4 buses that come to your house for smaller kid parties on Long Island
Finding fun ways to celebrate winter birthdays can be tough enough without the added concern of keeping the family healthy and safe. These days, as smaller gatherings still dominate, party buses are becoming popular event settings for cautious friends and families.
Locally owned buses bring salon and spa experiences, gaming trucks and much more to your front door.
"We’ve had a crazy surge. People are interested in intimate gatherings with their family and friends who are around each other all the time," says Ritzy Glitzy Girls Party Bus owner Venetta Carraway.
CEO of Game Over party bus, Alethia Daney, agrees. "It doesn’t have to be a birthday party. We had a party recently that a kid got as a Christmas gift. Parents have called and said they just want something for their kids to do. They go in on the price and have the game bus stop in front of their homes for a few hours so the kids can get together and have fun."
The small party bus atmosphere also appeals to some parents "because they can control the environment and cleanliness," notes GameTruck national sales team manager Stacey Knight. GameTruck parties, which can accommodate up to 20 guests, have been recently downsized to no more than 10, Knight says.
Find an at-home party bus that fits your party style:
Call for COVID precautions currently in place, including vaccination, mask and occupancy policies.
ADD A LITTLE BIT OF SPARKLE
The Ritzy Glitzy Girls Party Bus brings to the birthday star's home a glamorous salon on wheels with mini pink seats, colored lights and more for a 90-minute gathering. Kids, ages 3 through 12, will get pampered with sparkled, neon-colored manicures and pedicures, cotton candy facials, makeup with heart-shaped rhinestones, rainbow hair extensions and glitter tattoos.
Kristin Cameron, 3, of Rockville Centre, left, with Emony Davis, 15, of Hempstead, at a Ritzy Glitzy Girls Club birthday party. Credit: Debbie Egan-Chin
"Next, we roll out a pink carpet and do a fashion show," Carraway says. "The girls twirl, pose and take photos, and we end with a big dance party. We’ve had parties with four to six girls. Most parties have nine, and we have a maximum of 15. But no matter what the size, we bring the glam to you."
DETAILS: 1990 Jericho Tpke., New Hyde Park; 646-696-4596; ritzyglitzygirlzclub.com; basic party package begins at $595 for 90 minutes. Staffers are required to wear masks; it is up to the parents discretion whether the children participating choose to do so.
TRAVELING ARCADE
On the gaming bus, eight, large game screens line the walls along with consoles and sofa seating. The kids get on, choose games, and play for nearly two hours. Music and laser lights set the scene, and dancing is encouraged. Kids can play all the latest games alone or with three or four players at a time. Game coaches help out on the bus. A large Connect 4 game and Jenga puzzle are set up outside for parents. Daney says parties these days typically max out at 10 kids, but the bus can be reserved for one or two players too.
Brianna Huggins, 12, on board the Game Over Game Bus party bus where kids play video games. Credit: Debbie Egan-Chin
DETAILS: Game Over; gameovergamebuses.com; 646-499-0656; Basic party package begins at $495 for 1 hour 45 minutes.Staffers are required to wear masks; it is up to the parents discretion whether the children participating choose to do so.
GLAM LIFE LUXURY PARTY
This party bus is set up as a salon for kids. Girls get a makeover with glittery makeup and hair neon manicures. It goes on. There’s a costume box filled with princess gowns, tiaras, wands, plastic shoes, slippers and jewelry. Kids choose neon wigs to complement their costumes.
Next, the girls put their phones on light ring stands and make TikTok-style videos. There’s also a mini video game section. Music plays throughout the event. Owner/manager Daniel Mercado describes the finale, "We turn the regular lights off, put the LED lights on and turn on karaoke." Brother Bus Extreme Game Zone can be booked along with the Glam Life bus.
DETAILS: 11 Locust St., Valley Stream; 516-812-9094; nyglamlife.com; basic party package: $549 for 90 minutes. Age range: 5-13.
GAMING GALORE PLUS MORE
Inside this climate-controlled gaming party bus called GameTruck, there’s comfy couch seating and five large screens. All games can be multiplayer. Sports games can have up to four players, Mario Cart and Super Smash Brothers can have up to eight. It’s a flexible environment. Kids can play all the latest games or spend the whole session playing Minecraft. Though birthday parties are popular, Knight says, "Your event doesn’t have to be a birthday celebration. We can have a gathering and call it an out-of-the-house day."
Generally, the youngest party participants are about 6 years old, but GameTruck gatherings are also offered to teens, college students, for bachelorette parties, even retirement parties. "Sometimes, a parent will give a child a party as a reward for a good report card," Knight says. "During the Super Bowl, if the kids need something to do, we’ll come out and they can play during the game. Even if it’s a snow day, if we can get our crew to your location, we’ll be there."
DETAILS: 866-253-3191; gametruckparty.com/long-island; call for price packages.
TO GATHER OR NOT TO GATHER? DOCTORS RESPOND
Should parents be hosting small play dates or birthday parties at this point in the pandemic?
“I don’t think it’s easy at this point in time to make blanket decisions,” says Dr. Aaron Glatt, chief of infectious diseases at Mt. Sinai South Nassau hospital in Oceanside. “I don’t think there’s an absolute recommendation. I don’t recommend people be lenient, I don’t recommend people be strict.”
Glatt recommends instead that people take into account their personal risk factors and make individual decisions based on the idea that it is healthy for children to get together if possible.
If all the children (and any accompanying adults) are vaccinated and the hosting family doesn’t have any family members at high risk for illness, then it’s reasonable to gather, Glatt says. However, gathering in a large room with good ventilation is safer than a small room with poor ventilation, he says. And having everyone wear masks further reduces risk, although he says it’s not entirely realistic to expect toddlers and preschoolers to keep their masks on correctly.
“The most important thing for children five years and above is they should be vaccinated at least two weeks before any gathering,” agrees Dr. Mundeep Kainth, a pediatric infectious disease physician at Cohen Children’s Medical Center in New Hyde Park.
However, not everyone in that age group has embraced the vaccine, Kainth says. For instance, Kainth says she wanted to put together a party for her son Jaishan’s 9th birthday this month, but ultimately opted not to because at least one of his friends is not vaccinated and she was concerned for the risk to her elderly parents. Both of her sons, which includes Ishan, 6, have been vaccinated, she says. “If you really want to do it, I would do rapid tests and wear masks,” she says, adding that children should be wearing KN95 masks instead of surgical or cloth ones. She also recommends keeping tabs on the level of community spread when making choices --- while there may be a dip in numbers now, in a few weeks the virus may surge again.
— Beth Whitehouse
