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Essex Sport Junior

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Celebrate your child's birthday with a fun-filled party with us

We offer two specialist children's party packages, giving you and your group exclusive access to our excellent climbing wall and our one-of-a-kind Essex Rebels professional basketball gameday experience.

All parties have access to a private Party Room where you can enjoy food, refreshments, and cake to celebrate your little one’s special day.

Our experienced Essex Sport Party Team will help take the stress out of the organising your party, and deliver an exciting and memorable experience.

Essex Sport on social media:

We offer parties for 5-16 year olds, all hosted by our Party Coordinators who have extensive experience in delivering fun, safe, and enjoyable children's sessions. Choose from:

Climbing Party (8+ year olds only)
Essex Rebels Gameday Party
Multi-Sport Party

Please note that food and beverages are not provided, however, you may bring your own for use in the party room.

"I was really impressed with Zak's party and how it was handled. Zak said it was the best party he's had!"

Gemma, Essex Sport community member

Party packages

Climbing

Turn your child’s birthday into an adventure they’ll never forget! Our climbing parties offer the perfect mix of fun, adventure, and challenge as guests take on the walls, games, and activities designed to make the day truly memorable.

Under the guidance of our qualified instructions, the fun begins with a safety briefing and warm up, before taking on a variety of activities in the bouldering cave and main climbing area. Climbing parties can be booked for groups of up to 10 children.

All participants must be aged 8 or above.

What’s included?

90 minutes of climbing activity
1 hour in the party room

Price

£180 for up to 10 children.

Multi-Sport

Our multi-sport party is perfect for active kids who love variety, giving them the chance to enjoy fast-paced games and competition with friends. Choose from a selection of sports: rounders, dodgeball, basketball, volleyball, benchball, football (& many more)

What’s included?

1 hour of sports activities (led by 2 party hosts)
1 hour in the party room
Choice of up to two sports per hour
Suitable for up to 18 participants

Price

£150

Add Ons:

Extra hour of sports = £50

Essex Rebels Gameday Party

Turn your birthday into gameday, with the Essex Rebels!

Celebrate in style with an action-packed experience that puts you at the heart of the Rebels’ gameday atmosphere. Our party package has been updated for the 2025/26 season, giving you basketball excitement, exclusive perks, and special behind-the-scenes moments with the team. Parties are available at all Essex Rebels basketball home games.

What’s included? Game Tickets:

Up to 10 child tickets and 2 adult tickets
Birthday shout-out on the big screen
Signed basketball for the birthday child
On-court photo opportunity with the team
Involvement in-game entertainment on the court
Enjoy all these exclusive benefits for only £150!

Add Ons:

Basketball Session (£75)
Party Room (£17.50)

For more information on available fixture dates, please email our Sports Development Coordinator, sportsdevelopment@essex.ac.uk

Extras

We have lots of extras and add-ons available to suit your needs and make your party even more fun:

additional guests (excluding climbing and Essex Rebels parties) up to 25: £40
additional activity time: £30 per 30 minutes

How to book

To book your party, please fill in an Essex Sport Junior party booking form (.pdf) and return it to the Sports Centre Reception, or email the completed form to sportsdevelopment@essex.ac.uk.

Once processed, we will contact you to confirm your booking. Please allow seven days from submission for a member of our team to confirm your booking.

Please note

Completing the booking form does not guarantee your requested date / time. The agreement will only come into effect once full payment has been made.
Essex Sport party packages do not include food, however, you will have access to our party room where you can bring food
Please read our Essex Sport Party Terms and Conditions (.pdf) before booking

Need some help?

We're here to make sure your child's special day will run smoothly. If you have any questions about parties or submitting your form, please don't hesitate to contact our team on 01206 873250 or sportsdevelopment@essex.ac.uk

"We've been talking about it ever since; Thomas was very proud to have scored a goal during one of the games! We really appreciate the energy you put into the session, and I am amazed you managed to keep them all under control!"

Ben, University of Essex staff

FAQs

I've sent my booking request form - what happens now?

Please allow seven days after submission for a member of the team to get back to you. All party bookings are subject to availability and we will do our best to accommodate your booking.

Once you receive confirmation that your party has been accepted, we will request payment to guarantee your space.

Is there a discount for University staff and students or Essex Sport members?

Yes, we offer a 10% discount on junior birthday party bookings for University of Essex staff and students, as well as for Essex Sport public members.

Is there a limit to how many children can attend?

Yes, there is a maximum for each type of party, please refer to the package list above.

Parties with more than 16 children will incur an additional £40 charge.

Can I add or amend my party details?

Any changes to the booking must be confirmed at least seven days before the party date, as well as any dietary or medical information needed.

Is food and drink included in the party package?

No, Essex Sport does not supply food for parties, however, you may bring your own food for use in the party room. If you use an external caterer, the University of Essex will not accept liability for any damages, costs, losses, claims, expenses, demands and proceedings, as stated in our Terms and Conditions (.pdf).

What facilities are provided?

In addition to our activity areas, which include two sports halls and a climbing wall, we also provide a party room that you can decorate with balloons, banners, table cloths, etc. and prepare and consume food.

We will arrange the room with tables and chairs to accommodate your party size, and can also provide music systems and party music, if requested at the booking stage.

Is equipment provided?

Yes, we will provide all equipment necessary for your booking.

What if I need to cancel?

We can only accept cancellations with at least seven days notice ahead of the party date. Cancellation requests must be written and sent to sportsdevelopment@essex.ac.uk or posted to the Sports Centre.

Depending on your reason for cancelling, we will try our best to accommodate your party at another date or time.

You must cancel with at least seven days notice to receive a full refund. Cancellations made within seven days of the party date will not be refunded. Please see our Terms and Conditions (.pdf) for full details.