How much does a kids' birthday party at a venue cost?
Updated October 4, 2026
This guide uses only prices that venues publish on their own websites. We checked 1394 party venues across 30 US metro areas; 233 of them publish a party price we could read, most recently checked on October 4, 2026. We don't estimate or fill gaps. If a venue doesn't publish a price, it isn't counted.
The short answer
Across the 188 venues that publish a per-child party price, the starting price runs from $5 to $90 per child. The median is $31.99 per child. For a party of 12 children at the median price, that is $383.88 before tax, food upgrades and extras.
48 venues publish a starting price for a whole party package instead: from $51.45 to $1,650, median $395. Package prices usually cover a set number of children, so check how many are included.
By type of venue
| Venue type | Per child (venues publishing) | Per package (venues publishing) |
|---|---|---|
| Indoor play centres | $10–$23.99, median $13.00 (4) | $149–$1,250, median $395 (24) |
| Bowling alleys | $12–$30, median $15.99 (12) | Too few published |
| Climbing gyms | $30–$30, median $30 (4) | $279–$400, median $399.50 (4) |
| Ice rinks | $5–$50, median $17.50 (4) | Too few published |
| Roller rinks | $10–$31, median $24 (3) | Too few published |
| Family entertainment centres | $12–$34.99, median $31.99 (149) | $51.45–$695, median $437.50 (8) |
| Pottery and craft studios | $20–$90, median $32 (7) | Too few published |
| Swimming pools | Too few published | $100–$349, median $137.50 (6) |
A type only shows a range when at least 3 venues of that type publish a price.
By city
| Metro area | Per child | Per package |
|---|---|---|
| Dallas–Fort Worth | median $31.99 (19 venues) | median $325 (7 venues) |
| New York | median $32.99 (18 venues) | median $500 (7 venues) |
| Houston | median $31.99 (13 venues) | — |
| Los Angeles | median $34.99 (12 venues) | — |
| Chicago | median $32.99 (12 venues) | — |
| Washington | median $31.99 (11 venues) | median $337.50 (8 venues) |
| Atlanta | median $20 (9 venues) | — |
| Philadelphia | median $29.99 (7 venues) | median $362.50 (4 venues) |
| Cincinnati | median $17.49 (7 venues) | — |
| Denver | median $31.50 (6 venues) | — |
| Charlotte | median $31.99 (6 venues) | — |
| Austin | median $29.99 (6 venues) | — |
| Miami | median $32.99 (5 venues) | — |
| Phoenix | median $29.99 (5 venues) | — |
| Boston | median $28 (5 venues) | — |
| Minneapolis–St. Paul | median $31.99 (5 venues) | — |
| San Francisco Bay Area | median $34.99 (4 venues) | — |
| Detroit | median $31.99 (4 venues) | — |
| San Diego | median $34.99 (4 venues) | — |
| Baltimore | median $31.99 (4 venues) | — |
| Riverside–San Bernardino | median $34.99 (3 venues) | — |
| Seattle | median $24 (3 venues) | — |
| Orlando | median $32.99 (3 venues) | median $395 (3 venues) |
| St. Louis | median $31.99 (3 venues) | — |
| San Antonio | median $29.99 (3 venues) | — |
| Portland | median $32.99 (3 venues) | median $395 (3 venues) |
Worked examples from real venues
- Tac Ops : A Tactical Laser Tag Experience (family entertainment centre, New York) publishes packages from $500 and $30 per child (checked October 4, 2026 on their party page). If the package covers your first group and you add 4 more children at the per-child price, budget $500 + 4 × $30 = $620, then confirm with the venue whether that per-child price is the add-on rate.
- Tac Ops : A Tactical Laser Tag Experience (family entertainment centre, New York) publishes packages from $500 and $30 per child (checked October 4, 2026 on their party page). If the package covers your first group and you add 4 more children at the per-child price, budget $500 + 4 × $30 = $620, then confirm with the venue whether that per-child price is the add-on rate.
- The Funplex (swimming pool, New York) publishes packages from $300 and $5 per child (checked October 4, 2026 on their party page). If the package covers your first group and you add 4 more children at the per-child price, budget $300 + 4 × $5 = $320, then confirm with the venue whether that per-child price is the add-on rate.
What pushes the price up
- Day and time. Some venues list different weekday and weekend prices; check which one the "from" price refers to.
- Minimum headcount. A low per-child price often comes with a minimum number of children.
- Food and cake. Some packages include pizza and drinks, others charge for them; ask whether you can bring your own cake.
- Private room vs shared space. A private room usually costs more than a reserved table.
- Add-ons. Grip socks, arcade cards, goody bags, extra time and decorations can add up.
- Tax and service fees. Published prices often exclude them.
Before you book, run through our questions to ask a venue.
How we got these numbers
Venues come from OpenStreetMap. Each week we visit each venue's official website, find its birthday or party page and record a price only when the page states one, such as "$24.99 per jumper" or "packages start at $299". Each figure links back to the page it came from. Prices change, so treat these as a guide to what venues advertise, not a quote.