slides, and more! See pictures below.

Monster Truck Playground

Adorable Pretend House!



               
Giant Chess Board!




























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13 comments:

  1. Just found your blog and I'm really looking forward to exploring it further. My husband has Fibro and I'm always on the hunt for more information, esp. coming from those with the disease. Btw, the party looked like a blast!
    xoxo
    -Sonia

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  2. Birthday Parties at Great Country Farm - Really great idea. I loved the concept. Im sure parents & kids will love it too. ParentsConcern presents to you #Itsmychild a new app connecting parents & teachers, a detailed integrated application that brings your child closer to you than ever before.

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  3. I really enjoyed reading this post. Actually I am also looking for party planning tips because I need to organize an outdoor party on my son’s birthday. I got various unique and amazing ideas that I can use in that party. Thanks for sharing your great post here!!

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  4. Very interesting and informative blog and about the Loudoun County Adult Day Center and I must appreciate your work well done keep it up.
    Loudoun County Adult Day Center

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  5. This is great! My husband and my daughter share the same birth dates and a place like this would be so much fun. Last year, I booked one of the Venues in NYC for a grand celebration. This time I am glad I came across this post before their birthdays.

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  6. Awesome birthday photos. I am also planning to hold a birthday party in an event venue in New York for my niece and I am just looking for some inspirations that I can use.

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