I asked my son what kind of party he wants, he yelled out loud "RACE CARS!" So now I need ideas on what to do with the children, for games, activities, crafts, etc.

Thanks in advance for your ideas!
Dee

Use crayons or markers to transform a plain paper tablecloth into a racetrack for Matchbox cars.

For decorations, shape fluorescent orange poster board into road cones and hot-glue each to a square cardboard base. You also can use them to mark a course for the Hot Rod Relay.

For invitations: First, draw a 5-inch circle on thin cardboard to use as a template. Cut straight across the top and bottom to create a tire shape that's 4 1/4 inches tall.

Next, fold an 8 1/2- by 11-inch sheet of black construction paper so that the longer edges match up. Place the template atop the paper so that the top lines up with the fold. Trace around the sides and bottom, then cut along the lines (you should get 2 invitations from each sheet of paper).

Cut out an oval hubcap (2 inches wide by 3 1/2 inches tall) from yellow paper and glue it onto the tire slightly left of center. In marker, print "Race on Over!" on the hubcap. Use a white crayon or marker to add zigzag tire treads and to print the party specifics inside.

Steer arriving guests into your driveway with a checkered victory flag attached to your mailbox or lamppost.

Designing flashy personalized license plates is a great activity for slowing down the party pace after a round of spirited racing.

At the track, pit passes are reserved for drivers, crews, press, and superimportant guests--like all of the race car fans attending your child's birthday. Take an instant photo of each kid as he or she arrives. Punch a hole in the top of the picture and string a length of ball chain through it. With a permanent marker, print the words "Pit Crew" at the bottom ("Crew Chief" for the birthday child).

What you need:
Cardboard boxes
Paint
Tape
Aluminum foil

Beforehand, you'll need to make a car for each team. Trim off the top and bottom flaps of a cardboard box (the box shown here is about 14 inches square) and cut a handle hole in each door panel.

Paint the cars, adding your child's favorite racing numbers. Then tape on yellow paper headlights and front grills fashioned from 3/4-inch-wide strips of aluminum foil.
HOT ROD RELAY:
At race time, the first kid from each team dons a helmet and goggles and steps into his team's car. On cue, the drivers race around a designated landmark, such as a picnic table, tree, or large rock, and back to the start, where they quickly turn their gear over to the next person. The race continues in this manner until all the members of one team finish the course and win the game.

In this tire-changing challenge, the aim is to be the fastest two-man team to unscrew a couple of bottle cap lug nuts and rotate two pie plate tires.

What you need:
Large cardboard box
Cloth tape
Double-sided tape
9-inch foil pie pan
1-liter plastic bottle
Craft knife
Plastic coffee can lid

Assembling the Tire Rotation Station: Paint the side view of a race car on one surface of a large cardboard box (you can raise the adjacent flap for extra height).

To assemble each tire, attach a 2-inch square of cloth tape to the center bottom of a 9-inch foil pie pan. Trace the mouth of a 1-liter plastic bottle onto the square, then use a craft knife to cut an asterisk shape through the center of the circle.

Press the tabs flat against the inner pan (the opening should be just big enough for the bottle mouth to fit through). Now make a washer by tracing the bottle mouth onto a plastic coffee can lid. Draw a slightly larger circle around the tracing and cut out both circles (it will resemble a mini doughnut).

For an axle, cut off the bottle bottom 5 1/2 inches from the rim and discard. Make a series of inch-long cuts around the trimmed edge. Fold the tabs outward and tape them to the car with double-sided tape, as shown.

Running the Relay: First, show the kids how to put on and remove a tire by pushing it onto the axle, slipping on a washer, and then screwing on the bottle cap lug nut. Now attach both tires and divide the kids in teams of 2 lined up behind the starting line. On cue, each pair runs to the car, removes the tires, and reattaches them to the opposite axles. The team that completes the task in the shortest amount of time wins.

Fast Food: Cut pumpernickel and white bread sandwiches into squares, then arrange them on a platter to resemble a checkered flag. Serve with frosty glasses of your child's favorite soft drink and, for the grand finale, a Racetrack cake:
• 2 baked 9" round cakes
• 3 cups white icing
• 1 to 2 cups finely crushed chocolate cookie crumbs
• 1 to 2 cups green sprinkles
• White Good & Plenty candies
• Checkered paper or ribbon
• 2 toothpicks and tape
• New toy cars, washed with soap and water

Step 1:
Cut a small semicircular notch from one cake, then position the cakes as shown and cover them with the white icing.

Step 2:
Place a small bowl in the center of each cake and sprinkle cookie crumbs around it to create the track.

Step 3:
Remove the bowls and sprinkle sprinkles onto each icing circle, then press the remaining sprinkles onto the sides of the cake for grass.

Step 4:
Lay a white Good & Plenty dotted line along the track and use a pastry bag to pipe a white icing border around the edge of the cake.

Step 5:
Create racing flags by taping small squares of the paper or ribbon to the toothpicks and place them on the track along with the race cars.

Speedway Favors: Race car fans will be jazzed to take home Matchbox cars, whistles, key chains, and racing stickers or patches
Good luck lemme know if any of these suggestions are useful.
~Erin (15)