Parties

Ideas for local venues and entertainers for children's parties.

Please comment with your own recommendations.

Venues

• Tillage Hall, Waterbeach. The hall can be hired for £10 an hour by Waterbeach residents, including use of the kitchen, tables and chairs. It opens onto a patio area and the rec, so is great for all weathers.
• Landbeach Village Hall - main hall (100 people), overlooking Wort’s Meadow, or lounge (60 people), with patio onto the rec. Use of kitchen, tables and chairs. adjacent sports and social club offers bar facilities.
• Various venues have great outdoor space for a picnic (normal cost of entry) e.g. Anglesey Abbey, Milton Country Park, Miniature railway at Newnham or Denny Abbey farmland museum (the museum also has rooms for hire or can be hired for exclusive use).

• Cheeky Monkeys play barn. Parties include use of the play equipment (either shared or exclusive), food, invitations and decorations. Prices starts at £7.50 per child.
• Cottenham Sports Centre - Bouncy castle, ride ons, soft play equipment, ball pit and more, £75. Parties last 2 hours with time for party tea. Sports parties available for older children. Saturdays and Sundays.
• CWA Milton campus - handle and feed a range of animals. Animals can include rabbits, guinea pigs, goats, sheep, ferrets, tortoises, snakes, lizards, salamanders, millipedes, cockroaches, snails, rats, mice, gerbils, chinchillas, hamsters, chickens, ducks and cats. Prices from £60.
• Milton Country Park, The Wild Place. Space for outdoor activities such as bushcraft and den building or crafts. Available for hire as a space only or with Ranger led activities. £45 per hour space only or £80 per hour with a Ranger.

Entertainers

• Mr Marvel - Magician and entertainer. Parties are 2h and include magic tricks (with magic rabbit), Punch and Judy show, balloon modelling, bubble machine and disco. Enquire online or tel: 0845 5190146 (Dave Beasley has been recommended)
• What's in the box - Offers themed parties for children 4 years +. Themes incude drama, dressing up, dance, mask making and face painting.
• Mucky Pups will run craft and sensory activities for private parties. Contact them or visit them at their regular Cottenham or Barhill groups.
• Shake, Rattle and Roll will run mini sessions where they play instruments and lead the guests in singing.
• Little Movers (The Lane Academy) - dance parties for 3-13 year olds. Themed parties with dances to learn and party games. Prices from £100 for 60 mins and 15 guests.

Equipment

• For a party, Cottenham Toy Library will lend as many toys as you like for £10.
• Dean Back, Bouncy castle hire Cambridge. Bouncy castles, obstacle course and football shootout for hire. 
• Castle Fun - bouncy castle hire
• Cambridge Party Bouncers - bouncy castles, giant/outdoor games and marquees
• Rosemary newsagents - helium balloons
• Bouncy castles - Stewart Clowes (in the village). Contact via Facebook (you can find him on Waterbeach babble).

Ideas for take home presents or prizes

• Custom crayons, handmade by heather. Contact via Facebook or 01223 817528.
• 10 goodie bags with a twist

Cakes

• Boswell & Son, Waterbeach - the village bakery. Ask in the shop about celebration cakes.
• Yellow Butterfly Cake Designs, Ely - Custom made cakes. Lynn also teaches sugarcraft, if you'd like to learn how to decorate your own cakes. She runs courses from her shop or at Cottenham Village College. See website.
• Healthy first birthday cakes - Recipes for sugar free cakes.