Kids Birthday Party: Race Cars

Last month we had the opportunity to host a Hot Wheels Spin Shotz House Party. That means we received a free party kit filled with Spin Shotz discs and race tracks, as well as some other party swag. Then we invited a bunch of friends to come over and play, and tell us what they thought of the toys.

The party planner in me approached this like a birthday party, so allow me to share the details for anyone looking to plan a race-themed birthday party in the near future. This could be easily adapted to any type of race-themed party, such as a race car party.

INVITATIONS

You could purchase race- or car-themed invitations, or you and your child can make your own with the help of some themed stickers such as checkered flags and race cars, along with some paper in the birthday child's favorite color.

DECORATIONS

I found a multi-colored pennant banner on clearance at Target and thought it was great for our theme. We hung it in our front hallway. Black and whited checkered pennants would have been perfect, but how could I pass up something similar on clearance?

We taped a black plastic tablecloth to the floor, using tons of tape on the perimeter's underside to keep it secure. We used additional strips of masking tape on top to create the dashed line of our roadway.

PARTY SWAG

Upon arrival, our guests were greeted with a personalized VIP badge on a Hot Wheels lanyard, thanks to our Spin Shotz party kit. And what is a race party without VIP badges? You can make your own ahead of time by purchasing lanyards with clips (found at office supply stores) and printing your own badges on card stock. Check out this template and download a free printable Spin Shotz badge.

PARTY GAMES

The most valuable thing I learned during student teaching was to change the stimulus every 15 minutes.  This is true in the classroom, at home on rainy days, and even at parties.

0:00 - 0:30          Free Play

• Allow enough time for all guests to arrive before the structured activities begin.
• Be sure there are enough race cars - or in this case, Spin Shotz discs - for each child to play.
• Inspire some creative play by using low-tack painter's tape on the floor to create roads, parking lots, etc.
• Set up a quiet activity for those who are shy and need to warm up to more active play; some coloring pages and crayons are a great option.

0:30 - 0:45          Let the Races Begin

You could get elaborate and create a tournament bracket for a super-fun racing showdown. Or set up a few race tracks and encourage the kids to race each other.

0:45 - 1:00          Go Off the Track

Provide the kids with props to create their own obstacles and stunts for the race cars or Spin Shotz discs. Props could include cardboard boxes in a variety of sizes, plastic cups, dominoes, building blocks, LEGOs, even a stack of books.

1:00 - 1:15          Pit Stop

Every race car needs to refuel, so set up a Pit Stop for your little racers. Our party was on a weekday morning from 9 - 11 a.m., plus there were some severe food allergies to consider, so our snack options were grapes, animal crackers, and fruit leather. Depending on the ages of the children, this might be a good opportunity to encourage a trip to the potty.

1:15 - 1:30          Arts & Crafts

Since we were having a Spin Shotz party, a spin art craft seemed appropriate. I had seen this idea a few times on Pinterest, so we gave it a whirl. You'll need:

• salad spinner
• washable tempera paints
• white paper, trimmed ahead of time to circles that will fit in your salad spinner
• masking tape
• diaper wipes or wash cloths for quick clean-ups

Fold a piece of tape into a roll and use it to secure a paper circle to the bottom of the salad spinner. One at a time, help the kids drip a few blobs of tempera paint onto their paper (near the center works best) and place the top on the spinner. Let the kids operate the spinner...

...and voila!

1:30 - 1:45          Pin the Wheel on the Race Car

Who doesn't love a good round of pin-the-blank-on-the-blank? If this game goes too quickly, give the kids another chance to race on the tracks or on their obstacle courses.

1:45 - 2:00          Hot Car

Play "Hot Potato" with a race car or a Spin Shotz disc. Have the kids sit in a circle and hand one child a race car. Play some music and have them pass the car to their left until the music stops. When the music stops, the child holding the car is out. Once a child is out, give him or her a goody bag. Keep going until there is one child left (or until everyone has lost interest), and be sure everyone has a goody bag. Be sure to thank your guests for coming.


The boys had a great time playing at our Spin Shotz House Party. I hope these ideas are helpful, and that your party is just as amazing. As always, thanks for reading.


Disclaimer: While I received the Spin Shotz products for free, I did not receive compensation for this post. All opinions are actually mine.