Georgie Crawshaw calls on the experts at The Little Gym Bath to make sure that her five year old’s birthday party is a huge success!
Ahoy there, me hearties! Batten down the hatches – my wee man has just turned five. And where better to drop anchor for a birthday party filled with flips, tumbles and hidden treasure than The Little Gym Bath?
Conveniently located at Bath Leisure Centre, just above the Odeon cinema, it’s super central, with plenty of parking just a short walk away. It’s also fully air-conditioned – which definitely earns bonus points this summer!
We’ve been pretty impressed with the gymnastics classes we’ve joined here. The Little Gym offers a range of weekly options, from parent and baby groups to sessions specifically aimed at preschool and primary-aged children. So I had a sneaky suspicion its party-throwing skills would be shipshape and worthy of my little buccaneer’s approval. And shiver me timbers – the crew did not disappoint.
The Little Gym party package includes 90 minutes of exclusive access for up to 30 children, together with a theme of your choice – from space, superheroes and dinosaurs to unicorns, princesses and, aye aye, captain, you’ve guessed it, pirates.
Not only does this include two very energetic first mates – or qualified instructors to you and me – running lots of fun-filled games and activities, but they also handle all the decorations, table set-up and, best of all, the clean-up operation. They even ask the star of the show for their favourite music choices to play on the day.
Apparently, all I need to worry about is the cake – which is excellent news, as I’ve somehow managed to sign up to creating a multi-tiered pirate ship concoction, complete with Curly Wurly bulwarks and Rolo portholes. I’m sure all those episodes of The Great British Bake Off will come in handy. How hard can a showstopper be?
We arrive about 30 minutes early to ensure the safe passage of said masterpiece, and there are squeals of delight from the birthday boy as he discovers the lobby festooned with under-the-sea decorations and pirate paraphernalia. Think Jolly Roger bunting, foam play swords and X marks the spot.
Before we know it, another 20 or so overexcited small humans are on the scene. In fact, I can almost hear the collective sigh of relief as we hand the children over to The Little Gym hosts, Jos and Sophie, for an hour of adventures on the high seas.
Tempting as it is to join the rest of the grown-ups for a chance to relax and enjoy a complimentary coffee or cuppa in the seating area, I can’t resist sneaking into the gym to see what Captain Greenbeard and the children are up to.
Amid a joyful chorus of “Arrrrrs” and “Yo-ho-hos”, there’s jumping, crawling, swinging, sliding and balancing aplenty – not to mention deck swabbing, rig climbing and shark spotting too. With everything from balance beams and high bars to tunnels, slides and more multicoloured foam shapes than I can count, I’m amazed at how much imaginative play and gymnastics they cram into 60 minutes.
When my little niece discovers the final hidden seashell, there’s a collective cheer and Sophie rolls out a giant inflatable for a bouncy pirate parade finale, complete with bubbles and claves.
After one last “Go, go, super kids!” chant, with hands stacked in a circle, the little scallywags return to the lobby for a well-earned swig of squash at tables draped with skull-and-crossbones cloths. The Little Gym also provides themed napkins, eco-conscious plastic cups and plates, as well as platters for anyone wanting to bring snacks.
Then it’s time to fire up the cannons – or candles – and sing “Happy Birthday”. Surrounded by friends and family, my son’s grin couldn’t be any bigger, and I have only one complaint: it’s all over far too quickly.
As we wave goodbye, laden with presents, he looks up at me and beams, “Mummy, you did that perfectly!” Thanks, my little shipmate. But credit where credit’s due – The Little Gym deserves a chest full of gold doubloons for pulling off such a swashbuckling birthday party.
The Little Gym Bath’s party package, for children aged three to 12, costs £400, or £360 for Bath Discovery Card holders. It also runs holiday camps, with a buy-one-get-one-free offer on selected days in August.
For more information about parties and summer offers, including joining in August and receiving the following month free, visit bath.thelittlegym.co.uk.
