Sprog and Sprocket

Author: Simon & Marija

We’re back to bringing you the safest and cleanest play experiences in town!

Good gracious, is it fall already?

We’ve been laying low in the top-secret Sprog & Sprocket bunker since spring, and have only just resurfaced – so, did we miss anything?! Now that the family has bathed, stretched and had a good meal, we’re back to giving you the very cleanest & safest play experiences in town! If you’ve missed being able to rent the best soft play rentals, ball pools and indoor playgrounds, long no more – WE ARE BACK!

WHAT HAVE WE BEEN UP TO?

Truth be told, we have at times been wishing for a real life secret hideaway to escape the upheaval of 2020. No joke. While bunkering down we’ve been working on some other projects that allowed us to keep Sprog & Sprocket safely wrapped up while we got to grips with what a future might look like for a play rental business in this reshaped Covid world.

Like you, our most important project is always our family. These last few months have blessed us with more time to make memories with our children and loved ones. Some memorable moments include a 3rd birthday and a 7th birthday! We’ll be feeding some of those special moments into our social media updates over the next while.

WHAT DOES BUSINESS LOOK LIKE RIGHT NOW?

As we are today, Sprog & Sprocket is still not creating play spaces for mid and large sized events and parties and we are only setting up at rented venues under some strict and specific conditions. BUT, you can still rely on us to help give your little ones a day, weekend or even a week to remember, for your at-home parties, celebrations and play days.

WE DREAM OF HYGIENE

The importance of hygiene and our cleaning processes have been built into our company values since day one. But cognizant of the times, we approach every step during our cleaning and sanitation with the utmost care so that we can continue to provide our customers with the safest and cleanest play experiences offered in Calgary. You can learn about the steps we take to keep our play rentals the cleanest in the business right here – the We Dream of Hygiene cleaning process

CHANGES TO OUR PACKAGES

Portable Playground – An Indoor Playground That Comes To You

You can now rent the Portable Playground for all day for $30 less than our previous four-hour rental rate. We also provide the Portable Playground for weekends and week-long (m-f) rentals. We are so excited to be able to bring the indoor play centre experience into the safety of your home – garage set ups only!

Does a garage set-up sound a little weird? Trust us, they’re awesome! See some example pictures on Instagram here – @sprogsprocket and get more info on these cool garage set-ups over on our Portable Playground page.

Toddler and Pre-School Soft Play

At-home parties are the new normal and it’s the only way you can guarantee that your kids are enjoying the safest and cleanest play experiences during these wild Covid-19 times. In addition to our awesome playground for the older kids, for those with kids under 3, we have you covered. We’ve made the process of renting our small soft play packages (such as The Mini or Lil’ Rollers) super easy – all we need to know is the size of your vehicle and we can tell you how much soft play can fit!

Ball Pool Rentals

Interested in a sensory rich play option for kids 18 mo.-12 years old – our ball pool rentals remain a customer favourite and we now have a longer weekday rental option to accompany the one or two day weekend rentals.

Winter Play Days

Even if you’re not planning a birthday party – our play spaces will be the perfect way to your keep kids active when those cold winter days set in.

No one knows how the winter will play out having Covid-19 lurking around, but what we can do is keep on keeping each other safe. While we currently explore what our business looks like in this ‘new normal’ we remain committed to playing our part in keeping our customers and community safe at every step of the way.

Renting with us is now easier (and safer) than ever, and we can’t wait to serve you and help create those lifelong memories we all cherish so much.

Ever grateful for your support,

Simon & Marija Nash

Playing Peek-a-Boo in the Portable Playground

September 30, 2020
Lil Rollers: Our Soft Play Party Rental For Small Budgets, Small Parties & Small Folk
Our Lil’ Rollers Package is the perfect package if you’re looking for a budget friendly soft play party rental.

Thats right! You don’t have to be a high roller to take home the Lil’ Rollers!

Soft play parties! Outside of family, it’s pretty much our life. We’ve been delivering and setting it up in your homes and community halls for the past 18 months, and we’re always on the look-out for new ways to better serve our customers! That’s why we’ve rolled out the Lil’ Rollers – our newest soft play party rental package!

So what to do if you don’t want a large soft play party?
- Maybe your planning on just a handful of little guests. You don’t want to be overwhelmed in a big indoor play ground that’s for sure!
- Perhaps you need kid’s entertainment at a family gathering or dinner party? Something just the right size to keep the kid’s out of your hair while you enjoy that drink and adult conversation.
- Maybe you want the kids entertained all day or all weekend. What if four hours of soft play bliss isn’t just isn’t enough!!!?
Introducing…. the Lil’ Rollers Package

It’s our soft play party rental for smaller parties & smaller budgets. Designed specifically as a pick-up rental for the smaller folk, one to three year olds. Just like our pick-up ball pit rentals, we put in a ton of work to design the perfect soft play space to fit in your vehicle whilst maximising playability!

This new rental option comes in two sizes – The Lil’ Rollers & The Mini.

Here’s some of the awesome features;
- Designed to fit in minivans and trucks and most large 7 seater SUV’s. The Mini will also fit in large station wagons!
- Full day (24 hours) or weekend play rental options.
- The Mini only needs a floor space of 60 sq/ft and the Lil Rollers 130 sq/ft.
- 3 or 6 challenging soft play obstacles for 1-3 year olds with maximum fun built in!
- Convenient pick-up location just off Deerfoot Trail (32 Ave or McKnight exits)
This soft play package has been heavily tested in our laboratory with two highly trained lab rats (Lewis and Annika). Over the last couple of months, we have also introduced it to the toddlers at our hosted playdates to standing ovations and rapturous applause!

Here’s what some of them said when interviewed about it…

“Mom will never get me out of here now! Mwaahahaha!” – Owen age 2.

“This is more exciting than Christmas!” – Clara 18 months.

“Please can we rent it for my birthday Mom, Pleeeease, pleeease pleeeeese!” – Lucas age 1.

You can find out what all the fuss is about by giving us a call on 403 719 7776 or email at hello@wordpress-486757-2185563.cloudwaysapps.com . And here’s where you will find it on the website – https://sprogandsprocket.creative-elements.ca/soft-play-party-collection/
August 10, 2019
Ball Pit Rental in Calgary Is Now Easier Than Ever!
It’s certain! you guys love a ball pit rental!

So we thought it was about time to tell you about our new re-designed ball pits & what that means for your ball pit rental options!

Since we launched into the Calgary children’s event rental scene at the end of 2017, one thing has become apparent; you guys love ball pits!

Up until recently, if you wanted a ball pit rental from us for your kids birthday party in Calgary, there were a few limitations:
- it had to be in addition to your other soft play rental
- we had to deliver & set it up
- it had to be in Calgary (or not far beyond)
- and you could only have it for 4 hours
We really wanted to scrap these limitations and make it super easy for you to throw a ballin’ party! 😉

So, we did what any good perfectionists would do and redesigned the whole ball pit!

Here’s what’s new with the Sprog & Sprocket ball pit rental:
- Our ball pits are now square!
- They pack flat as 4 panels – no more awkward curves
- We visited a few of the big car dealers to measure the space in some of the most popular minivans and large SUV’s so that we could design our ball pits as big as possible whilst keeping them ultra portable
- Easy self assembly replaces the old bolt system
- We’ve created new bags to make packing up your ball pit easy peasy
- NEW 24 hour & full weekend rental periods
- Pick-up + longer rental periods = the ability to serve customers outside of Calgary!
- Rental rates that suit small budgets
One thing hasn’t changed with our ball pit rental…

our attention to hygiene!

Between each ball pit rental, we wash and sanitise the balls and inspect the equipment to make sure you take home a clean, safe and beautiful ball pit!

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Take a peek at Lewis showing off Calgary’s best ball pit in this 20 second video

For pricing and full details on how to rent a ball pit, pop over to the ball pit rental page HERE

We are super excited to be able to offer this new soft play pick-up option and we cant wait to help you get one of these awesome ball pits loaded up for your next kids birthday party, family friendly wedding, or any other kid friendly celebration!

With full day and weekend options, ball pit rentals are now available to serve a ton of great Alberta cities including Calgary, Red Deer, Canmore, Banff & Lethbridge
April 28, 2019
I’m Planning My Kid’s Birthday Party – HELP! (Part 2 of our birthday party planning tips)
I’m Planning My Kid’s Birthday Party – HELP!

(Part 2 of our birthday party planning tips)

There are some fantastic birthday party options for kids in Calgary (including one of our awesome soft play parties, of course!). But no matter what you choose for your child’s birthday, this two part series on birthday party planning should help you pull off a fabulous event without all the stress!

In Part 1 we covered timelines and tips for guest lists, Calgary venue selection, birthday party themes and party invitations. If you missed it, you can read part 1 here.

5. Activities

(4 weeks)

Don’t want to have to spend the birthday party day in full time party host mode? Having a Sprog & Sprocket birthday party is all the activity you need!

We create birthday party spaces like no one else in Canada – let alone Calgary – and every client we’ve had has said the same thing – how much the grown-ups got to enjoy the birthday party because the kids were entertained the ENTIRE time! Leave the cat herding to the professionals >>> watch them here. It’s some of the best 60 seconds on the internet!

Just because you don’t have to host birthday party activities, doesn’t mean you don’t want to.

If you’d like to have some birthday party activities start the planning at least 4 weeks in advance; this gives you plenty of time to plan and source any materials.

When it comes to entertaining kids at a birthday party, there’s no shortage of choice. A quick pinterest search and you’ll find a ton of ideas!
- crafts
- cooking
- cupcake decorating
- and of course the games!
So how do you keep all your little people having fun and stay relaxed enough to enjoy the day yourself?

For the four and unders especially, if you’re doing a craft, remember at this age it’s about the process more than the product. Don’t be crushed if the little’s aren’t producing the works of art you’d dreamt up in your birthday party plan. Also, be ready for a few non-crafty types and have a plan to keep them out of trouble.

For party games, generally the less explanation you need to give the better, so think musical chairs, red light green light, pin the …something on the …anything. Over at Celebrate the Big and Small they’ve done a great tutorial for a ‘punch box’ – a really fun alternative to the classic bat-swinging piñata.

Twister, scavenger hunts, marco polo, and egg on spoon obstacle courses are some other great activities for the 5 and overs.

6. Decor

(3 weeks)

There are so many options and choices when it comes to birthday party decorations these days.

Do you use so much Disney it makes you dizzy or catalogue ready petit-chic? Trying to find a happy medium of kid-friendly style? Take inspiration from your child’s favourite toy/character/show at the time (they probably gave some input here when you decided on your theme) then pull it together with stylish décor from the same colour palette.

Don’t feel too much pressure, there isn’t a right or wrong with this, a birthday party that you’ve poured love into is a birthday party that your child will love and remember.

If you’re going to pull out some DIY Pinterest mastery, decide on those projects as early as you can and get started! Or call on your favourite crafty person and delegate a few projects their way.

7.Treats and other yummy eats

(2-3 weeks)

Give yourself AT LEAST 3 weeks before the birthday party to plan or order the cake – whether you’re ordering it or baking it yourself, you will want time to shop around, be it for a baker/bakery or for your own supplies.

I must confess, I love making my son’s birthday cake and I always will, but for his very first birthday party – I got soooo excited planning this two-tiered alien cake that I didn’t have time to BAKE THE ACTUAL CAKE and still have enough time to decorate it! SO my inner problem solver hightailed it off to Costco and bought a couple of their pre-made cakes. I came home, scraped all the shop icing off and went on to re-ice and decorate as planned!

The cake tasted delicious, I got loads of compliments, and I managed to just about look like I knew what I was doing….until now.

Whether you do the food yourself or get outside help, think easy eating. Birthday party food should include stuff that can be picked up with fingers and eaten in a bite or two. It’s the perfect way to keep tummies from growling as the kids play and adults mingle.

I usually keep it simple and do sandwiches cut out into shapes with cookie cutters (cucumber, ham & cheese, chicken, tuna mayo, egg salad, smoked salmon…), a veggie platter with a couple of different dips and a few different bowls of chips. A few other ideas from things I’ve done in the past include apple slices with single serve caramel cups for dipping, chocolate dipped banana pops (I’ll do a short post on how to do these so that you don’t end up serving your guests these phallic ones), mini pizzas, my mama’s amazing nuts & bolts, mini veg samosas, meat and cheese platters, little quiches and fruit skewers…

Custom cookies are also getting some major party attention lately…

and rightly so, they are beautiful! The talented Poonam of @sugarshimmer is an incredible cookie artist right here in Calgary so if you want to add something extra special to your desert table I’d recommend you check her out here on Facebook or here on Instagram.

keep in mind any allergies – you might want to skip the PB+J for example, unless you’re confident your guests are allergy free – better yet, ask your guests to inform you of severe allergies when they RSVP.

8. Don’t forget the Music

(2 weeks)

For sure this is Simon’s domain in our house. I love music but I have absolutely zero music literacy; the only thing I do know is that it ain’t no party without it! Keep everyone bopping along by including a mix of kids songs and some upbeat kid-friendly stuff that the adults can enjoy. (Simon is working on a post with some non-cringey, happy-parent playlists for kids parties, so watch out for that one if you’re like me and need some musical guidance).

Until then, check out this post from Fatherly for enough kid’s songs to get you through your birthday party!

9. Favors

(1-2 weeks)

I’ve seen a few questions roaming around about whether favour or party bags are still a ‘thing’ or if parents can skip over them. Maybe it’s nostalgia but I can’t help thinking a kid’s birthday party isn’t complete without a little goodie bag for the wee ones.

You’ll have to decide what works best for your birthday party – but one things is for sure; the excitement the kids feel when they receive their little bundle of treasures is undeniable!

Give yourself time to think about what you’d like to put in your goodie bags, if you’d like them to match your party theme, how you’ll package them and of course, time to shop around for any supplies and all the goodies!

I’d recommend not going too sweet heavy – parent’s won’t thank you if they have to police candy consumption for the next several days – but a few little sweets are ok. As with everything else in the birthday partysphere there is a ton of choice, so here are a few ideas to get you started:

Candy necklaces or watches, pop rocks, suckers, tootsie rolls, button candy, pixie sticks, stickers, temporary tattoos, novelty erasers, crayons, mini pencil crayons, bouncy balls, slap bracelets, bubbles, notepads, music makers, sticky hands, mini yo-yos, mini rubix cubes, spinny tops, putty and slimes, masks and stamps…just to name a few!

One more tip – if your guests are really young, where most of this stuff is either a choking hazard or totally beyond their scope of play (think up to 18 months) consider a party favour that is nice for the little one and that the parents might find useful – a novelty silicon teether, some skin friendly baby bath or a mini soother/security blanket to name a few.

I hope you’ve found this two part blog to be a useful tool as you take on planning your next birthday party. Check back soon for Sprog & Sprocket’s FREE printable Party Planning Checklist!

Just finding out about us – be sure to check out our portable playground or have a look at our cool softplay spaces.

Still feel a bit stuck with your birthday party plan? Please get in touch! Simon and I have been helping people make their events memorable since 2011 and we look forward to helping all of our Sprog & Sprocket customers create parties and memories that will last a lifetime.

You can fill out our contact form here or call us on 403 719 7776.

Happily serving Calgary, Cochrane, Airdrie, Chestermere & Okotoks
April 30, 2018
Planning Your Kid’s Party Without Losing Your Mind – Part 1
Planning Your Kid’s Party Doesn’t Have To Be Stressful

Parties are meant to be happy – so why stress yourself out when planning your child’s next birthday bash. These few tips will have you planning your kid’s party like a pro!

Staying stress-free during the party planning process starts with a long hard look in the mirror:
- Are you a craft queen or a DIY-did-I-bother?
- More botch than boss when it comes to cake making?
- What’s your budget (don’t just think about money here – how much time do you have available?).
- Playing to your strengths and budget is half the battle. Stick to what you’re good at and get some help with the rest!
1. Create Guest Lists For Your Kid’s Party

8-12 Weeks Ahead

There used to be this old rule that the number of guests you invite to your kid’s party should be your child’s age plus 1.

But let’s be real here – what kind of party is it with just 2,3, or 4 kids?

Kids entertain each other, so while more than a handful can sound daunting, with a bit of direction and some good activities they’ll pretty much look after themselves.

Our Rule of Thumb:
- For a kid’s party aged 4 and under, anything from 5-9 guests is enough to make it feel like a party – but not a circus
- For a kid’s party aged 5+, 7-14 is ideal for keeping the atmosphere (and yourself!) alive
2. Equipment Rentals for your Kid’s Party

(8-12 Weeks Ahead)

If you are going to be renting equipment for a party, get it done as soon as possible (we are booking into Christmas already!). Ideas for kids’ party rentals that you may need or want to consider are:
- Entertainment such as the Sprog & Sprocket Portable Playground or one of our Softplay packages
- Tables & Chairs
- Catering or food equipment – think chafing dishes, tableware, linens, cotton candy or popcorn machines, etc.
- Tents or gazebos
- Kids’ party props & décor items
It’s good to know what equipment you’ll be having at the party so that you can select an appropriate venue. For example, our Portable Playground can’t be taken up or down stairs.

Anchor Event Rentals out of Cochrane and The Rental Guys in Calgary are two great businesses that supply event equipment rentals

3. Decide When And Where Your Kids’s Party Will Take Place

8-12 Weeks Ahead

Outdoor spaces such as your backyard or another venue that allows you to move the party between indoors and outdoors is ideal when weather permits. This also gives you the choice to move things entirely indoors if inclement weather totally takes over – a good option for the early Spring/late Autumn – especially in Calgary!

Your house & backyard is the obvious choice but also consider a relative’s house if yours isn’t an option.

In Calgary you can also host kids’ parties at:
- A community centre (read our post about Calgary community hall rentals here)
- Cultural clubs around Calgary are also good choices and most of the time they offer really fair rates
- One of Calgary’s beautiful parks make for family-friendly party spaces (though for the younger kids, I’d make sure you have parents stay so that you have the extra adult supervision). In some case you’ll also need a city permit so don’t forget to check that out!
If you’re going to be planning a summer birthday make sure you get the contact details of your child’s school friends before they break up for holidays!

BONUS TIP: Wondering how long you should expect to host for?
- 2-3 hours seems to be the sweet spot
4. Settle On A Creative Kids’ Party Theme

4-6 Weeks Ahead

It’s a good idea to decide on your kid’s party theme early so that you can build your party plan & make your shopping lists.

If your child is old enough to contribute, ask them what they would like – or for younger children give them a couple of choices to choose between.

Helping them feel special through the process will increase their excitement about their special day!

Our Event Planning Tip:
- Start early and leave yourself the time to shop around and wait on shipping times. Sites like ETSY have some seriously talented folk making amazing décor, but you’ll want to get orders in early so you aren’t panicking just before party day wondering if everything will arrive.
Come the big day your kid’s party will be ready for that perfect Instagram post and you’ll be looking as cool as the cucumber in one of my favourite summer cocktails (thanks Minimalist Baker!)

4. Create And Send Out Party Invitations

4 Weeks Ahead

Aim to get your invites out about 4 weeks before your kid’s party. This gives people enough notice that most won’t already have plans. At the same time, it’s not so far ahead that people put the invite out of the way and forget about it.

Paper invites going hand-to-hand are a great way for kids to personally invite their friends (check back soon for some free printable Sprog & Sprocket invites).

When it comes to snail mail vs. email, my go-to for invites is always the electronic route; I love the additional features that you get with email invites! Plus,
- I can manage it all from my phone
- They get delivered immediately (no wondering about lost post)
- It’s FREE (or very nearly)
Our Picks For Electronic Kids’ Party Invitations

Three sites that are worth considering for email invite include Punchbowl, Paperless Post and Evite.

Punchbowl:

I think Punchbowl is awesome for kids party’s because:
- They have a wonderful variety of free designs for kids
- Party invites can include lots of great free features
- If you want some exclusive designs, premium features and to eliminate any adverts in your invite you can upgrade to their premium plan for $6.99/month (1 year plan) or a single month for $29.99
Paperless Post:

another great site, again with great features and they offer some truly beautiful designs. They offer:
- Collaborations with well-known designers such as Riffle Paper Co., Littlecube and The Indigo Bunting
- They also have a Disney collab that looks very chic if your trying to get the best of both child pleasing and style savvy together
- Paperless Post works on a coin system that you buy in bundles; they’re anywhere from $0.07 – $0.30USD depending on how many you purchase and a premium invite will cost on average between 2-7 coins per guest.
Keep in mind, they’re a bit sneaky with how they advertise some of their ‘free’ invites because while the ‘card’ is free the envelope will sometimes cost a couple of coins per guest. They give 25 free coins to new sign-ups.

Evite:

I’ve included Evite in here because it is often what pops to people’s minds when they think electronic invitation, and because it also has some great features:
- You can change the RSVP style to have it better match your party theme
- Set more than one event reminder (3 max) for your guests
- Collect your guests’ photos at the end of an event
Pricing is pretty simple – it’s either free or its premium. For premium invites you’re charged based on the number of invites going out (sort of); packages of 15, 50, 125, 300 and 750 are available and you can’t transfer any unused invites to your next party (so if you have 20 guests it will cost you the same as if you had 50).

Do you have a favourite invite site that I haven’t mentioned? Share it with us in the comments and I’ll be sure to check it out!

Starting the planning process 8-12 weeks ahead may seem early but this allows you time to secure any party rentals before your special day gets booked by someone else!

If your kid’s party falls on a weekend that might be busier than normal – like Canada Day weekend for example – then get your party rental booked as early as possible so that you aren’t disappointed! Booking one of our playgrounds or soft play spaces is super easy! Fill out our contact form here or call us on 403 719 7776.

Happily serving Calgary, Cochrane, Airdrie, Chestermere & Okotoks

Stay Tuned for Part 2
April 16, 2018
Sprog & Sprocket vs Bounce House & Inflatable Rentals
So… it’s like a bounce house, right?

Did you know bounce houses have been around nearly 60 years?! That’s quite a long time to not have a real alternative to choose from! One question we get asked a lot when people haven’t seen any pictures of our Soft Play or Portable Playground is – “so is it like a bouncy castle rental?” It happens quite a bit! So we thought it would be a good idea to explain briefly why Sprog & Sprocket is different to a Calgary bounce house rental company.

We Don’t need Electricity or Noisy Blowers like a bounce house

Whether it’s a bouncy castle, inflatable obstacle course, inflatable slide, moon bounce (whatever that is!), they all need a noisy blower which also requires access to a power point (or a generator). You’ll also need a BIG space!

Now, a bounce house is fun, don’t get us wrong – we love them too!

BUT…
- have you ever seen 15-20 kids on one at the same time? If so, how safe did you feel watching them? Were the little ones able to play safely alongside the older ones?
- Were they able to bounce non-stop for 4 hours without tiring?
- What about children with a physical limitation or a delay in their physical development – a bounce house or inflatable generally excludes this group entirely!
- And if you haven’t yourself tried to climb up the side of a big bounce house you have probably witnessed someone else doing it!
Aesthetics

Something else to consider. What was the view like at the event? Did the inflatable take away from the aesthetics of the party venue? Let’s be honest, large inflatables aren’t exactly subtle!

Here’s where Sprog & Sprocket differs from your regular party rental company and may give you something to consider when looking at birthday party ideas in Calgary –
- We have rental options for crawling age babies up to 9 year olds
- Our Soft Play rentals are specifically for the 5 and under age range
- Our Portable Playground will safely allow up to 20 kids play!
- We don’t need any electricity to operate our play equipment
- There are no noisy blowers!
- Our Portable Playground is on two levels but still fits in any standard height (8ft) room!
- We can set up indoors (even in your home) and in many outside locations around Calgary
- Birthday parties are the obvious choice – But! We’re also perfect for wedding rentals, big family gatherings, corporate event rentals, stampede breakfasts
- There is no stop/start play like a bounce house, once the kids get playing, they’re entertained for hours on end with just minimal supervision needed.
I hope this helps explain the major differences between our play equipment and more traditional bouncy castles and inflatables!

Pop over and see a ton of photos of our setups over on our Facebook page! Instagram more your thing? We’re over there too >> SproSpro Instagram

Find more information about our Portable Playground HERE and information about our Toddler Soft Play Spaces HERE.

If you have a party or a family friendly event coming up give us a call on 403 719 7776. We’ve already started booking up for Christmas 2018!

Serving Calgary, Cochrane, Airdrie, Chestermere & Okotoks.

Thanks for reading,

Simon 🙂
April 12, 2018
You’re Mental If You Don’t Read Our Blog Series On Community Hall Rentals! (Scenic Acres)
So you’ve decided to host Calgary’s most awesome kid’s party and don’t fancy holding it at your house – Now what!? Choosing a Calgary Community Hall that fits your needs!

As if you don’t already wear enough hats through the week (cleaner, driver, bum wiper, negotiator, etc..!) – you’ve now taken on the job of being a kids party planner. Yay!

You’ve made the wise decision (we might be biased here) to not book a bounce house rental or get stressed out in one of the crowded indoor play places. Congratulations! By hosting a Sprog & Sprocket Soft Play Party or being one of the first in North America to have your very own play centre with our Portable Soft Play Playground, you have taken step one in kids party planning enlightenment!

Now, what about where to host the party? Well, Calgary’s Community Centres have fantastic hall spaces and are a great option for hosting a kids birthday party! Luckily for you, we have the inside scoop from each hall we set up in! We’ll be documenting our findings in a series of blog posts, with the idea of helping you select the perfect calgary venue and making planning your kids birthday party as easy as possible.

The series starts in the North West of Calgary and we begin with Scenic Acres Community Association…

Scenic Acres Community Association

8825 Scurfield Dr NW

Calgary

T3L 2A8

Tel: (403) 547 9589

www.scenicacres.ca

What Is The Access Like?

The first thing we look at when viewing a community hall is what the access to the space is like. It should be important to you too as it’s not just us bringing in our play equipment, you will also likely be bringing in birthday cake, party decorations, food and a herd of excitable party animals!

Not having any stairs to climb here is super helpful, and when planning your party equipment rental whether with us or another event rental company, it is something we always look out for. Parts of the soft play equipment can be very heavy and not able to go up/down staircases.

Community Hall Features:

Mountain Views

As soon as you walk through the door at SACA, you can see the community hall space to your right and you may also be slightly distracted by the INCREDIBLE mountain views across the back. The hall’s large and panoramic windows show off the view and really elevate the space into something quite special.

Kitchen

Another great feature of SACA is the kitchen attached to the mail hall. From the kitchen, there is a large open hatch into the hall and all utensils and cooking equipment are clean and in good working order. It is important to note that the kitchen is ‘residential’ and so you aren’t able to prepare meals from scratch due to fire regulations, but you are welcome to bring in any prepared foods and use the cooker to heat them and maintain their serving temperatures.
- Residential kitchen: all major appliances
- Basic mixing bowls/utensils/serving trays
- 12, 36 or 100 cup coffee makers
Amenities

Next to the kitchen is the storage room where you will find tables and chairs – all good quality and clean with very easy access to bring them in to the hall and move them out at the end of your rental.
- 24 rectangular tables 6 feet x 2.5 feet
- Chairs for 125 people
- Built-in sound system: CD/Cassette/MP3 capacity (speakers in ceiling)
- Microphones
Size

Depending on the size of your party, you may also wish to use their boardroom as an additional party/cake/present opening room. The main hall is 1600sqft (12m x 13m) so you would need to be throwing a pretty big bash to need that extra room, but it’s good to know that it’s available! It’s also bright and spacious with lots of wall space to put up your party decorations and accomodates up to 36 people!

Other info

Some other features of SACA which makes for a good choice as a birthday party venue are fantastic access from Stoney Trail and Crowchild Trail, a large parking lot and friendly and helpful staff. They are a very busy community hall and we recommend booking your birthday party or event with lots of notice.

In fact, when you’re looking into your soft play rental or playground rental with Sprog & Sprocket, we advise reserving your date with a minimum 3 month notice. It’s April at the time of writing and we do have Christmas party bookings in the diary).

Can we easily set up the Portable Playground at Scenic Acres? YES

Can we easily set up a Toddler Soft Play Package at Scenic Acres? YES

Have you hosted an event at Scenic Acres Community Association? Leave us a comment, we love hearing your thoughts and ideas on what makes a good birthday party location!

Thanks for reading : )
April 9, 2018
A Dad’s Guide To Surviving A Child’s Birthday Party
Picture the scene…you wake up on a glorious Saturday morning. Plans are forming in your mind for how the first day off in a month is going to go down. It’s been a stinker of a week and you finally get the chance to chill, have a lazy breakfast, spend time with the family, and there’s a classic afternoon of sports lined up! Today’s the day your four-year-old will start his hockey education direct from your sofa. But hang on a minute! You’re not the only one who’s secretly been looking forward to the weekend. Just as you strut into the kitchen looking quite pleased with yourself, your wife glides past and rather casually tells you she’ll be out all day with her bestie and that you’ll be taking your son to his friend’s birthday party today. *slow blink*. A child’s birthday party. She wants me to spend Saturday at a child’s birthday party, you think to yourself in disbelief.

Like a magician, she slides an invitation into your hand and gives you a sly look that says “your turn, dear!”. Just as you open your mouth to protest you know she’s got you! She disappears to get ready leaving you with, “don’t be late, the gift and card are in the closet”.

As you listen to the shower turn on, you also hear the sound of your dreams for a perfect Saturday being washed down the plughole.

Fear not fellow Dad’s! Take heed of these ‘being dropped in it at the last minute’ survival tips for getting through a child’s birthday party…

Before The Child’s Birthday Party

1. Interrogate

This is where all those hours watching your favourite cop shows on Netflix will pay off. Make sure to find out some essential facts from, ~~The Traitor~~ your wife.

Essential pre-birthday party questions include:
- Have we RSVP’d? You don’t want to show up when nobody is expecting you!
- Have we met the parents?
- What are their names?
- What type of party is it? – this will help with tip no.2. Any other information will help you here.
Knowledge is power!

2. Get Dressed!

In your mind, you’ve already dressed for the Saturday you intended to happen. But it’s a good idea to get out of those worn-out pants that have so many holes they look like they’ve been the unwitting target of a game of pin the tail on the donkey.

At the same time, you don’t want to show up to a woodland den building party looking like you’re heading to Vegas for the weekend. You might meet these folks again at some point, so just make sure there’s only one donkey at the party that looks like an ass : )

3. The Early Bird

With the final words of ~~The Traitor~~ your wife ringing in your ears, you set off in good time; have a quick look over to make sure it’s only your own hopes and dreams that are left behind.
- Child – check
- Gift – check
- Invitation – check
- Pants – check
Don’t arrive at the party too early, the host may not thank you for it. Chances are they’ll still be setting things up, taking family pictures, discussing which parents they’ve met, which ones they like, which child it is that always has boogers smeared across their face…Cue a quick check in the rear-view mirror to make sure it’s not yours!

Make the most of the time if you’re early – now’s your chance to go over the offside rule you wanted to teach him during the game you’re now missing!

4. Re-Read The Child’s Birthday Party Invite

Before you go blazing into the sports hall or back yard, re-read the invite.

Make sure you’re in the right place. Don’t be that parent who took their kid to the wrong party! (the writer denies this ever happened).

After all, some of these big spaces have more than one party going on and one group of wild-eyed sugar crazed kids looks just like the next, right?

When you arrive at the child’s birthday party

5. Sorry, what’s your name again?

Now, you are likely to meet the hosts and other parents again at some point. Even if it’s just to hold the door open at school collection time.

Here’s a trick that will help avoid that 1000-yard stare while you’re figuring out if it was Sarah, Sally, Sophie or Samantha that you chatted with at the party.
- Open the ‘notes’ function in your phone
- From time to time casually pretend to send an important text message. Instead, cleverly collate names and memorable information about your fellow guests.
Genius, I know. Just be careful not to be seen, this could also be confused with you being a bit odd. (again, the writer denies ever using this tactic). You could always opt for just paying more attention when talking to your fellow party sufferers.

6. The Chameleon

Have fun, mingle, but let’s be clear, your one job here is to make sure your child isn’t the one that breaks great-great grandma sue’s flower vase. This is where you need to become the ‘chameleon’. No, not by changing colour, but by always keeping one eye on your child. After all, you only want to cut glue from their hair the one time!

You should also make sure your little angel isn’t underneath the gift table, methodically unwrapping all the birthday presents.

7. The Wiggles

So you’ve already had your Saturday plans wash down the drain, and now you find yourself suddenly outside your comfort zone (the sofa). You may as well join in the games and dancing. After all, ~~The Traitor~~ your wife always said you could fit right in as the fifth member of The Wiggles.

As the child’s birthday party winds down…

8. The Exit Plan

Look out for tell-tale signs that the party is coming to an end.
- Check the time (like you’ve not already been looking every 3 minutes for the last half hour)
  - Are things starting to be packed away?
  - Have all the other parents got one eye on the door?
- Now’s the time to prep your little one to get ready to leave.
  - 10 minutes, 5 minutes and 2 minute warnings work well, as does bribery or even blackmail. But that’s your call.
Just don’t be the last one there having to prise your child’s nails out the door frame because they don’t want to leave!

The Other Plan…

Want to host a child’s birthday party that husbands and wives are fighting each other to attend? Now that you’ve turned those acquaintances into friends using the stealth tips above, recommend they have a Sprog & Sprocket soft play party next year or even better, host one yourself!

There you have it. Your bulletproof, heavily-researched guide to surviving a last-minute child’s birthday party!

Read more about our soft play parties HERE and our portable playground parties HERE and our ball pool parties HERE!
May 8, 2017