Ready, set, go! If your child is a fan of car racing, then this is the party for you. Let your little one be a NASCAR celebrity for the day with these creative ideas for race car party planning, hot wheels activities, race car crafts, recipes, birthday cakes, and more.

Best For…

Children ages six through 10 will love a fast-paced, action-packed hot wheels birthday. Don’t discount the girls; there are plenty of women in racing, too!

Party Planning

For peace of mind, begin planning your race car party six to eight weeks in advance. This will allow you time to gather all the supplies that you need, including race car party decorations, gifts, and menu items. Planning ahead also gives your guests time to RSVP and make travel plans, if needed. Don't panic if you find yourself short on time; you can still plan a great party! Planning ahead simply reduces the risk of conflicts with guests' plans and may increase your party’s attendance.

Zoom into hot wheels action by cutting out an invitation in the shape of a car and writing "Race on Over" across the top with the party details below. If you like, you can try our printable invitations. Or, if you’re short on time, purchase personalized or pre-printed hot wheels birthday invitations online. We recommend mailing your invitations three to four weeks prior to the party—any sooner and your guests may forget, any later and they may already have plans.

To simplify the rest of the race car party planning process, check out our Party Planning Timeline, and read the paragraphs below for information on selecting race car supplies, hot wheels activities, race car party favors, and more for your child's party.

What Do I Need for the Party?

If you plan to use paper tableware and race car party supplies, our Suggested Party Supply List may be quite helpful. Please note that you may not need everything on the list; it is intended only as a guide.

When selecting a color scheme for decorations and partyware for your race car party, think primary colors and black and white for the checkered flags. For goodie bags, stock up on race car party favors, such as small toy cars, sunglasses, plastic keys, car stickers and assorted candies. 

Traffic Light Rice Crispy Treats make a great party favor, too. Just cut the treats into rectangles, then turn them into stop lights by adding a row of red, yellow and green gumdrops to each. Wrap the treats in cellophane, or place them in race car favor bags. For a more elaborate gift, give your guests pit crew outfits with matching colored T-shirts and baseball caps, possibly with a car logo or other race car accessories. Place all of the items inside clear or printed cellophane bags, and tie the bags closed with chenille sticks in primary colors.