Raceway Birthday Ideas

Find checkered flags at party supply stores.

Although many raceway and go-kart facilities offer on-site birthday party packages, you can save money and recreate the setting easily from the comfort of your own home and backyard. Make the young car enthusiast and guest of honor feel like a star race car driver for the day by presenting him a trophy and surrounding him with guests dubbed as “pit crew” members.

Decorations

Decorate the tables with hanging checkered flags, reminiscent of those used on a racetrack. Dress the tables with black-and-white checkered napkins, plates and tablecloths, as well as alternating black and white utensils. Add checkered flags to the front of the house to denote the party’s location. Have an adult dressed as a pit crew member, complete with a jumpsuit and headphones, greet guests as they arrive. The crew member can “check-in” guests and provide each child a pit crew T-shirt upon entering. Place traffic signs around the party area, such as Stop and Yield.

Food

Serve food commonly found at raceways, such as hot dogs, pizza and soft pretzels. Give the items fun names such as pit crew pizza and speed racer soft pretzels. Order a raceway-themed cake from a local bakery as well. Arrange alternating black and white food on a platter to resemble checkered flags, such as dark and white chocolate squares or black-and-white iced cookies. Place red, yellow and green candies in successive bowls to mirror traffic lights.

Games

Set up an area where both kids and adults can race remote control cars against one another. Race the cars on a wooden plank painted to resemble a racetrack, complete with a checkered finish line and green infield. You can also blindfold party-goers before asking them to pin the missing wheel on the race car or devise an obstacle course using old tires and traffic cones. For a more cerebral activity, print out a series of word searches and crossword puzzles using car racing terms.

Goody Bags & Prizes

Provide each child a gift bag. Include such items as racing cars, racing patches and small novelty license plate frames with terms such as “Racer” or “Speedy.” For a personalized touch, order plates with each child’s name. You may also add race car-themed school supplies such as erasers, pencils, pens and paper. For game winners, provide free passes to a nearby go-kart racing facility.

References

• Disney Family Fun: Race Car Party