How to Throw a Lego Birthday Party

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

Step 1

Lots of legos!

*Find Legos for your Invitations

The first thing you'll need to do to throw your Lego party is create your invitations. You'll need to decide how many kids to invite and then find an 8 studded flat Lego "plate" for each. (As long as they look new, you can take them from your own child's collection.)
Step 2

*Make the front of the Invitations

For the next part of the invitation, use bright yellow markers to draw a giant Lego minifigure shaped head on the front of each invitation. (It is basically two rounded squares, one huge and one small stacked on top of each other. It should take up most of the space on the front of the card.) As you work, be sure to fold the invitation open so that if bleed-through occurs, it will leave the lower inside part of the invitation clean. Using a minifigure as a model, draw a face on each with black Sharpie. (The simplest minifigure face is also the most recognizable, so it's a good one to use.) Cut extra invitations along the fold line and lightly glue inside to cover any bleeding through the back.
Step 3

*Create an Invitation insert

In a word processing program, make an invitation insert and size it to fit inside the card. At the top of the invitation, write "Come build a great birthday with [your child's name]!". Then include the following information: where, when, what time, how to inform about regrets. Print out the inserts and trim to fit inside the card. If you wish, you can glue down the insert. Otherwise, just place the paper inside the card itself. Include the Lego plate in the card, and then place the whole thing in the envelope and mail. Regular postage will work fine since the plate is so light.
Step 4

*Plan party decorations

The party decorations can be simple. Use the three basic Lego colors--red, yellow and blue--when purchasing cake plates, napkins, cups and flatware. Solid colors work best since they will go along with your theme. Solid brightly colored inflated balloons are great, and you can create your own balloon weights by building them with a few Legos (for this, the larger Duplos work best). Serve soda or Kool-aid. Lego ice molds are available for sale; if you wish, you can purchase some to make ice for your party ahead of time.
Step 5

*Make a theme table for your Lego party

When planning your party, be sure to designate one party display table. This makes a big impact and helps get your theme across. Cover with a white or bright solid color tablecloth. Have your child help you use a flat square plate and some Legos to make a holder for the forks. The design can be simple--a base with four tall sides. You'll place it next to the cake and plates. You'll also be placing the favor gift bags on this table. You and your child can think of creative ways to make centerpieces or small accents for the table--your child will be thrilled to be a part of the planning process. Have your child design some Lego creations to use for table decorations.
Step 6

Cake mold for sale on Lego.com

*Plan your Lego cake

If you go to the Lego website (or Legoland or Lego store), you'll see that there is a cake mold for sale that you can use to create your cake. Ice the bricks in simple brightly colored frosting. On the top of the cake, place a mini figure resembling your child. (Mini figure parts are available for sale on the Lego website. You can go to the Pick-a-Brick section to choose parts to make your figure.) Don't forget to place candles on top of the cake. If you like, you can write a "Happy Birthday" message on the cake itself. Otherwise, you can type the message instead and use rolled clear tape to attach to a stack of bricks arranged next to the cake.
Step 7

*Plan a set up for your Lego games

To set up for the party games, create tables with enough seats to accommodate each guest. Cover the tables with bright solid paper tablecloths. Every three or four seats, place a large pile of Legos in the center of the table. (Used ones will work the best...they can be found at garage sales or eBay. You could even borrow some from a friend as long as you can figure out how to return them!)
Step 8

Large bucket of Legos for sale

*Plan your Lego games

As far as party games are concerned, your imagination is key! Have a contest for the fastest tower, the most creative car or building, the best imaginary animal, etc. Have teams of 2 or 3 work together to build different items you have written on slips of paper. After each group is finished, be sure to take a picture of the guests standing next to their creations. Distribute prizes at the end of the building session. Award every child a small prize upon completion such as Tootsie Pops or single candy bars. Be creative with your categories. "Most creative", "tallest", "smallest", "funniest", "best use of color" are a few categories you can award prizes for. If possible, use your imagination and think of categories as the kids are working to tailor the categories to fit the participants. If that's too difficult, then brainstorm a list beforehand and choose an appropriate category as you go along.
Step 9

Minifigure mold for sale on Lego.com

*Plan your Lego favors

For party favor wrapping, use simple clear cellophane bags tied with a colorful ribbon. Shop the Lego website or go to a discount or toy store to find small Lego sets for about $3-5 each. Since that can get expensive, purchase a few small parts for each child on the Lego pick-a-brick site. Since unusual colors and some fun mini figure accessories and parts are for sale by the piece, you can buy a handful for each child. (You could even create a likeness of each child for a unique and fun favor.) Another option is to purchase one tub of Legos and divide it among the guests or personalize one large Duplo brick for each child using a black paint pen. For an extra-special addition to your guests' party bags, purchase a mini figure candy mold available for sale on the Lego website and create a chocolate or lollipop mini figure for each child. Wrap these with cellophane and tie with colorful ribbons. Additionally, Lego erasers can be purchased in a set of three and split among guests. To finish the bags, add Tootsie Rolls, Dum Dum pops or other small candy.
Step 10

Brick erasers at Lego.com

If you are wanting to go all out for your party, there are lots of options. You can have kids create Lego cars and race down a plywood *Add Special Touches to Your Party

ramp, have kids make a mini movie set out of Legos and act out a play using mini figures, or hide a special Lego in a pile and have the kids race to see who can find it first. There are many different games you can play. Never forget to use your child for ideas; often, they're the ones who come up with the most creative games!
Step 11

*Relax and Enjoy your Party

The great thing about a Lego party is that the kids entertain themselves much of the time. If you are throwing a party for a younger child, use Duplos and allow the kids to play rather than compete. If you want to avoid competition with older kids, have them build something and then take photos. (Be sure to have the kids name their creations. When you distribute photos, write the name of the creation, the child's name, and the date on the back of the photo.) Make duplicate copies of pictures and create a memory book for your child of his or her party. Be creative with your party, but most of all have fun!