Party Bosses : Businesses take the work out of throwing children a birthday bash.

Tarzan, Chuck E. Cheese and Eggbert the hard-boiled egg would seem to have little in common. But parents planning a child’s birthday party may want to keep all three names in mind, as they all play vital roles in birthday celebrations throughout Ventura County.

Businesses that host birthday parties or hire people out to star in home birthday celebrations don’t really have an off-season, but some of them are not as obvious as others.

This week we contacted some of those people and places to see what they had to offer for children’s birthday parties and how they compared in price.

One of the first names that comes to mind when talking about children’s parties is Chuck E. Cheese’s--the pizza parlor with games, rides and other children’s activities, named after a charming, playful rat.

There are Chuck E. Cheese’s in Simi Valley, Thousand Oaks and Ventura. All three offer the same birthday party packages. For $9.99 per child, they will block out 1 1/2 hours of party time.

Each party includes a decorated table with party hats and balloons, two slices of pizza per child, soft drinks, a cake and 16 game tokens per child.

The birthday child receives a gift bag and a visit by Chuck E. Cheese. Party bags for the guests are an additional $1.99 each.

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Club Disney in Westlake Village offers a variety of birthday party packages, each offering time for children to slide down slides, play with computers and try out the other Disney activities.

A standard party package, for 10 children and 11 adults, includes customized invitations, a personal host, a private party room, pizza and cake for the kids and a presentation by Merlin the Magician.

The cost is $185.

A deluxe party package, for 12 children and 13 adults, includes the standard party lineup plus a puzzle invitation kit, a Club Disney balloon for each child and a themed take-home, dress-up gift. The cost is $250.

Each of the party offers includes a choice of five themes. The current selection is A Bug’s Life Bug Circus Party, a Poohrific Party, a Tarzan Jungle Beat Bash, a Disney Princess Tea Party and a Toontastic Birthday Adventure.

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For an outdoor option, the Painted Pony Farm in Santa Paula provides children with two hours on a working farm. Party guests have an opportunity to ride ponies, milk goats, pet and feed farm animals and tour the five-acre property.

The farm, which opened 12 years ago, hosts about 6,000 students a year on school field trips. But Saturdays are dedicated to birthday parties, with each group having the run of the place. A picnic area is provided, and children are treated to homemade ice cream. The cost is $7.50 per child.

Pam Colvard, who owns the farm with her husband, Steve, said parties are booked three to four weeks in advance.

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Physical activity is always a good choice for a birthday party--the more active the kids are, the better chance they will burn off the sugar from the birthday cake and other treats.

Lazerstar in Oxnard offers birthday party packages that combine laser tag, video games and pizza.

The largest package provides 12 people with two games of laser tag, five pizzas, five pitchers of soda and 100 video game tokens for $149. The minimum age is 6.

At Skating Plus in Ventura, a $7-per-person fee will cover admission, skate rental, a half-hour in the party room, ice cream and punch. The minimum group size is 10 people, and the maximum is 18.

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For parents who prefer to have the party come to them, a franchise called Mad Science will send a scientist to homes or other party locations throughout the county, to present one-hour, interactive shows for children ages 5 to 12.

The presenter, dressed in a lab coat, will perform a high-energy set of seven to eight experiments.

Shows open with a magic trick to start the children thinking about the difference between magic and science. All the children get to make their own slime or super balls.

One of the more popular experiments stars Eggbert, the hard-boiled egg, who though bigger than the opening of a glass flask, is maneuvered in and out of the container.

A party for up to 14 children starts at $140. There are extra charges for a dry-ice effect ($30), a rocket launch ($40) and cotton-candy making ($40). Mad Science is an international franchise with an office in Camarillo.