Pizza, the Party Pleaser 

Any way you slice it, pizza is a fun finger food. Kids love it. Want to have cake and pies at your child's next birthday? Here are some pizza-party possibilities:

Indoor Fun in South Burlington:

Pizza Putt and Lee Zachary's Pizza House offer the arcade experience. Both facilities have combination packages that include pizza, cake, arcade tokens and private dining space. Lee Zachary's party zone — with ball pit, mini-basketball games and air-hockey tables — is in one large room in the rear of the restaurant, so it's easy to keep an eye on everyone. Pizza Putt offers a variety of other activities, including mini-golf and laser tag, but its space is more spread out, so you might want to invite extra chaperones.

Outdoors in Waitsfield:

During the warmer months, consider a party at American Flatbread in Waitsfield. As part of the event, guests can swim at the Lareau Swimming Hole located directly across the street (Route 100), or use the restaurant's yard space and sports equipment for an action-packed game of Frisbee, soccer or Wiffle ball. After your guests finish their flatbread, treat them to a s'mores buffet at the restaurant's awesome outdoor fire pit.

Party at Home:

Our family attended one of these a few years back, and the kids really got a kick out of creating their own pizzas, complete with pepperoni smiley faces. Your local grocery store carries premade dough, sauce and a selection of toppings. Section the dough out ahead of time, have sauce and napkins easily accessible and a few options for toppings, and let the kids loose. Bake at 400 degrees for about 12 minutes, and you've got a pizza party!

Katrina Roberts is a Kids VT account executive and Realtor who lives in Monkton with her husband, Kids VT publisher, Colby Roberts, and their three girls.