A Birth-date With Adventure By Emily Reaman Special to washingtonpost.com Wednesday, November 13, 2002

	Keep the cake, skip the clowns. (Photo by Margaret Thomas/The Washington Post)
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At Horizon Organic Dairy Farm birthday parties, kids can experience life on a farm. Choose from any one of Horizon's interactive classes, where staff members teach kids lessons like how to milk a cow. Animal tours, hayrides and a corn maze offer outdoor amusement for children 6 and up. If you bring your own cake, Horizon gladly provides the milk.

If your child prefers trains to tractors, climb aboard a 1940s train for a party at B&O Railroad Museum. This birthday package offers ages 2 through 10 paper engineer hats, coloring books and a catered lunch on the 1950s dining car. Parties include free admission for kids to tour interactive locomotive exhibits and check out rare engines like the 18th-century Roundhouse model (there's only one other like it in the country).

Lasso in kids of any age for year-round birthday adventure at Old Mine Ranch. A hands-on petting farm lets kids get friendly with chicks and potbelly pigs. Staple attractions like hayrides, pony rides and guided river hikes are all part of the ranch's Western party bonanza. From December to early March, Old Mine Ranch creates its own "Winter Wonderland," when birthday groups can enjoy rides in a real one-horse open sleigh. Afterward, cuddle up indoors for cookies and cocoa.

L'Academie de Cuisine serves up delicious birthday ideas for children 9 to 11. One of L'Academie's chef-instructors assists kids in preparing an entire meal, including a birthday cake or other dessert. L'Academie offers a variety of specialty menus that range from Asian to Mexican cuisine; vegetarian options are available upon request. For those who like to bake, tea-time tartlets and scones make great additions to the Afternoon Tea theme. Children receive their own chef's hat and recipe packet. Early registration is recommended.

Children 4 and up take center stage at Classika Theatre. Parties include a live theater performance where the birthday child receives a signed poster from the entire cast. The "Studio Party" package lets kids act out with costumes and props in the private party room. Classika's "Theater Party" adds a high-energy drama lesson and an arts and crafts workshop where kids can make puppets and masks for take-home entertainment.

Save time for sweets and a show at the West End Children's Theatre -- a great way to introduce kids to live theater. Professional actors perform favorites like "The Wizard of Oz" and "Babes in Toyland" for ages 2 through 10. All birthdays are offered at 2 p.m. showtimes and parents must provide the refreshments.

Lift off to the Virginia Air & Space Center. This nonprofit organization offers interactive exhibits to tour. Birthday parties include a ride on a motion simulator, a science demonstration on electricity and plenty of craft projects to bring home. The "Little Wings" package is ideal for ages 6 and under; the "Big Wings" package for fliers 7 and up also features an IMAX screening from the museum's movie collection.

Make a splash and head downstream with one of Wildlife Expedition's kayak eco-tours around Chincoteague and Assateague islands. The sunrise and sunset expeditions offer paddle and boat-piloting instruction, a marsh tour and some local history storytelling. Lucky groups may even have a close encounter with the islands' wild ponies. No experience is necessary and tours are safe for children as young as 4.

Birthdays at Discovery Creek Children's Museum show kids what puts the "wild" in wilderness. The "Wild Things" party for ages 4 through 7 features a guest list of critters from salamanders to a boa constrictor. The "Camping Adventure" party for ages 4 through 11 offers nature hikes and teaches kids survival camping skills like navigation and how to pitch a tent. For an older bunch, the "Rock On!" party lets kids scale to new heights on the museum's rock wall; "Tropical Treehouse" takes kids to a simulated South American rain forest. There's even time to greet a few tropical rain-forest inhabitants and make tasty tropical treats. Both of these packages are recommended for ages 6 through 11. You must be a museum member to celebrate at Discovery Creek, and you can begin a membership for $50 with any party reservation.