Planning a teen birthday party can be tricky, but Action Bowling Gateway proved that strikes, snacks and friendly competition are a winning combination.

Designed for children aged five and up, parties combine bowling with optional arcade games, dodgem rides and an xRider motion theatre experience. We chose the bowling-only option for a 13th birthday and were impressed by how easy, and enjoyable, it was.

The whole class accepted the invitation, giving us 16 children and four adults. We split across four lanes and soon discovered bowling was as much fun for the parents as the teenagers.

We brought our own cake and sweets and ordered pizzas from the venue, which went down well with the hungry bowlers.

What impressed us most was the staff’s attention throughout the party. They kept everything running smoothly and regularly tidied our party area, sweeping up spilled chips and taking care of the inevitable mess that comes with a group of excited teenagers.

The two-hour session gave us enough time to bowl, eat, sing happy birthday and settle the all-important question of which team had bragging rights. The teenagers had a blast, the adults joined in and there was no mess for us to clean up afterwards. Easy peasy, lemon squeezy.

Party packages
Parties require a minimum of 10 children and are scheduled between 10am and 2pm.

The Bowling Party costs R85 per child. The R140 Enhanced Party Package adds R30 in arcade credits and a dodgem ride, while the R195 Premium package also includes an xRider experience. Popcorn and a slush puppy can be added for R35 per person.

Guests may bring a cake, sweets and chips, while other catering can be ordered from the venue. Adult supervision is required and participants must wear takkies.

Bookings are essential and are not accepted during school or public holidays. Phone them at 031 5665668 or email gatewayfunctions@electric-avenue.co.za.