Piece of Cake : More parents are opting for a no-muss, no-fuss approach to birthday parties: They’re paying the price to let skating rinks, art and computer centers, gyms and bowling lanes play host to the kids.

Today, and every day, in Ventura County, there are 500 kids having a birthday. That means, of course, that at least 500 parents each day are searching for ways to celebrate the momentous event.

Having six, eight, 10 or more sugar-charged children in the house for several hours strikes terror in the hearts of many parents, especially those who have done it before. Besides the noise, chaos and general over-stimulation of the celebrant, there’s the cleanup after they finally leave.

There is a way to do this so that you and the kids have fun, the guests never have to set foot on your new carpet again, and, best of all, there’s no cleanup!

The out-of-home birthday party.

The number of local facilities providing birthday party services has grown significantly during the last few years, easing birthday woes for hundreds of weary parents.

Janet Falat of Simi Valley, mother of Marykay, just turned 6, sees real advantages to celebrating birthdays outside her home. “They do everything for you,” said Falat, who recently threw a party for Marykay at Paint Pals Clubhouse in Simi Valley. “They show the children how to use the paints, they serve everything, they clean up. It’s a do-nothing party for me.”

Thirteen-year-old Jennifer Curran of Westlake Village decided to have a bowling birthday party this year.

“It’s fun, and gives everybody something to do,” she said. Jennifer’s mother, Janet Curran agrees. “They can entertain themselves, keep score on their own and it’s a more adult-type activity.”

A tour of Ventura County birthday options revealed enough variety to guide you through the gamut of toddler through teen celebrations.

CAMARILLO

Paint Pals Clubhouse

2360-G E. Las Posas Road

383-7176

The two-hour party at Paint Pals Clubhouse (Camarillo and Simi Valley) begins with each child’s selection of a ceramic to paint. After donning smocks, birthday guests are shown to a table equipped with paint, brushes and a turntable and paint plate for each child.

When painting is complete, children may free play in the black-light or shadow-box rooms; encase themselves in a bubble in the giant bubble room; face paint; play with puppets, costumes or the giant kaleidoscope.

Guests then gather for karaoke singing and games before the birthday cake is served.

The guest-of-honor leaves a personalized hand print on the wall and guests get their ceramic as a party favor. Invitations are included.

Cost: $6 per child up to 25 children, plus $30 service fee; for 25 or more children, the service fee is $50. Refreshments, paper goods provided by parents.

Ventura County Gymnastics Center

487 Dawson Drive

482-1187

The Ventura County Gymnastics Center offers birthday parties for children from toddlers through teens.

Parties may be 1 1/2 to two hours, with activities tailored to the age group.

Children may participate in activities on the trampoline, the rings, through an obstacle course or in jousting games, with the birthday child honored throughout the playtime.

Two instructors are provided for groups up to 20; additional instructors for larger groups.

After gymnastic activities are completed, celebrant and guests go to a designated area for refreshments and gift opening. Each child receives a coupon for a free gymnastics lesson.

Cost: $6 per child, 1 1/2 hours; $7 per child, two hours. $30 deposit, five-child minimum. Refreshments, paper goods provided by parents.

World Stars Gymnastics Training Center

508 Constitution Ave.

388-5732

Two-hour parties at World Stars begin with various activities such as the trampoline, obstacle courses and other gymnastic games. Activities are geared to each age group, beginning with toddlers.

Two instructors organize activities and oversee groups up to 20, with additional instructors added as needed.

Following the games, guests go to a decorated table for birthday cake, included with the package.

Cost: $225, includes cake and paper goods.

NEWBURY PARK

California Cartwheel Center

1111 Rancho Conejo Blvd., Suite 510

499-5228

California Cartwheel Center hosts birthday parties for children ages 5 and up, with a group maximum of 25.

Gymnastic games are led by instructors and vary in difficulty according to the age of the celebrants.

In addition to the usual gymnastics package, California Cartwheel Center offers a sleep-over option for children 7 or older. Sleep-over parties start at 7:30 p.m. on Friday or Saturday night and continue until 8:30 a.m. the next morning.

Cost: Birthday parties are $130 per hour of gym time for up to 14 children. There is a $25 per half-hour fee for use of the facility for refreshments. $3 per additional child.

Sleep-overs are $235 for up to 20 children. Each additional child, $7. Parents provide refreshments; discounts available for California Cartwheel members.

OXNARD

Discovery Zone

864 Wagon Wheel Road

486-2800

Popular with the active preschool and elementary set, Discovery Zone (Oxnard and Simi Valley), is equipped with brightly colored tunnels, foam padded mountains, moonwalks, ball pools and an obstacle course.

Birthday packages include play in the Fun Zone, 45 minutes in a private party room, host or hostess, drinks, balloons, party supplies and cake. Other options available include pizza, salad, a two-month pass for the birthday child, coupons for the guests and invitation packs.

Cost: Birthday Blast: $6.49 per child plus $25 for party room. Birthday Bonanza: $139.99, up to 11 children, $4.99 each additional child.

Roller Gardens

2731 Buckaroo Ave.

485-2018, 642-5380

For the roller skating inclined, Roller Gardens offers three-hour open session parties on Saturdays and Sundays. The birthday package includes skates, a party room, ice cream, drinks and paper goods. Happy Birthday is played over the sound system and the birthday child’s name is announced. Parties must have a minimum of 10 children.

The entire rink may be rented for parties of 40 skaters. Private party packages also include ice cream, drinks, paper goods, games and announcement.

Videotaping is also an available option.

Cost: $3.50 per skater, minimum of 10 per party. Private party: $125 up to 40 skaters, $3.50 each skater over 40. Videotaping is $25.

Skate Palace

451 W. Hueneme Road

488-6445

Skate Palace also offers birthday parties during public sessions. Birthday packages include skates, party room, paper goods, ice cream and soda, a supervising hostess and postcard invitations.

Additional refreshments are available at a discount for birthdays, and the rink can be rented for private parties.

Cost: $4 per skater, a minimum of 10 per party. Private parties: Call for details.

SIMI VALLEY

Brunswick Bowl

5255 Cochran St.

584-2695

Brunswick Bowl offers a variety of birthday party packages that begin with bowling only, and continue to bowling, cake, party room, decorations and hostess.

After the scheduled time in the lanes (bumpers provided upon request), the birthday child and guests have use of the party room for up to one hour. A hostess for cleanup is included in the price.

Cost: Bowling only: $2.75 per person, a minimum of 10 per party. Packages: $12.50 to $13.75 per person, depending on the food chosen.

Chuck E. Cheese’s

71 Tierra Rejada Road

526-9967

At Chuck E. Cheese’s (Simi Valley and Ventura), birthday packages include cake, tables decorated with matching party hats and paper goods, pizza, soft drinks, a visit from Chuck E. Cheese (or a colleague), a host or hostess and tokens for the party participants. Other options include a token bag, T-shirt and prize tickets.

After play in the arcade, on the rides or in the “cheese balls,” children go to the party room where cake is served and the Chuck E. Cheese band gives a birthday show.

Cost: $5.99 per person includes $3.75 in tokens for birthday person, $2.25 in tokens for guests. $7.49 per person includes $6.25 in tokens for birthday person, $2.50 for guests, token bags for each child, Chuck E. Cheese T-shirt for birthday person, 25 prize tickets for each guest.

Discovery Zone

1407 E. Los Angeles Ave.

581-1300

See Discovery Zone, Oxnard, for details.

Imagymnation

4685 Industrial

581-4496

This gymnastics studio offers birthday parties for participants who are 4 years old or older, on Sunday only, beginning at 11 a.m.

Imagymnation parties run 1 1/2 hours and include 50 minutes of games and gymnastics with parachute play, obstacle courses or other age-appropriate fun. Forty minutes in the party room is scheduled after the gymnastics activities.

Cost: $129 up to 15 children, $139 for 16-25 children.

Paint Pals Clubhouse

1716 Erringer Road, Suite 106

581-4676

See Paint Pals Clubhouse, Camarillo.

THOUSAND OAKS

Conejo Village Bowl

125 W. Thousand Oaks Blvd.

495-4697

Party packages at Conejo Village Bowl are offered for 4- to 6-year-olds and 6- to 16-year-olds. The younger set gets a 1 1/2-hour package, which includes one hour of bowling and the older group a two-hour package, with 1 1/2 hours of bowling.

Younger bowlers are requested to wear tennis shoes, as bowling shoes are not available. Bumpers are provided if requested, and invitations, balloons, papers goods and party table are all part of each package. Food and beverages are available on request.

Cost: 4-6 year-olds: $7.50 per child, without food and beverage; $9.50 per child with choice of selected menu.

6-16 year-olds: $9.50 per child, without food and beverage; $11.50 per child with choice of selected menu.

My Gym Children’s Fitness Center

2701 Thousand Oaks Blvd.

494-4154

My Gym offers celebrations starting with the first birthday and plans age-appropriate activities for toddler through teen-age groups. Participants have some structured play and some free play time, with the birthday child honored in various ways throughout the party.

Parties are two hours long and include decorations, set-up and cleanup, two instructors for parties up to 20 and additional instructors as needed.

Cost: $275 for 20 children or less; $325 for 21 to 25 children. Discounts are available to members. Parents provide the refreshments.

Futurekids

1724-D Avenida de los Arboles

492-8565

and 235 N. Moorpark Road

379-4433

For the ‘90s experience, Futurekids offers a computer birthday party and will center the activities around a theme of your choosing. The parties are one to two hours long and offer the latest in children’s computer software.

A minimum of two teachers is provided as well as a computer for every two children in the party, up to a maximum of 16.

Futurekids will create your invitation, a birthday banner, and supply some fillers for your goody bags. In addition, the birthday child receives a gift, usually a T-shirt.

Cake and paper goods are provided at additional cost upon request.

Cost: $10 per child, with an additional cost if the facility provides the refreshments and paper goods.

Paint 4 Fun & Bead-It

1875 Thousand Oaks Blvd.

494-3263

Craft activities are the focus of birthday parties at Paint 4 Fun and Bead-It.

For ages 4 and up, ceramic painting is offered for each child before going to the party room for final festivities.

For the 6 and up group, bead parties are available where each child can make a bracelet and earring, anklet and earring, or a necklace.

Ceramics and jewelry are taken home as party favors and an optional T-shirt is available for the guests to sign and the birthday child to keep.

Cost: Ceramic: $6 per child, plus $25 service fee up to 25 kids; $50 fee for parties over 25. Jewelry: $7.50 per child, service fees as above. Parents provide refreshments; T-shirt is $10.

Young Masters

1772-A Avenida de los Arboles

493-0150

Ceramic sculpture painting is the focus of birthday celebrations at Young Masters studio.

Parties are available for children 5 and up and include a sculpture for each child, art supplies, paper goods, supervised instruction and a gift from Young Masters for the birthday child.

There is an eight-child minimum and a 30-child maximum.

Cost: $10 per child plus $25 service fee. Parents provide refreshments.

VENTURA

Chuck E. Cheese’s

4714 Telephone Road

644-9777

See Chuck E. Cheese’s, Simi Valley.

Golf ‘n Stuff

5555 Walker St.

644-7131

This is a really good place for kids from age 7 on up. Party packages at Golf ‘n Stuff, for a minimum of 10, include some combination of miniature golf, rides and arcade games as well as ice cream and a drink, party favors, use of a party room and paper goods.

Cost: Variable but begin at $6.25, which includes golf and one ride for each child, and climb to $13.25 per child, which includes golf, four rides and 10 tokens. Call for more details.

Kideos

3455 Telegraph Road

650-5900

At Kideos the birthday child has his or her pick of videos to be shown during the party while guests and the guest-of-honor participate in several craft activities such as stickers, rubber stamps, fabric paint or sand art.

Parties are scheduled for 1 1/2 hours, all paper goods are provided. Each child receives a personalized party bag filled with stickers and candy; the birthday child receives a gift from Kideos.

Cost: $75 for 1 1/2 hours for 10 children; $5 for each additional child; $25 per additional half-hour. Parents provide refreshments.

Skating Plus

1720 Mesa Verde Ave.

656-2121

This roller-skating rink offers open session parties on weekend afternoons, Tuesday through Friday in the summer and Friday afternoons during the school year.

The party plan includes postcard invitations, skates, party room, hostess, ice cream and punch, all paper goods and the announcement of the birthday child’s name on the P.A. Parties are for a minimum of 10 skaters, and snacks are available upon request.

Cost: Open session: $4.25 per child to $5.25 per child, depending on day and time. Private parties: call for details.

WESTLAKE VILLAGE

Let’s Get Cookin’

4643 Lakeview Canyon Road

818-991-3940

For something unusual, cooking parties may be held after school, on Saturdays or at other scheduled times. Parties are offered for children age 6 and up.

The birthday child may pick four recipes for the class and all guests participate in the cooking. Cake may be made as part of the class or brought in by parents. Classes can accommodate up to 15 children and run 2-2 1/2 hours. All paper goods included.

Cost: $275

Young At Art

3665 Thousand Oaks Blvd.

374-1177

Young At Art offers several artistic options for children age 5 and up. The birthday child may choose watercolor painting, modern art (paper collage), jewelry making, cartoon drawing or animal drawing.

Parties, for a minimum of 10 and a maximum of 17, run 2 1/2 hours, with 1 1/2 hours spent in artistic endeavors. The birthday boy or girl receives a birthday prize and all the children get to take their creations home.

Cost: $5 per child, except beading which is $8 per child, plus $25 service fee for both.