Looking for a Fun New Idea for Your Child's Next Birthday Party Celebration? It's Time to Think Outside the Jump House.

So What Do You Want to Do for Your Party?

When we asked our youngest child, DC, what he wanted to do for his 5th birthday, he paused and then said softly, “I want to have breakfast at Whole Foods with my friends.” My husband and I looked at each other, smiled, and said, “Sure why not?”

We’d never done anything like it before, but we knew how much our own kids loved the store and picking out whatever they wanted from the Hot Bar, so it wasn’t that far fetched. I made a call to the store and spoke with the Manager. She laughed when she heard what I was proposing but was game, and then it was on!

Surprise, Whole Foods was Exceptionally Prepared!

What I didn’t expect when we arrived early one wintry Saturday morning was how welcoming and creative the Whole Foods team would be! Orchestrated by the gregarious and adaptable Stephanie Wagner, she took the kids around the store for a personalized tour, talked about healthy eating and how Whole Foods sources their special brands. She even had her staff set up tasting stations so the kids could sample delicious snacks as we made our way around the perimeter of the store. The kids were delighted by the special treatment, and the strawberries, cheese and toast, muffins, and lemonade!

After we were done with the tour we let the kids pick out whatever they wanted from the Hot Bar and checked out on a register reserved just for us. Since it was breakfast on a Saturday, we had less of crowd to contend with and sat at three long tables. We picked up a couple cakes from the bakery on the way out, and all the napkins, plates, and drinks were provided—it seriously couldn’t have been easier.

What seemed like an odd idea at first turned out to be one of the best memories of a birthday celebration we’ve ever had. Special thanks to the team at Chamblee Whole Foods, you made DC’s 5th birthday a truly memorable celebration!

Final Thoughts

The feedback from the parents and the kids reassured our decision to have a totally different experience. The parents loved having the party over by 10am, and being able to get on with their day. And because they are up early anyway, the 8:30am party time was welcomed. The kids absolutely loved getting to tour the store, snack on delicious fresh fare, and be together with their friends in a different setting. I wish I could claim ownership of the idea, but it was totally DC’s, and I’m so glad it came to him. We had such a great time, and the final cost was actually cheaper than any jump house or game truck has ever been! If you’re looking to shake things up, then consider having your next birthday celebration at Whole Foods too.