Birthday parties for kids

There are a ton of different places you can throw your child's birthday party. You can take them to Rohnert Park to drive the raceway at Driven. You can shoot a hole in one at Scandia. There's the new La Pinata Party City on Piner Ave in Santa Rosa. And Roller skating parties are still a popular idea.

Some families hire entertainment for their party, from face painters to clowns to princesses...

And still others decide to go the old-fashioned route and just throw the party 100% by themselves, inviting a bunch of kids over and thinking up things for them to do.

What do you do for your child's birthday parties? What seems to be the popular way to celebrate among your child's friends?