Thanksgiving is just around the corner, and you know what that means—holiday party season is on! If you’re thinking about throwing a holiday party in Middletown this year, Mid County Lanes is the perfect venue to host your holly jolly event. Read on to learn why you should host a holiday bowling party for your friends. 

Reasons to Host a Holiday Bowling Party

Uncommon Fun

Let’s face it, the holidays are a hectic time for most people. November and December calendars are usually packed full of family, church, social, and community obligations, so scheduling conflicts abound. 

If you want a good turnout to your party, well, first of all you should book now! Get those invitations out as soon as possible so people can save the date. However, it’s also important to plan a party that will stand out from the rest. A bowling party is perfect because it’s a little bit out of the norm, and a welcome break from the run-of-the-mill holiday parties we’ve all been to year after year. 

Put Your Holiday Party on Easy Mode

Hosting a holiday party can be a lot of work—or it can be as easy as (pumpkin) pie! At Mid County Lanes, our party packages take the stress out of event planning, so you can actually relax and enjoy the celebration! 

The Weather Outside is Frightful

… But do you really want a bunch of people crowding into your house? Even seemingly small get-togethers can end up being a lot of work for the host, as people inevitably track in mud or snow, not to mention the crumbs you’ll be vacuuming out of your couch later or the wine stain no one thought to mention to you. 

Our bowling facility is a great alternative, as we can accomodate groups large and small. Standard parties get 45 minutes in a private party room, or ask us about private event rentals. 

Something for Everyone

The key to any great party is entertainment. It doesn’t matter how good the food or the music is if everyone is bored! Bowling parties provide built-in fun, with a little friendly competition on the side. But there’s a lot more to Mid County Lanes than just bowling. If you opt for our bowling/arcade party package, your guests can also enjoy our other attractions, including Laser Tag, Bumper Cars, Ball-o-City, and Frog Hopper. 

Ready to host the best holiday party of the year? Contact us to make a reservation, and check out these ideas to make your party even better:

• Liven up the usual gift exchange with a gift exchange game.
• Dress the part. Invite your guests to wear their favorite tacky holiday sweaters, and vote on the tackiest! Give the winner a gift card or some other fun yet small prize. 
• Hashtag it! Come up with a unique Instagram hashtag and let your guests know to use it when posting photos from your event. 

Fall and winter birthday parties can be a bit of a challenge. If the birthday falls during the holidays, scheduling can be tricky, as it’s one of the most socially busy times of the year for many people, who may be traveling or hosting out of town guests. It’s also cold and dreary outside, so your basic backyard or neighborhood park parties are out. What’s a parent to do? 

Don’t panic, you’re in good hands! Here at Mid County Lanes, we make birthday parties super easy for parents and fun for everyone. Read on to see some ideas for fall and winter birthday parties that kids love.  

Fall and Winter Birthday Party Ideas

First and foremost, choose an indoor party venue. Next, opt for a place with built-in entertainment. There’s no need to scour the internet for game ideas or entertain all of the kids’ parents while simultaneously serving cake if you hold your party somewhere fun and exciting. 

Remember to send party invitations 3-5 weeks before the party so there’s a better chance that people will be able to come. And hey, it’s almost 2020—why not opt for an evite while you’re at it? 

Bowling Parties

Bowling birthday parties are great for kids of all ages. We have bumpers and ramps to help little ones enjoy the game, and most kids over 6 can play without them. Tweens and teens will love a cosmic bowling party, and you can even add an adult lane onto any party so the parents can get in on the fun (and out of their teens’ hair). 

Our bowling parties include 2 hours of bowling with shoe rental for up to 8 (including the birthday person), as well as food, tableware, 45 minutes in a private party room, a party coordinator to keep things rolling, and a bowling pin drink cup for the birthday child.  

Laser Tag Parties

Laser tag birthday parties are especially popular with middle and high school kids, and who can blame them? Laser tag is fun, fast-paced, and competitive, perfect for a kid who wants an action-packed party. If you opt for our arcade party package, your party of 8 (including birthday kid) can enjoy 2 hours of attractions, including laser tag, bumper cars, Frog Hopper, and Ball-o-City! 

Something for Everyone Parties

Just can’t choose between bowling and our other attractions? No worries, we’ve got a party package for that! With our Bowling/Arcade party, your group gets 1 hour of bowling and 1 hour of everything else. 

Whatever you choose for your kid’s winter birthday party, you can’t go wrong with something fun, active, and indoors. Give us a call at 302-378-0677 to make your party reservation, or come visit us in person at 875 North Broad Street in Middletown, Delaware!

The leaves are falling, there’s a pumpkin on almost every porch, and you’ve broken out your coziest sweaters and scarves. It’s that time again—autumn in Delaware! If you’re looking for some family-friendly fall events in Middletown, you’re in luck. Read on to see some of the fun things to do with your family and friends this month in New Castle County. 

Fall Fido Festival

• Who: Your family – including the furry ones!
• What: Fall Fido Festival
• When: November 2nd, 11 am – 3 pm
• Where: Concord Pet Foods & Supplies (Middletown Crossing), 340 Main Street

Join some furry friends for a fundraiser event to raise money for two local animal rescues, Tanner’s Endless Love and Daawgs Rescues. For $10 admission, guests can enjoy games and activities, receive a goody bag, and enter to win one of the amazing raffle prizes. There will also be food trucks on site with food and drinks available for purchase. 

Firelight Friday at The Nest

• Who: All are welcome
• What: Firelight Friday
• When: November 8th, 7:30 pm – 10 pm
• Where: The Nest, 215 N. Cass, Middletown, DE

What could be more autumnal than cozying up to a toasty fire? Come hang out by the fire pit at The Nest for s’mores, warm drinks, and even warmer conversation. 

Bright Pin Cosmic Bowling at Mid County Lanes

• Who: Your faves!
• What: Bright Pin Cosmic Bowling
• When: Every Friday 9 pm – midnight and every Saturday 7 pm – midnight
• Where: Mid County Lanes, 875 North Broad Street

Whether you’re planning a family fun night with your kids, a double date with friends, or a siblings-only night out, Cosmic Bowling at Mid County Lanes is a surefire hit and a great way to get out of the cold and still have some active fun! Join us from 7 pm to 9 pm for Early Bird pricing of just $30 per lane per hour. Regular price is $35 per lane per hour from 9 pm to midnight. Throw a strike with the bright pin as the head pin and win a chance to spin our prize wheel!

Please note, we allow a maximum 5 bowlers per lane. Don’t forget to bring socks, and remember, shoe rental is not included in the lane price. 

47th Annual Newark Turkey Trot

• Who: (Human) runners, walkers, and trotters – no pets, please!
• What: Turkey Trot 10k/5k race and fun run
• When: Saturday, November 23rd, 8 am (registration), 9 am (10k start), 10:30 am (5k start)
• Where: Handloff Park, 1000 Barksdale Road, Newark, DE

Lace up your running shoes and get ready to burn off some calories on the Saturday before Thanksgiving! The Turkey Trot features a USATF Certified course of rolling hills in a residential neighborhood. 10k runners will run the course twice. The first 800 registered participants will receive long sleeve t-shirts, there will also be post-race refreshments and a raffle. This event not only promises to be fun, but also benefits a great cause! The funds raised through the event will go to the James F. Hall Scholarship Fund, which provides tuition assistance to youth who would otherwise be unable to participate in Newark Parks and Recreation Department programs. There will also be a coat drive to benefit local people in need. 

So you’re planning a company outing. Whether you’re in charge of planning an event for your team, department, or even the whole company, this is one task you want to knock out of the park. When done right, team building events can have a powerful impact on morale, communication, and employee retention. If you’re not sure how to plan a successful work outing for your team, not to worry! We’ve got your back with these tips for a well-executed event that will earn rave reviews around the water cooler or breakroom. 

Start early.

When planning an event for your company, it’s always best to start a couple of months early if possible. That gives you plenty of time to finalize the budget, discuss goals and requirements for the event with other stakeholders, and then announce it to the employees. You’ll want to give teams enough of a heads up that they are able to incorporate the event into their schedules and make any necessary changes to meeting times, project schedules, etc. 

Consider the logistics.

One of the most important aspects of planning any group event is managing the logistics. Consider factors like capacity, parking, and distance from work to ensure the outing will be convenient for everyone and to schedule the day’s activities appropriately. You should also make sure employees know what the company outing is so they can dress accordingly. For bowling, comfortable business casual (or just plain casual!) clothing is fine, as long as guests have socks to wear with their rented bowling shoes. 

Choose a venue that multi-tasks. 

Think about the elements of a successful work event: entertainment, food, drinks, atmosphere. Selecting a venue that fulfills several of these needs will make your event planning tasks much easier. 

For instance, when you book an event at our bowling alley and entertainment center, you’ve got entertainment on lock. In addition to bowling, our entertainment options include laser tag (a perpetual favorite for team building events), bumper cars, and an arcade. We even have kids activities if you choose to host a company event for your employees’ families. 

Don’t worry about the menu; our kitchen serves up a range of party foods, from appetizers to entrees to desserts. There’s no need to deal with a catering company because we can help you create a menu that your group will love. And forget hiring bartenders—we have a full-service bar for any adult beverages your party requires.  

Here at Mid County Lanes in Middletown, we have years of experience helping our clients host crowd-pleasing events, so don’t stress! Just give us a call at 302-378-0677 to discuss your organization’s group event needs, or fill out our online form and we will contact you. 

Bowling is one of our classic American pastimes, so most people have bowled at least a game or two at a birthday party or after-work hangout. However, a few casual games at the bowling alley won’t necessarily teach you everything you need to know about the game if you want to become a better bowler. Whether you’re new to the sport or want to level up from social bowling to league play, we’ve got some “Bowling 101” tips to help you out. For starters, these are the basic types of bowling shots.  

Basic Bowling Shots Explained

• Straight shot – This shot is what most people start with. It’s the most basic bowling shot, and it’s as simple as it sounds; you just visualize a straight line and try to throw the ball along that path to the pins. Of course, you don’t want to roll your ball straight down the lane and split the pins, so it’s best to angle your straight line towards the pocket on either the right or left. However, even if your straight shot hits the pocket, it may lack the force and spin necessary to send pins flying and get you a strike. That’s why you will eventually want to learn how to throw a hook. Of course, there’s a time and a place for everything, so if you have just one or two pins left standing, a straight shot may be just what you need! 
• Hook shot – Also known as a curve ball, this shot starts out moving straight down the lane, but once it’s closer to the pins it curves or “hooks” into the pocket, picking up speed and energy. This allows the ball to strike the pins with more force and at the perfect angle to send pins flying into each other, which ultimately increases your chances of a strike. The key to mastering a hook shot is putting a little “twist” on the ball as you release it, giving it a boost of centripetal force that creates the hook you’re looking for. While the hook shot is harder to learn, once you’ve got it down it can do wonders for your bowling game. 

Practice pays off, so visit us for open bowling in Middletown or check out our bowling specials! 

With school back in full swing, there are a million different sports teams and after school programs for our kids to join. How do you choose? Once you choose, is your child on to something new the next week? After school programs and sports teams may seem like an endless amount of carpool and laundry duty. However, there are several benefits in having children participate in some sort of afternoon program.

Benefits of after-school programs

• Leadership skills and camaraderie. Any after school program will feature a different group of people than their daily classrooms. Once they build relationships with these kids, they will feel a sense of belonging which leads to improvement of self-confidence and self-esteem.
• Improved social skills. With more time being around peers and new faces, your child will become more comfortable talking to and getting to know people.
• Exercise. After school programs can help to build a routine as well as healthy, active habits which kids will carry on to their adulthood.
• Opportunity to explore new interests. After school programs give children the opportunity to try several different activities, hobbies, and sports. This gives kids the ability to try new things without the parents having to invest time and money into something they are not sure will stick.
• Time management techniques. Students participating in an after-school program obviously have a busier schedule. This will help these children learn and develop time management skills. They will need to learn how to get their work done if they want to participate in the fun.

Here are some things you can do on your own to help with some of the items mentioned above without an after school program:

• Help plan a classroom, youth group or scout outing at Mid County Lanes.
• Encourage your children to meet one new friend at any of our Family Fun Galaxy.
• Have a family outing with your best friends and their kids regardless of the age difference.

However your children are spending their afternoon, we hope they have as much fun as we do at Mid County Lanes.

Not sure what to wear to the bowling alley? Not to worry! Check out our tips for what to wear bowling from the pros at Mid County Lanes. 

First and foremost: SOCKS! 

That’s right, even if your outfit doesn’t call for socks, you really need to bring socks with you to wear with the bowling shoes you’ll be renting. Thick, absorbent socks are best. If you forget to bring socks, head over to our pro shop to pick up a pair. 

Get comfy

Bowling requires a range of movement, so make sure you wear something comfortable and easy to move in. Avoid super tight or restrictive clothing that could make it difficult to bend over, walk, or swing your arms. The bowling alley is a place to relax and hang out while enjoying some friendly competition, so don’t feel obligated to dress to the nines. 

Don’t get caught

No, we’re not advocating sneaking around. Don’t get caught on your clothes or jewelry! Large or excessive rings and bracelets can get caught on your shirt when swinging your arm to take a shot, or even fly off down the lane! Remember, you should never walk on the lane – if you need assistance, let an employee know. 

You should also avoid wearing any clothing that has a lot of bits and bobs you could snag while bowling. Avoid severely oversized clothing and anything with lots of zippers, loops, cords, or trailing pieces. 

Now that you know how to dress for the bowling alley, it’s time to have some fun! Join us for open bowling or sign up for one of our Middleton bowling leagues.

Summer break seems so long when school lets out, but blink and you’ll miss it! Don’t let a whole summer slide by without planning some fun family activities in and around Middletown. Read on for some ideas to keep your family entertained, from the experts at Mid County Lanes and the Family Fun Galaxy. 

Get out of the heat. 

When looking for summertime family activities, it’s important to consider how you’ll beat the heat. Choosing an indoor activity is a smart way to avoid sunburns, bug bites, and heat stroke. At Mid County Lanes, your family can enjoy bowling, bumper cars, laser tag, and much more in the comfort of our indoor, air-conditioned facility! 

Explore Delaware’s natural beauty. 

Take a short trip just 30 minutes away to Bombay Hook National Wildlife Refuge to experience the untamed beauty of Delaware’s wetlands and get a look at native species like the piping plover, horseshoe crab, and many more.

Celebrate the tasty peach. 

Mark your calendar for the Middletown Old Tyme Peach Festival on Saturday, August 17th. Hosted by the Middletown Historical Society, this local festival offers a bushel of family fun, with a parade, kids’ activities, art and historical exhibits, a peach pie contest, crafts, games, and of course, plenty of fun fair food featuring the star of the show – peaches! 

What are your favorite summer activities to do with your family in Middletown or elsewhere? Whatever you do to fill these summer days, enjoy the quality time with your family. And remember, we’re always here with fun events and bowling specials to keep the good times rolling.