How to Plan a Race Car Themed Kids Birthday Party

Looking for a theme for your kid’s birthday party but don’t want the same old decor, food, and games? Race car themed birthday party ideas are fun, easy to make or buy, and can include all types of races, cars, or brands for your child to pick from, so you know they will love it. In this article, we’ll take you through each step to making your race car themed party come in at No. 1.

Choose a Race Car Theme

There are so many different choices when it comes to a race car themed birthday party. From Indy 500 to vintage classics to Fast and Furious, your birthday boy or girl can pick from all types of fast cars. Some other themes to consider: NASCAR, modern cars, Hot Wheels or even your child’s favorite car model! If you aren’t sure which theme you should choose, consider your child’s age. If they are turning one, a cute idea is to theme the party their “First Race” and have NASCAR decorations. Or maybe they are four and you want to do a “Four and Fast” theme. This theme allows you to incorporate all types of fast cars, new or classic.

Invitations

Invitations are the first presentation of your party’s theme to your guests…so make it memorable! Of course, you will need to include all the necessary details on the invitations, but you can also have some fun with it and use racing or birthday puns to make your guests smile. Try using the puns from above or create your own.

Also, if you are crunched for time, go ahead and check out your local party supplies store for race car themed invitations. They may allow for much personalization, but still get the job done for a reasonable price.

Speedy Decorations

Race car themed birthday party decorations can be a fun DIY project or found in stores depending on your family’s timeline and budget. As always, consider your child’s age, likes/dislikes, hobbies, the season and your venue, when planning for decor. If you are having the party at your private home, you have all the flexibility you need when it comes to hanging ribbons and banners, or having larger pieces throughout the space. If you rented a party venue, just make sure to ask the employees what you are allowed to bring in and what they already provide to you.

Need a simple option? Amazon has some great bundle packages for you to choose from that are race car themed. Check them out here! If you decide to go the DIY route, flags and cones are easy to make and don’t require much. If you want something more advanced, there are printable templates you can find online.

Refueling Station

Nothing makes kiddos and guests hungry like a big race! Your food and treats should also fit the racing theme and decorations. Consider what time of day your guests will be eating and also if the food is going to be only eaten by kids or if the adults are snacking too. If you only have the little ones to worry about, you can’t go wrong with “racing fuel” or juice boxes, brownie “stoplights” or dipstick pretzels. They are fun to eat and fit your theme. If you have older guests, have some heftier options and of course, ensure you have options for anyone that may have dietary restrictions.

And what would a racing themed birthday party be without its race car themed cake! There are some amazing cake shops that can make almost any car or racetrack come to life, but they can be spendy. An alternative option to this is baking your own cake. You can use a race car themed cake pan and decorate however you or the birthday boy or girl would like. Don’t want to bake a whole cake? Try buying store-bought cupcakes and finding race car themed toppers to personalize them.

Racing Activities

Besides food, the party activities are often what people enjoy and talk about the most. For this type of theme, you can either go really big or simple, depending on budget, venue and how long the party is going to last. If you are renting out an area, they most likely will provide you with different types of activities for various ages and price points. If you are having the party at home, you can get creative. Some fun games to play that fit your theme are relays, balloon races, sack races and red light green light. Most of these physical games can be played indoors if you have a large open space, but if the weather permits, take the party outside!

For activities that don’t involve too much running around, try looking up fun crafts for the kids to do or set up a racing game on the TV- Mario Kart is always a hit.

Race Car Themed Party Favors

After a full day of fun, leave your guests with a little something to remember this fast and furious day. Like the decor, party favors can be found at your local store or made at home. If you have a ton of people coming to the party, buying the favors in large packs may be the best way to go price and timing-wise. Plus, putting a few quality items together in a bag takes a lot less effort than making individual pieces for everyone. The best option may be to include both! Buy a few pullback cars and checkered flag tattoos and add your own “nuts and bolts” snack, a.k.a homemade trail mix, to the bag.

No matter who your little racer is cheering for or what they are wanting to drive, they will love this race car themed birthday party full of speed, snacks and photo-finishes. Have you held your own race lately? Send us pictures of you and the birthday boy or girl enjoying their fun-filled day. For more birthday theme ideas, visit www.pumpitupparty.com.