Amherst, NH Parks & Recreation
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Birthday Parties at PMEC

Happy Birthday
Create unforgettable birthday memories this year with a Birthday Party for your child ages 3-12 at the Peabody Mill Environmental Center!

We have many themes to choose from (see list below), or we can work together to tailor one just for your child's birthday.

What does all of this cost?  $200 for Residents and $250 for Non-Residents. 

Parties Include:
  • 1/2 hour set up time
  • 2 hours of party time. A PMEC educator leads the first hour and will include fun and informative activities, such as hikes, science experiments, crafts, games, and stories. The second hour is for you to organize serving cake and refreshments, opening gifts, or any activities you'd like to lead.
  • 12 guests (an additional fee of $8 will be added for up to 18 guests maximum)
  • A dedicated space featuring tables and chairs, as well as access to a kitchenette equipped with a standard refrigerator, sink, and microwave. You are welcome to bring in food or have it delivered. Plates, napkins, serving ware and silverware, cups, tablecloths, and decorations are not provided. Don't forget the candles and lighter!
To reserve your date, please contact:
Michele Koltookian, mkoltookian@amherstnh.gov 
PMEC Office at (603) 673-1141
 

Dates are subject to the availability of space and staff. Reservations must be paid in full one week prior to the party and are non-refundable within 48 hours of the scheduled party date. A 50% non-refundable deposit is required.


Past Party Themes


All Charged Up
(Winter only )Using balloons, wool, plastic combs, and Styrofoam® plates, children will participate in safe static electricity experiments that are both fun and educational.

Boot Camp at PMEC.
Calling all birthday boot camp recruits! Come experience Birthday Boot Camp at PMEC. Each child will make their own personal dog tag, and then head outside to do some shelter building. After making a perfect shelter to hide from the enemy we will then head back inside to participate in more boot camp activities. We can tailor Boot Camp to fit all sort of young recruits’ abilities.

Creepy Crawling Critters –
Insects are everywhere! Come learn about nature’s tiny marvels. We’ll go on a bug hunt to see what we can find!

Double Dare Challenge -
Come celebrate your birthday Double Dare style. We will create teams of your friends and compete against each other to see who can be the ultimate Double Dare champion!! Answer STEM-based trivia questions and if you get them right earn points, but if you get them wrong you can dare the other team to answer or take the physical challenge. The winning team gets to compete in an ultimate outdoor obstacle course!

The Great Egg Drop (Spring to Fall) — Given a container and a raw egg, children must gather materials from one of the nature trails. They will use what they gathered as packing material to surround the egg in the container. Then they will drop their containers off the back porch. Will the egg survive?

I Spy In a Jar -
Using materials found and collected in nature, children will be guided and inspired to design and create their very own miniature forest creation.

Let’s Go Fishing  (Late spring to early fall)Children will learn the basics of fishing and will practice using casting weights then go for the real thing and try to catch a fish in our pond! (note: age restricted: children must be at least 9 years old)

Life in a Bottle - To most people, a soda bottle is just a bottle. But it can be much more. It can be a hanging plant holder, a bug lab, or even a mini greenhouse. Children will choose which one to make. (Note: Each child must provide a clean, two-liter soda bottle.)

Life Under Logs (Late spring to early fall) – Party in the woods with the unseen creatures. Rotten logs are a great place to observe the wonderful world of decomposers such as insects and the animals that eat them.


Pine Cone Bird Feeder – Birds are beautiful creatures and one of the best ways to see them up close is to feed them. Children make a simple feeder with pine cones and food from the kitchen and food from nature.

Skins and Skulls – Partying with a real coyote might be a little dangerous. But we have real skins and skulls of animals found in New Hampshire. Learn what makes these animals so interesting.

Snowshoes (Winter only) – strap on some snowshoes and go for a guided hike in the snow. Participate in snowshoe races and have fun building snow forts. (note: age restricted: children must be over 7 years old)

Tracking (Winter only) – Come and learn the art of animal tracking. First, in our activity room, we’ll observe different types of tracks. Then we’ll go outside and explore the winter woods and see what animals have been there.

Wacky Water Critters (Late spring to early fall) – Come party at our pond and see who lives in the mud. We will try to catch salamanders, frogs, dragonflies and other critters that live in our pond.

Who Done It? Forensics
(year round) - Hands on imaginary crime scene investigation. Learn about scientific techniques used to find evidence. Under a microscope and using chemistry will surely help you solve the crime.


Woodland Fairy/Gnome Adventures
--- Using materials found and collected in nature, children will be guided and inspired to work together to design and build magical fairy or gnome houses.


Wild Flower/Leaf Press (Spring to Fall) – Flowers come and go each year. Wouldn’t it be great to save some for later? Children will learn how to make a flower press and discover the best ways to preserve flowers. This can also be applied to leaves in the fall.



Birthday Party Testimonials -
  • "We had such a great time. I couldn't have been more pleased with how well it went, and I am so grateful to Michele for her help. You all truly went above and beyond what I anticipated with the setup, the themed decorations, and all the awesome supplies for the kids to use on their creations. Thank you SO much for such a great party for Rowan and her friends."
  • "Just wanted to send a note to say THANK YOU for the great birthday party yesterday! Susie, you were awesome -- everything was very organized and looked great, the kids had a great time, the craft was amazing, and the whole experience was super easy. I'll be sure to recommend PMEC for b-day parties in the future!"