When I asked my son what kind of party he wanted when he turned four he said, without hesitation, “Cars—-and Hot Wheels.” I tried to explain that they were both cars. Just that one brand cost about five bucks more than the other and that Cars the movie had used Mommy’s alter ego name “Holley Shiftwell” without permission.
He then replied, “OK, Cars and Hot Wheels.”
He is four and his father is a lawyer. You would think he could understand the severity of copy-write infringement. I mean what’s the point of reading him Prosser and Keaton on Tortes at bedtime if he clearly is not listening?
So, how to do a car-themed birthday party in your home for a bunch of 3-4 year old boys? PATIENCE! Boys at this age are generally not into playing games or doing crafts so don’t get overzealous in your planning.
THE DECORATIONS:
I picked up a Hot Wheels, plastic tablecloth, large dinner napkins, piñata and a big Mylar balloon. Everything else I used was generic blue and orange. Simple streamers and balloons can really transform a room. I hung the piñata from the light fixture so it sat over the middle of the table and put toy cones in the center of the table.
I made a “road” with a black plastic table cloth that I cut and secured down with white duct tape. The boys had fun running their trucks and cars down the “road” at top speed.
GAMES AND ACTIVITIES
I dragged out all of my sons cars, trucks and tracks. The boys were thrilled to just sit and play cars and trucks with each other. When the kids arrived at the party they had the choice of playing cars or decorating a paper bag with stickers and crayons to hold their candy from the piñata. To do the piñata we held it up from a dowel rod with a hook on the end and let each of the kids take two turns hitting it with a plastic bat. When the thing finally broke ( at the hands of an eight-year-old) I picked the thing up and scattered the candy around the room so all of the kids could get some loot.
THE FOOD
We kept it simple pizza and juice for the kids and homemade chili and wine for the adults.
THE CAKE.
My very talented mother made the cake. She made two round layer cakes and put them together and frosted them to look like a figure eight race track. I printed the finish line sign out from the computer and glued a wooden skewer to each side. We finished off the cake with a couple of toy cars.
FAVORS
We gave away a Hot Wheels car in a orange bag. The tag was a car cut out of paper with the child’s name written on it. I also made car cake pops for each child. For the little girls who did not want cars I made felt flower hair clips.
At the end of the party my son opened his presents in front of his guests. This seems to be a tradition that has gone out of fashion in the birthday party scene. I’m not sure why.
Questions? Just Ask Holly in comments.
What birthday party traditions do you share with your children? Do you do the pull piñata or do you let the kids whack the thing with a bat until it finally gives up?
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Oh Holly. Your kids are gorgeous, your ideas are spectacular, and you are so loaded with talent in general that I am thinking you ought to be syndicated.
Plus I’m quite certain that you have a lovely garden… and we are all looking forward to the day you invite us over for Drinks We’ve Never Tried Before.
Bravo Holly! Thanks a LOT for making moms like me feel like Joan Collins!
Kay,
Holly is all that and a bag of chips. We’re lucky we have her.
you ought to be syndicated.
Hmmmm. Not a bad idea…
Awww ladies….so nice. My secret? I’m a witch. Yep, all of this is one with a wand.
I can just be “All that” whatever all that is…if I came with a bag of chips I would eat them.
Crap, now I have “Strange Magic” in my head and Im craving chips.
Hey…Come to think of it, your avatar looks a little like a grown-up Tabitha (no, not the one in that movie with Danny DeVito!) That would explain a lot!
IMO gift unwrapping was saved for later for a couple of reasons:
(1) no matter how hard you try to tell them to smile and say Thank You, sometimes your kid’s face can’t hide that she really has outgrown teletubbies. Plus when your little darling tosses Tinky Winky in the corner, Gramma’s bound to be upset. So private enjoyment means less angst.
(2) No matter how hard THEY try, party guests can get easily disturbed seeing someone else gleefully unwrapping presents. I remember fighting with my cousin when we were 3 or 4 years old because for some reason, she kept getting all the gifts! (My birthday was 10 days earlier and I got all the gifts THEN, so why not NOW??) Plus, no one but Gramma wants to see all the kiddie toys anyway.
(3) after 2 hours of snacks, cake and mayhem generated by hitting things with a stick, sometimes it’s just nice to take a nap first.
I now notice that “Ask Holly” has its own tab on Bkids, which is yet more evidence that Holly is spreading like some contagious supervirus. Soon the site will be called BaristaHolly.
‘Roo, great idea! But instead of a spreading supervirus, I would suggest something more like a beautiful sunrise.
Hip, Hip, Holly!
I want what you’re having, Kay.
Baristaholly….yes …yes I like the way that sounds. First Baristaville and then….the world…..Bwhahahahaha!
Roo that tab has been up since january. Good morning sir.
Kay you as always are lovely. I think we may need to pour some “Name That Sunshiney Cocktail” down Roo’s throat.
I can wiggle my nose too Kay!
I think we may need to pour some “Name That Sunshiney Cocktail” down Roo’s throat.
Go ahead, make my day.
I like the cake (eventhough your mother made it!). Your fans give you all the credit you deserve…