It can be stressful coming up with new birthday party ideas for your kids and teens. Once you’ve done the soft play, the trampoline centre, the swimming or cinema party, you may be stuck for something new.

These are some ideas that our parents have suggested, so they have all been road tested and got the thumbs up from party goers!

Lough Key Forest Park is the home of the weather independent Boda Borg, an exciting quest adventure where you must puzzle your way out of different rooms.

For younger children there is the tree top canopy walk and the on-site café is the perfect place for a birthday feast.

If you want to get active outdoors, how about having an orienteering adventure party?

Junior Einsteins Science Club Parties are very hands-on and children get to make and take home their own slime! They wear Lab coats and goggles and see amazing science experiments.

Children are enthralled by – 2 types of SLIME, Electrocuting a Barbie doll on a Van Der Graff generator Lighting lightbulbs by just touching a plasma ball!Shoot giants smoke rings at each other with fabulous giant Smoke Cannons.

Their science parties are Fun-Filled, Action Packed and Absolutely Unforgettable and something different – encourage your ‘Junior Einstein’ to explore and be curious about the world around them. Showing a child how fascinating science is through hands-on fun is creating a life long passion.

All that is needed is an electricity source (a table would be ideal too) and all will be cleaned up too after the party!

From Fairy & Elf parties for under 7’s to Zip a dee do da! parties for ages 12+ Castlecomer Discover Park in Kilkenny offer a varied range of activities for kids of all ages to enjoy.

Food from the Canopy Café can be ordered in advance and the kids can bounce, climb, mine and get outdoors to enjoy all this amazing venue has to offer.

Get our best content direct to your inbox! You’ll receive quick and easy recipes, fun ideas to entertain the kids, parenting tips, great competitions, as well as offers from brands we trust.

Delphi Adventure Centre offers up to 20 different land and water based activities from ages 4+. You can book everything from Bushcraft Survival to Zip’n’Trek or Canoeing to a Bog Obstacle Course, Raft Building to Coasteering.

Fun and adventure are guaranteed in equal measure and this is one party that will be remembered forever!

Croke Park offer stadium tours, skyline and museum tours which are all perfect for an unusual party. You can eat afterwards in the on-site cafe and the offer discounted rates for group bookings.

So the only choice is whether you want to bring your party guests for a thrilling rooftop walk 17 storey’s high or keep your feet firmly on the ground and take part in some GAA games.

Outdoor fun for all kids aged 8+ is guaranteed with a birthday party at Ballyhass Lakes. From aeroball to zip lining and abseiling to wakeboarding, you can choose up to 4 activities to enjoy.

Bring along BBQ food and use one of the free BBQ’s to cook up your birthday tea or you could even try your hand at catching your own!

How about locking your party guests in a room, bus or boat and asking them to escape? Escape Rooms have become very popular in Ireland and there are options nationwide that cater for both younger groups and older kids and teens.

From climbing parties to trampoline parties, dance parties to swim parties, soccer parties to multi-sport parties, you can tailor make the party experience that best suits your child at the Trinity College Sports Centre.

My daughter had her party at Eile Mental Activity Park when she turned 13. They played Laser Tag on a damp day and declared it the best party ever! You can also do paintballing, archery, disc golf and orienteering.

You will have to organise your own food and be warned it is not near any facilities, so unless you plan on taking part, pack your walking shoes and enjoy a stroll with stunning views.

Based in Carlingford, SkyPark is the largest zipline and sky trekking park in Ireland. It offers a choice of 4 courses where you can swing, climb and zip from suspension bridges, tightropes, cargo nets, base jumps and more.

At Wildlands Galway, you are welcome to book a group onto an activity through their website and pre book your seating in the Party Room overlooking The Olive Tree Kitchen. Enjoy their Zip ‘n’ Trek course, imaginative play in An Baile Beag or scaling new heights on Fun Walls.

All you need to bring is your birthday cake and a healthy sense of fun!

Mum Lisa told us about Art & Mór in Kenmare where you can book a table and get your party guests to be creative. They can choose from the paint and take home option, or leave their masterpieces to be glazed and fired.

Fort Lucan offers a world of fun, splashing, jumping, climbing and sliding for kids of all ages. They have special group rates which can be availed of for birthday parties and you can book their party room. It must be booked in advance and you can bring along your own food and drinks for guest to enjoy.

If the circus happens to be in town, check out whether they offer party packages. My sister recently booked in 18 kids for a trip to the circus and got them pony rides and face painting as part of a party package. She brought along a cake and the ringmaster presented it to the party girl in the centre of the ring, and she got to blow out her candles in front of everyone!

Take your party guests out of this world with a trip to Atlantic Air Adventure for an aviation birthday party. Plan your course before you take to the skies in the flight simulator.

Fort Lucan offers a world of fun, splashing, jumping, climbing and sliding for kids of all ages. They have special group rates which can be availed of for birthday parties and you can book their party room. It must be booked in advance and you can bring along your own food and drinks for guest to enjoy.

Bubble Soccer parties are available nationwide in Galway, Cork, Dublin, Mayo, Offaly, Roscommon, Leitrim, Westmeath, Limerick, Longford and Kildare. They are great fun for both boys and girls and usually have a football game and other fun elements. My daughter recently attended a party at Astrobay in Renmore, Galway where they also provide food and a party room.

Absolute Limousines offer the ultimate stress free party option with their absolute play bus. Each double decker bus offers ball pods, cargo nets, bif’n bash bags, climbing ladders, slides and more. It will arrive at your home, open the doors and let the kids pile in for some fun.

OWLS is a children’s nature charity and they run outdoor survival parties where your child and their friends can lean how to survive in the wilderness! You will learn to make an outdoor shelter, build a fire and toast marshmallows. There are 2 Dublin sites in Donabate and Dundrum.

The Reptile Zoo in Kilkenny enables your kids to get up close to more than 50 reptiles in the animal encounter zone, tropical walk and other areas of the zoo. They also offer a fun the Zoo Comes to You service where the staff will travel with some of the reptiles to your party venue!

How about a slumber party with a difference? Companies such as Little Laughs offer a tailored service so that party guests have their very own teepee with bunting, fairy lights and cushions to make staying over even more fun.

The Galway Atlantaquaria set in the heart of Salthill on the Wild Atlantic Way offers 2 hours of party fun for children. Children will have an exciting treasure hunt, get to hold starfish and crabs and feed fish before their party food and games.

How about a quad bike safari for your next party? Kids from aged 8+ are welcome at Bridgefield Buggies for an off road experience they will never forget around a the 9 mile trek!

No driving experience is needed and all participants will get a full safety briefing and training before the party starts. Pack a change of clothes!

Whether you decide to host at home or head out to a local pizzeria or restaurant, kids will love the idea of creating their very own pizza. And instead of a birthday cake, you could create a chocolate spread and marshmallow pizza! Both Milano/Pizza Express and Apache Pizza run pizza making parties.

Mum Caitriona recommended the Wax Museum. You can book a birthday party at The National Wax Museum Plus. They offer birthday party options to suit all budgets and ages. The party will get a tour of the museum and a group Waxfactor video.

Birthday cake can be eaten surrounded by the stars in the Hall of Fame! You can add additional items such has wax hands, face painting and party bags and the birthday child goes free.

Kidisco provides DJ’s and dancers for kids parties. They can travel to your home or venue and set up a mini disco. Their entertainers are dance-trained and ensure to keep the kids engaged and on their toes learning dance routines, playing dance games, singing offs and lots more!

They bookings for kids parties in Dublin, Galway, Cork, Limerick and surrounding areas.

Get back to nature with a party at Airfield Estate. There’s a barn full of toys for imaginative play for young tots and Naturescape – an outdoor adventure playground with climbing frames, scramble nets, slides, swings, balance beams, tunnels and a zip wire!

Don’t forget they’re also a working farm, so you can meet animals. They recommend that you bring a picnic for all the kids and make the most of the 38 acres in the heart of Dundrum. Check in with the Airfield Team for great group rates for your next kids party.

Have the ultimate superstar recording birthday party at The Sing Factory. Record your favourite song in a real recording studio and afterwards a copy will be sent to you to keep.

For something a bit different, how about a birthday celebration at Squirrel’s Scramble at Killruddery House and Gardens where kids can experience the wonderful natural forest with more than 40 different challenges to climb, balance, slide and crawl. They will zoom along the zip lines through narrow passages in the woods for a thrilling adventure.

Sheltered party areas with wooden seats and tables are provided, and while they don’t cater for food or drink you can either pick up delicious nibbles at the food stalls at the Killruddery Farm Market (Saturdays only) or order pizza for the kids from the local pizza delivery services. They are also happy for you to bring your own food in if you prefer.

Gamers of all ages will love their own personal gaming van, like this one from Next Level Gaming. Complete with multiple screens, a variety of consoles, and accessories like VR headsets, this is guaranteed to be a success!