You'll be the hero when you throw a firefighter themed birthday party. Credit: Corbis
Invitations
Invite guests to visit the firehouse for a five-alarm celebration! A picture of your child in front of a fire truck is a an easy way to make the invitations both personal and a keepsake for family and friends. Contact a local station and ask them if you can stop by for a quick pic of your child in front of one of their nice shiny trucks. Print out all of the information for the party on one side of 4x6 piece of card stock and then secure a copy of the photo to the other side.
Turn Your House into a Firehouse
Cut flame shapes out of cellophane and tape them to your windows or sliding glass doors to create your own safe "five-alarm-fire." Decorate with red, orange and yellow streamers and your own life size fire fighter cut out to make the kids feel "engulfed" in the theme.
You can really get into the firefighter theme with all of the great party supplies that are out there. Birthday Express has some of the coolest supplies in this theme around -- plates and cups feature a fire truck with lights and sirens a blaze! They also have a money-saving kit that offers everything you need for a fire fighter children's party. Don't forget to order fire fighter hats for each guest.
Games and Fun
Well in advance of the party, contact your local fire house or volunteer chapter of your local fire department; many will bring the fire truck to your house for a visit, if there are no emergencies that they are dispatched too. They also may have wonderful party items like coloring books and safety and health materials. Make sure you send a thank you note to the fire fighters after their visit!
Kids will love a chance to complete your "fireman's training course" and receive their very own "medal of achievement" when then are done. You can complete your training course by setting up regular children's play equipment (tunnel, hula hoops, balls, balance beam and jump ropes) to make fireman training obstacles. Martha Stewart's website has some easy and fun ideas for an obstacle course, which include directions on how to make them. All the activities she features are easily adapted to a fireman's theme.
The Cake
If you wish to make your own cake, Wilton features a number of firetruck and fireman inspired cake pans and cupcake ideas. To make your own flame cake, mix up a white cake mix and separate it into three bowls. Color the batter in one bowl red, one yellow and one orange. Follow the instructions for preparing the pan and then with a spoon or small cup, alternate adding the different colored cake batters to the pan with a scoop or small spoon. Repeat until you are out of cake batter. Bake according to the package directions. When you cut the baked cake, it will look like flames!
Party Favors
Birthday Express has one of the cutest pre--packaged fire truck goodie boxes around. They are affordable and are a great way to to thank guests for attending your child's party. They also offer a very affordable photo prop in which children place their face in the cut out to be transformed into a fireman riding on a fire truck. This can double as a fun activity and a take-home memory for children. Guests can also make a frame for their picture with a simple craft kit.
