Building a birthday party around an activity can be fun and memorable for everyone. These parties can stimulate a child’s creativity and curiosity, teach them new skills, and help guests discover new interests.

Creature features

Animal presenters will visit your home with a range of exotic creatures in tow. This specialists give children a chance to get an up-close look at animals such as chincillas, frogs, lizards, snakes, and rabbits. The presenter will teach the group about the creatures and even give you a chance to touch them.

Local companies that do animal presentations include

Animal Embassy (animalembassy.com), Animal Experiences (bestanimalexperiencesbydave.com) and Curious Creatures (curiouscreatures.org).

Some local organizations will host parties on site. In Mystic, both the Denison Pequotsepos Nature Center (dpnc.org) and Mystic Aquarium (mysticaquarium.org) will highlight local wildlife and marine animals. DPNC parties include several options for animal presentations, nature hikes, and crafts activities. Party themes at Mystic Aquarium include programs focusing on belugas, penguins, and sharks.

Appreciation for the arts

Connecticut has a wealth of artistic organizations, many of which are eager to help children tap into their creativity. Local museums that host birthday parties with arts and crafts activities include the Children’s Museum of Southeastern Connecticut (childrensmuseumsect.org), Florence Griswold Museum (florencegriswoldmuseum.org), Lyman Allyn Art Museum (lymanallyn.org), and Mystic Museum of Art (mysticmuseumofart.org).

 Children can also paint their own pottery at Get Fired Up in Pawcatuck (getfiredup.net) and The Clayroom in Groton (facebook.com/ClayroomGroton).

Dance and gymnastics

Kids can work up an appetite for the birthday cake and ice cream when they get a lesson in dance or gymnastics from one of several local gyms. Certified instructors lead the party through tumbles, dance routines, and other activities. Some venues also offer themes to go with these parties.

Local organizations that host these types of parties include ABC’s Gymnastics Stars in Niantic (abcsgymnastics.com), Campbell’s Gymnastics in Clinton (campbellsgymnastics1.com), The Dance Corner in Killingworth (thedancecorner.com), The South County Movement Center in Hope Valley (southcountymovementcenter.com), and Thames Valley Gymnastics in Norwich (thamesvalleygymnastics.com).

Outdoor adventure

If your child’s birthday falls on one of the warmer days of the year, consider taking the party outside. Parties at The Dinosaur Place at Nature’s Art Village (naturesartvillage.com) let children marvel at dozens of life-sized replicas of these prehistoric creatures. At the Brownstone Exploration & Discovery Park in Portland (brownstonepark.com), a former quarry has been converted to showcase a number of activities. These include zip lines, cliff jumping, swimming, snorkeling, rock climbing, wakeboarding, and rope swinging.

Some organizations take the party out onto the water. New England Science and Sailing of Stonington (nessf.org) offers activities such as snorkeling, kayaking, and ecosystem exploration. Marine scientists lead the parties at Project Oceanology (oceanology.org), and children get a chance to see several marine creatures in touch tanks.

Other enterprises will bring the entertainment to you. The Carnival Party of Westerly (thecarnivalparty.com) sets up a miniature festival in your yard, with activities such as miniature golf, giant games, carnival games, and Olympic competitions. Pretty Pony Parties of Clinton (prettyponyparties.com) gives children a chance to ride fully trained ponies.

Indoor fun

Staying inside doesn’t necessarily mean you won’t be active. The Trampoline Place in Mystic (trampolineplace.com) provides beginner’s instruction in trampoline maneuvers. Kiefer’s Martial Arts in Westerly (kidsbirthdaypartieswesterly.com) offers basic karate instruction and brings out a samurai sword for the cake cutting.

Classic bowling and roller skating parties are still appealing to kids. They can go for a strike at Spare Time in Groton (sparetimeentertainment.com) or Norwich Bowling (norwichbowling.com). Galaxy Roller Rink in Groton (galaxyrollerrink.com) includes packages with skate rental, game tokens, and glow sticks.

Parties at the Bounce Fun Center in Clinton (bouncefuncenter.com) let kids jump to their hearts’ delight on a variety of inflatables and ball pits. Themes at the Connecticut Sportsplex in North Branford (ctsportsplex.com) include laser tag, a giant playscape, sports competitions, and a unique game called cyber sport.

Theme parties

Several organizations have designed party packages around a specific theme. Whether your child is obsessed with princesses or race cars, you’re bound to find something they’ll love.

Bowl Birthdays at the Waterford Speedbowl (speedbowlct.com) are perfect for kids who enjoy the racetrack. The package includes a ride in the pace car, the opportunity to meet the drivers, and a race day trophy.

Trains have always fascinated children, and the Essex Steam Train (essexsteamtrain.com) provides birthday packages that take them on a classic steam-powered ride. Participants ride in a caboose for a beautiful 11-mile route along the Connecticut River.

BroadwayKids & Company of Niantic (broadwaykidsandcompany.com), a performing arts school, can customize a party to a number of different themes. Activities include songs, choreographed dancing, and acting games.

If your child is interested in science, the performers with Mad Science (madscience.org) are sure to delight them. The party will be transformed into a laboratory where children see scientific processes at work and create an oozing slime or silly putty to take home.

Having trouble coming up with a party idea? Kidscapades of Clinton (kidscapadesllc.com) will design a memorable day to fit your child’s personality. Some themes include baking, firefighting, and construction.