Are you a child of the ‘70s or ‘80s? Then you’ll probably have fond memories of going to birthday parties at groovy venues like the ice-skating rink, roller-skating rink, ten-pin bowling alley, or even the drive-in movies. Remember the fun you and your friends had?

• So now that you’ve got kids of your own, maybe they might follow in your footsteps and have their new birthday party at one of these fun retro locations. Do a test run first with just you and your child to see if they actually enjoy the activity, then contact the venue to see if they do party packages (most will) and what the costs are per head and/or the minimum spend.
• Then get to work on incorporating retro touches into the party planning. For example, you could specify a dress-up theme – on the invite for an ice-skating party, perhaps you could include words like: ‘Legwarmers, tights, glitter and crimped hair encouraged!’ Or if it’s a ten-pin bowling party, you could include instructions like: ‘Watch the movie Grease for your outfit inspiration!’ You might also like to make up party bags with retro, corner-store sweets such as red frogs, boiled lollies, whizz fizz, and pink bubble gum.
• If you need a little guidance tracking down a retro venue near you (‘cause the rink you used to go to might not exist any more … or maybe it does!), try these leads:
• • Ice-skating rinks – a list of locations all over the country
  • Roller-skating rinks – a list of locations all over the country
  • Ten-pin bowling alleys – try AMF Bowling centres (they have specific party packages available and host thousands each year) or this list of locations across Australia
  • Drive-in movies – a list of locations all over the country