Party Planning

Yesterday I started thinking about Layla’s 4th birthday, yes it’s in August but July and August are super busy for us. I had plans for a camping party, with just close friends and family but then my Dad and Step Mom decided to fly up from Fresno, CA and there’s no way my Mom would camp with them. Agh annoying, it was years ago, let’s get over it. My next idea was a Cowgirl party with a pony! But then I realized we live in BFE and I doubt enough kids would come to make it worth it. So now I’m thinking a party at a Discovery Playground, which is close to her school. We drive about 30 minutes to her school that is close to my work. I’m thinking more of her classmates would come if the party was close to that… Plus the park has all these cool features:

Sun Gateway and Basalt Boulder Play

• Gathering plaza, climbing boulders and a bridge over a dry creek bed

Steelhead Trout River Bed "Splash Pad"

• Basalt water sprays, trout sculptures, seating and jumping water jets

Fossil Maze

• Herb garden, fossils, benches and a raised planting bed

Outdoor Classroom

• A quiet group gathering area

Secret Garden

• Wavy walk, bridge, larger-than-life objects, vine tunnel and sensory plantings

Bear Den Sand Play with Mammoth Fossil Find

• Bear den, mammoth and fossils, water spigot and raised sand table

Big Horn Sheep Challenge Steps, Double Slide and Sensory Garden

• Shallow and steep steps with wrap-around garden, and sculpture/seating/talk tubes

Eagle’s Nest Observation Deck

• Watershed and salmon wall, glacier rock slide, climbing wall, giant eagle’s nest sitting circle, swings, spinners, fish climbing sculpture and boulder seating

Elk Valley Picnic Plaza

• Shelter, tables, seating, boulders, sundial, fossils and split rock

Musical Elements

• Musical elements in seating nooks with a larger musical area

Landscaping

• Features Eastern Washington flora with a variety of scents, textures and colors

Discovery Pavers and Hidden Walk

• Educational pavers leading along a pathway with benches

Accessible restrooms

The best thing being the Splash Pad! BUT you can’t reserve it. So should I plan a whole party around a place when we might not get the shelter? I would be totally willing to get there early and try to steal the picnic area but it majorly stresses me out that it’s not a for sure thing. Would you do it? Or should I find a place that I can reserve?

And because I hate a post without a picture here's Layla before school this morning.