I think big trucks have fascinated toddlers the world over ever since they were invented. And what’s not to love? They’re huge, messy, and loud! All of their favorite things! So we particularly love this theme for younger birthdays, i.e. ages 1 and 2, when they’re not quite to the age of silverware yet, and you can get really awesome “mud” photos with chocolate cake! But this theme is popular all the way through middle school too. Below you’ll see a list of our favorite decor, food items, games, and more! Most activities can be adjusted for a wide variety of ages, too, which is perfect for including older friends, cousins, or siblings in the fun. (We all like to get a little dirty every now and then!)
The Invitation:
Everyone knows that a great party starts with a great invitation! It shows your invitees that you’ve put a lot of thought and effort into the planning! (Even if you’re just copying us. We won’t tell!) Our favorite invitation for a construction themed party is this one! Partly because we can’t resist a good pun, but also because you need ZERO digital skills to use this one! It can be filled out digitally and then printed, or you can print it and then fill it out by hand. Oh and did we mention it’s free and comes with bonus decor printables?
Decorating:
Time to set the mood! Now that you’ve got a good start with the printables, check out these awesome serving ideas! And of course, what’s a construction party without heavy machinery? Don’t worry, you can just raid the toy closet for your kiddos trucks and place them around, or check the garage for a wheelbarrow (the dirtier, the better!). You can also use them for party supplies such as holding utensils, snacks, or even presents or cards! The easiest way to add a little flair to any party is with themed paper goods!
Games:
Let’s have some fun! (And encourage some kiddos to burn off some of that sugar!)
Knock the Blocks
We love this one because it’s crazy cheap and crazy fun! Just collect up some amazon boxes you have laying around or ask for some from your local grocery store, tape them up, and stack them up! You can have younger kids just knock them over with their hands or crash toy trucks into them, but for older kids, you can tie a jumper ball to a piece of rope and use it like a wrecking ball! See instructions here!
Pin the Tires on the Dump Truck
This one is a classic and also easy on the wallet! A couple pieces of construction paper or a couple printed pages and a little bit of cutting, and you’ve got yourself a fun game. Or you can save yourself some time and effort and just pick up these round stickers for tires instead!
Other fun games for a construction party, especially for older kids are “minute to win it” style games such as building something out of toothpicks and marshmallows, an obstacle course with cones, carrying “lumber” relay race style, and more!
Food:
The best part of any party has to be the food because it has the power to bring everyone together. (And also because it’s usually loaded with special-occasion calories - which everyone knows don’t count against your diet!)
- Chocolate doughnuts - truck tires
- Dirt pudding - Dirt!
- “Crew Punch” in large gatorade drink dispensers or similar coolers
- Drill Bits - Cheese curls
- Lumber - pretzel rods or sticks
- Wrecking Balls - cheese balls, grapes, or anything round
- Construction Cones - baby carrots
And for dessert, we can’t forget about the cookies! These sugar cookies can be used instead of, in conjunction with, or even on top of a cake!