There are lots of themes for at-home birthday parties available for young boys, but it you want something other than contact sports, try race cars. I gave my nephew a party like this and they boys had a great time (they even told their friends at school about it afterwards!) He was six at the time so everything was laid out in sets of six. You can buy kits or do it yourself, or some of both.
Decorations:
You can get flags, cups, plates, and a table cloth from ToysRUs, Party City, or Oriental Trading Company — locally or online. Hang a string of pointed multicolored racing pennants from the ceiling and over the table. Take a green table cloth and place it on your kitchen counter. Lay out the cups, plates, and folks on the cloth. Lay the ice cream scoop next to them.
Games:
Take small plastic race cars and line them up on a hard, flat surface. Use masking tape to mark the finish line. Use at least 4 different colors for the cars or number them 1 through 4. Have the boys “blow” them to see who crosses the finish line first. For extra excitement, set up your video camera to show instant replays and to settle disputes. Prize can be small plastic trophy cups or ribbons available at most party supply stores. Have two or three races so that everyone has a chance to run at least two races. As an alternative, cut out 2 side views of a big race car three feet long, draw big numbers on the sides, and attach strings so the boys can wear them. Take the boys outside and run races for trophy cups or ribbons.
Have dad or a friend help set bolts into a round wood block painted black. Provide bolts and wrenches for the boys to be timed as they secure the nut onto the bolt of their “tire”. Give out a miniature tire key chains to the kids who changes their tire the quickest.
The cake:
Take a piece of sturdy cardboard or a large cookie sheet and cover it with green construction paper. Cut out a large oval from a piece of black construction paper. Use chalk or white acrylic paint to draw in lanes on your oval race track – make them about 3 inches wide. This will be your display for the “car” cakes. I wrote Happy Birthday Andrew on the green fields. Cover entire display with plastic wrap.
Use miniature loaf pans (see a picture here: http://www.target.com/Oneida-Silicone-8-Cup-Mini-Loaf/dp/B001CCUIES/sr=1-6/qid=1232501810/ref=sr_1_6/183-6331883-3503856?ie=UTF8&rh=k%3Apans-mini&page=1). Someone you know may have the old-fashioned separate pans. Frost the cakes on all the sides as well as the top. Be creative; mix your own frosting and food coloring to get different colors for the cars. Or make them all the same color and put a different color of starlight peppermints for the wheels and number the cars with candy numbers.
Make or buy “men” to drive the racing cars. You can make your own using toothpicks, small Styrofoam balls, white pipe cleaners for arms, and a marker for their faces or caps. Place the men at the back of each respective sports car or at the front of funny cars.
Place each car on the track. If it’s a large party, you may want to put two cars on each track, just like a real race track with lots of drivers.
When the kids leave, give them a goody bag filled with colored starlight peppermint tires, candy corn pennants, and a toy race car (you can get them at any Dollar store, or go all-out and give them Hot Wheels.
This unusual party was very inexpensive and met with the approval of my 6-year-old nephew. The end result is a good time in the safety of your home that kids will remember.
