Before Dana’s 8th Birthday drew near, we decided we would throw a unique party for her and her Primary 2 classmates before they part ways to different classes next year.  On a daily basis, the girls have limited interactions which are centred around lessons, recess and after school CCAs. A laser tag party would allow the birthday girl and her friends to let their hair down (literally) and experience something special which they can talk about for many days after!

We managed to keep it a surprise for the birthday girl till the actual morning of the party itself.  When we arrived at the birthday venue, Tag Team ECP, Dana’s friends were already waiting for her, excited to start the laser tag mission. Needless to say, the birthday girl was thrilled, having enjoyed her first taste of laser tag games at Tag Team Downtown East. 

How does Laser Tag game work?

The kids were briefed on the game rules, and randomly grouped into two teams for the mission. Laser tag equipment were initially developed for military exercises to allow soldiers to have realistic combat simulation games. Since it uses infra-red light, which is used in common household items like TV remote controls & mobile phones etc., it is perfectly safe.

Each gun has sensors connected to the barrel and cable. The player holds the laser tag weapon and the other sensors are attached to the body using an adjustable strap.  As the player runs around and shoots, the laser tag equipment electronically tracks information like how many shots have been fired, if the gun needs reloading and it is also able to warn the player of near misses and hits by other players.  All in all, the kids had a wonderful time running around and shooting one another in the 3 rounds of laser tag missions (each lasting about 15 mins, with a short water break following after) at the birthday party.

What we like about Tag Team ECP:

• The arena is spacious, outdoorsy and has good natural air ventilation.
• The venue has benches for families to lay out their food spread and beverages. 
• The areana is has big inflatable ‘bunkers’ for the kids to hide, ambush each other, run through, making the mission more fun!
• The guides were friendly and patient. They took time to explain to the kids the workings of the laser gun and the rules of the games as well as safety precautions. They emphasized a lot about safety – rightly so.
• The laser guns are slightly heavier than the ones we used in Downtown East and hence more realistic.
• The kids wear a sash strapped around their upper torso which buzzes when hit and it also keeps count of how many times they were hit.
• The kids learnt about working together in teams when they are taking down the ‘enemy’.
• Anyone, from kids to adults, can play laser tag, as long as you are sporting enough to join in!

Birthday Catering:

We were pleased to know that Tag Team ECP allow parents to cater our own party food. We saw families tucking into pizzas, KFCs and the usual run-of-the-mill birthday buffet spread. I was told another parent brought in Ramly Burger for a Tag Team party the previous week! How novel.

Since our party was held in the afternoon and given that the weather has been sweltering hot, we brought in a LIVE ice-cream booth – Bing Qi Lin,  to serve freshly made waffles with hand-churned artisan ice-cream. We pre-selected 5 flavors for the party (Dutch Chocolate, Kyoto Matcha,  Milk and Honey, Cookie Crumble, Summer Strawberry) and they were  a hit with the kids (and their parents)!  Besides the waffles, they can request for the ice-creams to be served in a cup or cone.  I was happy to see my guests going for 2nd and 3rd helpings.

I supplemented the LIVE ice-cream station with an assortment of gourmet sandwiches, salads and chilled ice-tea from Starbucks for guests who prefer savory food (pre-ordered them from the Starbucks outlet near my workplace and drove there specially to collect the food on way to the party. Only to discover there is a Starbucks outlet right opposite Tag Team ECP! I’m blogging it down to benefit those who are considering holding a party there).  The beautiful birthday cake was a Chocolate Speculoos cake which I ordered from Maple & Market.

As for the birthday favors, I wanted each of Dana’s friends to go home with something they can use for a long time so no junk snacks. When I saw my talented Mommy friend, Debra’s instagram, I knew her DIY Silicon Beads Necklace Kits were exactly what I wanted.  She and her sister did a fabulous job at customizing the favors for our guests. I was quietly relieved to see how everything came together nicely despite not having any pre-set party theme.

East Coast Parkland is spacious with ample parking. We love its greenery and large open spaces for families to enjoy other activities around like roller-blading, cycling, playing Frisbee etc. after the laser tag session. I was very glad we picked Tag Team ECP for Dana’s 8th Birthday Party. We had the unique, memorable celebration we hoped for.  Before the party ended, a few of Dana’s classmates went up to her to tell her it was one of the most fun parties they have ever attended and they wished they could play longer! That really made the birthday girl beamed and I knew my hard-work in planning the party was worthwhile.

Useful Party Contacts:

Party Venue:  Tag Team ECP 

Birthday Cake: Maple & Market

Ice-Cream and Waffles: Bing Qi Lin

Birthday DIY Silicon Beads Necklace Favors: Olimomok

Sandwiches, Salads and Chilled Ice-Tea: Starbucks

Blessed 8th Birthday Darling! Mommy’s prayer for you is that you will always be surrounded by good friends who would affirm you and build you up. And you would likewise, be a blessing to your friends too.