Oakville Encore Mews Cinemas 171 Speers Rd., Unit 25
Oakville, ON L6K 3W8
905-338-MEWS
Movie packages are a fixed price per child, so you can make it as expensive or as cheap as you'd like. If you'd like a party room thrown in for before or after the movie, that's just a few bucks more per person.
As you may or may not know, the Encore on Speers isn't the swankiest of theatres. However, it is cheaper, and it's certainly adequate. One reason I tend to prefer this theatre over the SilverCity is that it doesn't have much of an arcade.
The Encore usually has a fairly decent selection of kids' movies, as well as current adult ones.
SilverCity Oakville
3531 Wyecroft Rd., Oakville, ON L6L 0B7
905-827-7173
(QEW and Burloak Drive)
SilverCity Oakville is a nice, new, shiny theatre. They even have VIP cinemas for anyone inclined to stay away from children and drink wine while watching a movie. But for the rest of us, the regular theatres are fine, too.
Parties here might run a bit more expensive than the Encore, but it's a nicer theatre. There's a little party room off to the side, as well as a huge arcade, which, depending on how you look at it, could be a good or bad thing. Obviously the greedy little rugrats will want some tokens, so there's at least another fifty out of your pocket.
Another thing they have at the SilverCity Oakville which my kids think is pretty cool are Xbox parties. My son enjoyed the one he attended, though there was quite a bit of waiting time while other kids played.
All in all, movie birthdays are pretty popular and an easy way to usher in a new year of childhood. Remember to have an extra adult or two so you can accompany the little ones to the washrooms.
Improv Parties
Lori Pearlstein
416-648-9055
My nine-year-old up and decided he wanted a party at home this year. I know that saves money, which is generally a pro, but the thought of 10 grade four boys in my house made me dizzy with horror. Oh, the noise and the chaos -- and the smell, don't forget how they smell!
I agreed, but said we'd have to find someone to come and entertain them -- there was no way they'd be running around like drugged squirrels for two hours. Obviously too old for Spider-Man and Batman, we thought an improv party might be fun. Lori Pearlstein is based out of Toronto, but will travel to the 'burbs to host parties.
The cost was $100 for an hour, which as you know is much cheaper than an indoor playground, and it was well worth it. Sue, who works for Lori, was great with the boys. She took them to the basement where they played games, laughed and had tons of fun. Meanwhile, I stayed upstairs and hid. Win-win.
After the improv fun (which was really more like 75 minutes), the boys came up, had some pizza and cake, opened presents and went home. It was pretty painless, I must admit.
Sue and Lori were great, including the birthday boy in the planning. They incorporated his interests into the games, and made him feel special. He had a ball, and so did his friends, and I never want to have that many kids here again.
416-648-9055
My nine-year-old up and decided he wanted a party at home this year. I know that saves money, which is generally a pro, but the thought of 10 grade four boys in my house made me dizzy with horror. Oh, the noise and the chaos -- and the smell, don't forget how they smell!
I agreed, but said we'd have to find someone to come and entertain them -- there was no way they'd be running around like drugged squirrels for two hours. Obviously too old for Spider-Man and Batman, we thought an improv party might be fun. Lori Pearlstein is based out of Toronto, but will travel to the 'burbs to host parties.
The cost was $100 for an hour, which as you know is much cheaper than an indoor playground, and it was well worth it. Sue, who works for Lori, was great with the boys. She took them to the basement where they played games, laughed and had tons of fun. Meanwhile, I stayed upstairs and hid. Win-win.
After the improv fun (which was really more like 75 minutes), the boys came up, had some pizza and cake, opened presents and went home. It was pretty painless, I must admit.
Sue and Lori were great, including the birthday boy in the planning. They incorporated his interests into the games, and made him feel special. He had a ball, and so did his friends, and I never want to have that many kids here again.
Jack Astor's Bar & Grill
Jack Astor's
3047 Vega Blvd. Mississauga, ON 905-820-4511
3140 South Service Rd., Burlington, ON 905-333-0066
My kids love Jack Astor's. I'm quite fond of it, too. My husband, who's a bit of a food snob (he's a chef by trade), doesn't appreciate the chain restaurants like the rest of us do. So Jack Astor's is where I like to take them when he's working.
Both The Oakville Soccer Club and The Oakville Titans (football club) give team members coupons for free kids' meals at the end of the season. Jack Astor's is big into sponsoring kids' sports leagues, which I like. And it's smart business. I never would have thought of taking the kids there if we hadn't started getting these free coupons a few times a year.
Because Jack Astor's is such a busy restaurant on Friday and Saturday nights, I like to take them during off hours, which suits them just fine. They like the TV, the always friendly staff, the crayons and the menu. I'm also fond of all those things, especially the crayons. You never know when a creative moment might strike.
I really like Jack Astor's food, much to my husband's chagrin. Their chicken quesadilla is the bomb, and their blue cheese salad dressing is to die for. There menu is enormous, and chances are you can find whatever it is you have a hankering for.
One extra cudo: my eldest likes to order off the adult's menu, and everytime he does, they still bring him a kids' dessert on the house. (The kids' meals come with a dessert: usually a brownie or ice cream).
Thumbs up for being an easy-going, fun place to take the kids.
3047 Vega Blvd. Mississauga, ON 905-820-4511
3140 South Service Rd., Burlington, ON 905-333-0066
My kids love Jack Astor's. I'm quite fond of it, too. My husband, who's a bit of a food snob (he's a chef by trade), doesn't appreciate the chain restaurants like the rest of us do. So Jack Astor's is where I like to take them when he's working.
Both The Oakville Soccer Club and The Oakville Titans (football club) give team members coupons for free kids' meals at the end of the season. Jack Astor's is big into sponsoring kids' sports leagues, which I like. And it's smart business. I never would have thought of taking the kids there if we hadn't started getting these free coupons a few times a year.
Because Jack Astor's is such a busy restaurant on Friday and Saturday nights, I like to take them during off hours, which suits them just fine. They like the TV, the always friendly staff, the crayons and the menu. I'm also fond of all those things, especially the crayons. You never know when a creative moment might strike.
I really like Jack Astor's food, much to my husband's chagrin. Their chicken quesadilla is the bomb, and their blue cheese salad dressing is to die for. There menu is enormous, and chances are you can find whatever it is you have a hankering for.
One extra cudo: my eldest likes to order off the adult's menu, and everytime he does, they still bring him a kids' dessert on the house. (The kids' meals come with a dessert: usually a brownie or ice cream).
Thumbs up for being an easy-going, fun place to take the kids.
Longo's
I hate shopping with kids. Well, I should qualify that. I love shopping with my 9-year-old because he loves shopping. When we go scouting out clothes for him, he picks things out, matches them, then tries them on. I know, pretty awesome. I really lucked out with that one, shopping wise.
But my three-year-old daughter does the usual preschooler things: runs away, hides (thinking she’s hilarious), complains, and wants everything she sees. I find that annoying, frankly, and an unlikeable experience. That’s why I only take her grocery shopping. Because when she’s in a cart, she’s contained. And when she asks for something, like some kind of cartoon-character “fruit” chews, if I tell her they’re bad for her teeth, she accepts that. She would not accept that a Dora doll isn’t coming home with us because we already have several.
We really get around as grocery shoppers. We follow the fliers, to some extent, and we visit Metro, Fortinos, SuperStore, Longos, Sobeys, Costco, Whole Foods and WalMart. And without fail, when I ask her where we should go grocery shopping, my little monkey says, “I want to go to Longos.”
Why, you may ask? They have special red carts with steering wheels. How awesome is that? There are at least eight of them, and because I’m fortunate enough to shop at the quieter parts of the week, we’ve always lucked out in getting one. I can't imagine her diappointment if we'd have to slum it with a regular boring shopping cart.
Longos also has free bread samples. It doesn't sound like much, but they're a big draw for carb-obsessed toddlers. No matter how stale said pieces of bread are, she laps them up like a dehydrated cat laps up her water.
And finally, last but absolutely not least, Longos has lollipops. At the cash. They don’t always offer, but my little diplomat always suggests it: “Mommy, lollipops would make me happy.” Invariably, the always-nice, personable cashier hears this and offers her one. They’re lovely there.
I also love their frozen spinach cannelloni and frozen falafels, but that’s another story all together.
But my three-year-old daughter does the usual preschooler things: runs away, hides (thinking she’s hilarious), complains, and wants everything she sees. I find that annoying, frankly, and an unlikeable experience. That’s why I only take her grocery shopping. Because when she’s in a cart, she’s contained. And when she asks for something, like some kind of cartoon-character “fruit” chews, if I tell her they’re bad for her teeth, she accepts that. She would not accept that a Dora doll isn’t coming home with us because we already have several.
We really get around as grocery shoppers. We follow the fliers, to some extent, and we visit Metro, Fortinos, SuperStore, Longos, Sobeys, Costco, Whole Foods and WalMart. And without fail, when I ask her where we should go grocery shopping, my little monkey says, “I want to go to Longos.”
Why, you may ask? They have special red carts with steering wheels. How awesome is that? There are at least eight of them, and because I’m fortunate enough to shop at the quieter parts of the week, we’ve always lucked out in getting one. I can't imagine her diappointment if we'd have to slum it with a regular boring shopping cart.
Longos also has free bread samples. It doesn't sound like much, but they're a big draw for carb-obsessed toddlers. No matter how stale said pieces of bread are, she laps them up like a dehydrated cat laps up her water.
And finally, last but absolutely not least, Longos has lollipops. At the cash. They don’t always offer, but my little diplomat always suggests it: “Mommy, lollipops would make me happy.” Invariably, the always-nice, personable cashier hears this and offers her one. They’re lovely there.
I also love their frozen spinach cannelloni and frozen falafels, but that’s another story all together.
Adonis Mediterranean Restaurant (Oakville)
Adonis Mediterranean Restaurant
497 Pinegrove Rd.
Oakville, ON L6K 2C2
905-849-4944
Despite it's sad-looking facade, Adonis is the bomb. Amazing food, great staff and a super-comfy ambience. Driving up to the little strip mall on Pinegrove just east of Fourth Line, you might second guess your decision to dine at Adonis. But don't turn around: this is my single favourite family restaurant ever.
I need to give special cudos to their Adonis Shawarma, which is the stuff dreams are made of. Seriously. In amongst a couple of the best pitas ever, they have a dizzying combination of tender chicken, bacon, grilled pineapple, and a few other amazingly delicious veggies smothered in a garlic sauce. Excuse me while I wipe a tear from my eye...
It's a family-owned business, and they're a nice bunch of people who really make you feel at home.
And it's fully licensed, if you're wondering...
497 Pinegrove Rd.
Oakville, ON L6K 2C2
905-849-4944
Despite it's sad-looking facade, Adonis is the bomb. Amazing food, great staff and a super-comfy ambience. Driving up to the little strip mall on Pinegrove just east of Fourth Line, you might second guess your decision to dine at Adonis. But don't turn around: this is my single favourite family restaurant ever.
I need to give special cudos to their Adonis Shawarma, which is the stuff dreams are made of. Seriously. In amongst a couple of the best pitas ever, they have a dizzying combination of tender chicken, bacon, grilled pineapple, and a few other amazingly delicious veggies smothered in a garlic sauce. Excuse me while I wipe a tear from my eye...
It's a family-owned business, and they're a nice bunch of people who really make you feel at home.
And it's fully licensed, if you're wondering...
El Spero Family Restaurant (Oakville)
El Spero
Hopedale Mall
Tel: 905-827-4851
(Third Line and Rebecca)
El Spero serves up average restaurant fare and does it fairly well. They have a family-friendly environment, with nice servers who seem to like kids. They have crayons and menus to colour on, and offer a crossword puzzle for older kids. Their kids’ menu covers all the bases, including French toast and pancakes. My three-year-old was especially delighted that they had jam and toast on the menu, which is pretty much her entire repertoire these days.
Their burger is homemade and pretty good. I hate frozen prefab burgers, so that’s a big thing for me.
The ambiance is a bit dated -- fitting for being inside Hopedale Mall -- but the easy, stress-free dinner is worth it. Thumbs up for dining with your kids; thumbs down for a romantic date.
Hopedale Mall
Tel: 905-827-4851
(Third Line and Rebecca)
El Spero serves up average restaurant fare and does it fairly well. They have a family-friendly environment, with nice servers who seem to like kids. They have crayons and menus to colour on, and offer a crossword puzzle for older kids. Their kids’ menu covers all the bases, including French toast and pancakes. My three-year-old was especially delighted that they had jam and toast on the menu, which is pretty much her entire repertoire these days.
Their burger is homemade and pretty good. I hate frozen prefab burgers, so that’s a big thing for me.
The ambiance is a bit dated -- fitting for being inside Hopedale Mall -- but the easy, stress-free dinner is worth it. Thumbs up for dining with your kids; thumbs down for a romantic date.
Little Goobers Indoor Playground (Burlington)
Little Goobers
4059 New St.
Burlington, ON L7L 1S8
Tel: 905-631-2841
I must admit, I love Little Goobers for birthday parties. Unlike other places, you can invite as many guests as you'd like for the same price, and you get the whole place to yourself. Or, if you don't mind sharing with another party, you can have a semi-private for less.
Little Goobers is definitely geared to the under-seven set. It's a small space with two separate climbing structures and a soccer cage. It might not look like much, but the kids love it. They have a couple of baby toys -- exersaucers and the like -- to keep the younger siblings busy.
My son shared a party here with a friend that has a birthday during the same month. They have the same friends, so it worked well. We had about 20 kids there in total, and it wasn't overwhelming at all. Plus, two families split the cost.
Last but certainly not least, Little Goobers has lots of comfy seats so you won't find yourself sitting your butt on the floor.
4059 New St.
Burlington, ON L7L 1S8
Tel: 905-631-2841
I must admit, I love Little Goobers for birthday parties. Unlike other places, you can invite as many guests as you'd like for the same price, and you get the whole place to yourself. Or, if you don't mind sharing with another party, you can have a semi-private for less.
Little Goobers is definitely geared to the under-seven set. It's a small space with two separate climbing structures and a soccer cage. It might not look like much, but the kids love it. They have a couple of baby toys -- exersaucers and the like -- to keep the younger siblings busy.
My son shared a party here with a friend that has a birthday during the same month. They have the same friends, so it worked well. We had about 20 kids there in total, and it wasn't overwhelming at all. Plus, two families split the cost.
Last but certainly not least, Little Goobers has lots of comfy seats so you won't find yourself sitting your butt on the floor.
Busy Bodies Indoor Playground
245 Wyecroft Rd.
Oakville, ON L6K 3Y6
Tel: 905-337-8535
(on the north side of Wyecroft Rd. just east of Dorval)
Busy Bodies is perfect for the under-seven set. After that, they tend to get a bit bored. They have a decent climbing structure for little ones, with a couple of slides. There's an infant/toddler area with toys and age-appropriate stuff to keep them occupied.
There are a few places for adults to sit, but when it's busy, you'll be on the floor unless you're one of the lucky ones.
It's on the small side, I must say, but clean and safe and little kids have a blast. I hosted a number of parties at Busy Bodies when my boys were smaller, and they were always a success. I wouldn't dream of hosting one here past kindergarten age; although kids can have fun almost anywhere, Busy Bodies just wouldn't be considered one of the cooler party spots for older kids.
Oakville, ON L6K 3Y6
Tel: 905-337-8535
(on the north side of Wyecroft Rd. just east of Dorval)
Busy Bodies is perfect for the under-seven set. After that, they tend to get a bit bored. They have a decent climbing structure for little ones, with a couple of slides. There's an infant/toddler area with toys and age-appropriate stuff to keep them occupied.
There are a few places for adults to sit, but when it's busy, you'll be on the floor unless you're one of the lucky ones.
It's on the small side, I must say, but clean and safe and little kids have a blast. I hosted a number of parties at Busy Bodies when my boys were smaller, and they were always a success. I wouldn't dream of hosting one here past kindergarten age; although kids can have fun almost anywhere, Busy Bodies just wouldn't be considered one of the cooler party spots for older kids.
Antz in your Pantz on Speers (Oakville)
Antz In Your Pants Indoor Play Centre
407 Speers Rd., Unit 15
Oakville, ON L6K 3T5
Tel: 905-844-2689
Open for public play every day but Monday. See site for details on hours and pricing.
407 Speers Rd., Unit 15
Oakville, ON L6K 3T5
Tel: 905-844-2689
Open for public play every day but Monday. See site for details on hours and pricing.
Antz opened up a few years ago boasting a fabulous place for kids and adults alike. I actually took my three monkeys to the opening day, glad that such a place had opened up so close to home. My boys, I think 7 and 8 at the time were bored. True they have a Guitar Hero gaming thingy set up and a climbing wall, but this place just plain caters to the younger set. For the little ones, it’s great.
I’ve met up with friends several times over the years with our little girls. They have a climbing structure with tunnels, and a few slides, as well as tons of toys. The girls love it, and they’re always happy to be there.
One minor complaint is that it’s really cold for the first half hour or so in the wintertime. I guess they don’t heat it much overnight, and because it’s such a big room, it takes a while to heat up.
Lil' Monkeys on Harvester (Burlington)
Lil' Monkeys Playgrounds Inc.
3250 Harvester Rd., Unit 5
Burlington, ON L7N 3W9
Tel: 1-866-972-2111, 905-632-4200
Fax: 905-632-4208
email: info@lilmonkeysplaygrounds.com
(south side of Harvester, between Walkers Line and Guelph Line)
Open 7 days a week for drop-in play. See site for hours and pricing.
3250 Harvester Rd., Unit 5
Burlington, ON L7N 3W9
Tel: 1-866-972-2111, 905-632-4200
Fax: 905-632-4208
email: info@lilmonkeysplaygrounds.com
(south side of Harvester, between Walkers Line and Guelph Line)
Open 7 days a week for drop-in play. See site for hours and pricing.
This is one of the only indoor playgrounds I can still take all three kids to. The ten-year-old is starting to find it boring, but he’s still happy to go. I’ll just start off by saying it’s expensive. Don’t quote me on this, but I’m going to say taking all three kids, entrance fee alone is around $35. Then they have those games for which you purchase tokens and the kids think they’re sure to win big! But they never do. So you need to go either prepared to fork out some extra cash, or set the boundaries before you’re there. No games.
Lil Monkeys has a massive climbing structure. It’s actually pretty cool. Lots of tunnels and slides...I’ve never actually ventured up there, but I must admit I kind of want to.
My kids’ favourite is a cage full of big piling pillow things. They go in and build stuff, throw the pillows at each other, topple stuff...basically have a lot of fun. It can get a little crazy in there, so if you’re one of those really overprotective parents of toddlers, you might not like it. I find most of the bigger kids are drawn in here, and they get rowdy. I don’t worry too much about my three-year-old girl in there along with all those rowdy boys, but she’s kind of used to it. Besides, what’s the worst that could happen with soft shapes?
Technically you’re not supposed to bring food there. They want you to buy their food. We did that the first time we went, and let me tell you, it was a disappointment. I was there with a friend. Together, there were five kids. It took about half an hour to make these five kids microwaveable Kraft Dinner. I don’t know why, it just did. Since that time, I’ve always taken my own drinks and snacks and have never heard anything about it. I figure as long as your kids eat in the designated eating area, don’t leave their stuff at the table (so other people can use the table when they’re not) and clean up after themselves, what’s the big deal.
We’ve been to several parties here. I must admit, I hate them. They are crowded to the max. They combine several parties with public play, and the place is a zoo. It’s big, so it’s not that bad, but it’s not my thing. Also, parties are three hours. That’s a little too much time with other people’s kids for me.
I’ve taken them on several Friday nights. It’s bliss. It’s nearly empty, and the kids have the run of the place while I can read or use my laptop. I would highly recommend trying to find some less busy times and take advantage.
KidSportPlex on Wyecroft (Oakville)
KidSportsPlex
212 Wyecroft Rd., Units 21 & 22
Oakville, ON L6K 3T9
Tel: 905-844-5437
(see site for schedule and pricing)
212 Wyecroft Rd., Units 21 & 22
Oakville, ON L6K 3T9
Tel: 905-844-5437
(see site for schedule and pricing)
I have to start off here by saying I myself have never had a party here. My problem with this place is from things I’ve heard, and from my experience when my son attended a party here. I would NOT recommend this as a place to host a birthday party.
The first I heard of this place was when my eldest son was taking a fencing class in the same strip mall that houses this place. The fencing teacher mentioned casually that he’d seen numerous ambulances going in and out of this place over the time he’d worked there. I didn’t think much of it, until fast forward a few months, and it was MY son leaving there in an ambulance.
I don’t want to go on too much about what facilities this place offers because frankly I don’t care. All I know is that they play hockey without helmets, and when my 8-year-old son got hit in the face with a stick, started to bleed out of his nose, proceeded to pass out and convulse, the people who were running the place thought it would be prudent to put his head in the top of a metal garbage can so the blood wouldn’t mess up the floor.
Long story short, he was fine, other than a cut on his nose and a cramped neck. No lasting damage, but some residual embarrassment and guilt that he’d ruined his friend’s party. The parents who hosted the party as well as many of the other mom’s of attendees were quick to check on him and expressed genuine concern. I personally think someone from KidSportPlex could have called to check up on him. I mean, he did leave their place in an ambulance and he’s a little boy.
Anyhoo...this is not a place I would recommend.
Mo's Family Restaurant (Oakville)
Mo's Family Restaurant
Tel: 905-844-7485
467 Speers Rd.
Oakville, ON
(on the north side of Speers between Fourth Line and Dorval)
Tel: 905-844-7485
467 Speers Rd.
Oakville, ON
(on the north side of Speers between Fourth Line and Dorval)
I decided to give this rather tired looking eatery on Speers Rd. a try because it was rated well on urbanspoon.com. I’m kind of obsessed with web reviews. We were looking for a place to take two of the three kids for dinner on a Saturday night, so we didn’t want it too busy and it had to be kid friendly. With a moniker of “Mo’s Family Restaurant,” we thought it would fit the bill. And we weren’t wrong.
Mo’s has seating for about a hundred people, and there were probably thirty there. The decor isn’t too inspiring, but then, it doesn’t really have to be. If the food is good. Well...the menu is HUGE. I’m always sceptical of massive menus because how can they possibly have all these ingredients fresh?
Basically, they have everything on the menu you might want in this type of restaurant: burgers, sandwiches, steak, souvlaki...it looked promising. They had a decent kids’ menu, too, with the usual fair of pasta, grilled cheese, burgers, etc.
My ten-year-old son and I each ordered a burger from the adult’s menu, he with poutine, me with Greek salad. My husband ordered some kind of fried chicken Panini.
The verdict? The food was pretty good. Not great, not bad. The paddies were homemade, which is really important to me. Nothing worse than a frozen, prefab burger IMO. Well, maybe some things are worse, like war and all that really sad stuff you see on the news, but in terms of fast food fare, fresh burgers rate highly.
My problem was the portion sizes. Enormous. Ridiculously big. Seriously. No one could eat portions this big. Luckily, we didn’t order my three-year-old anything, she was just going to pick off of our plates. Three meals, no apps, no dessert, four people: we left enough on our plates to feed us all again...and then some. And basically I left feeling sick. This, I can’t understand. I guess it’s a whole “value for your money” thing, but I’d rather have reasonable portions of better food. Like I said, the food wasn’t bad, but they could have done better.
The server we had was great. She actually recommended not ordering extra fries because “the portions are pretty big. Save your money.” And she was sweet enough to list my son’s burger on the bill as a kids’ meal, so that saved us $5. It could not possibly have been a kids’ portion. Maybe a 300 lb. football player’s portion.
Anyhow, basically Mo’s Family Restaurant had decent food, good service and was quite kid-friendly. The only thing that would keep me away is those gargantuan portions. Why, you ask, wouldn’t you just take it home as a doggie bag or don’t eat it all? I can’t. That’s right, I can’t. There’s food in front of me – especially fries with gravy and cheese curds – and I must eat it. No matter how sick and full I’m feeling. Sad, I know. But that’s the way I roll. After after stuffing myself to capacity, there’s no way I want to take home the leftovers to have to look at them again.
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