NASCAR Party Planning Guide

Invitations & guest list

• Set the date, time and headcountA 2-hour party is the sweet spot for kids. Count the parents who'll stay too.
• Send invitationsAsk parents to RSVP 1 week out and to note any food allergies.
• Optional: dress codeAsk kids to wear their favorite driver's colors or number.
• Pick the spaceA backyard or driveway works great for "pit stop" races. Leave a spot for photos.

Order your party supplies

• Tableware for 8The Standard or Deluxe Pack Prime Party covers this. To build your own, get 8 dinner plates, 8 dessert plates, lunch and beverage napkins and a table cover.
• CupsThere are no NASCAR cups, so plan on solid red or black cups from the store.
• Forks & spoonsGrab 20 of each: black forks and black spoons, or red forks and spoons. Prime Party
• StreamersTwist black, white and red together for a checkered-flag look. Prime Party
• Latex balloonsBlack, white and red pearlized balloons. Prime Party
• ConfettiSprinkle silver circle confetti down the table like a finish-line flash. Prime Party
• DécorThe fabric wall decoration and jointed birthday banner Prime Party.
• Cupcake wrappers (12) and water bottle labels (16)Cupcake wrappers and bottle labels Prime Party. These set how many cupcakes and bottles you buy. See the food section.
• GamesPin-the-Tail Prime Party.
• Optional: driver cutoutsLife-size cutouts of Chase Elliott, Kyle Larson, Ryan Blaney and more Prime Party.
• Favors (8)NASCAR favor boxes Prime Party, one per kid.

Plan the food & drinks

• Order or bake 12 cupcakesYou have 12 cupcake wrappers, so get cupcakes, not a cake. White frosting with checkered-flag picks, or black and white checkered sprinkles.
• Buy 16 bottles of waterYou have 16 bottle labels, so that's 2 per kid. Standard 16.9 oz bottles are the easiest to wrap.
• Plan the main coursePit-stop grill: hot dogs and burgers.
• Snacks"Tire" mini donuts, pretzel "lug nuts," popcorn and fruit.
• Plan the drinksMake Victory Lane Cherry Lemonade (the recipe is after the store list), plus juice boxes. Plan for 2–3 drinks per kid.
• IceAbout 1 lb per person, so one 10 lb bag.
• Check allergiesConfirm against your RSVPs.

Games & prizes

• Buy prizes for every gameWinners pick from the prize basket (see the DIY games below). Plan on 20–30 small prizes so every kid wins something.
• Pin-the-Tail: blindfold + tapeHang the poster at kid eye level with painter's tape. Blindfold with a bandana, spin twice, and the closest pin wins.
• Photo boothSet up a photo spot in "victory lane" in front of the fabric wall decoration with the photo booth props Prime Party.
• Pit-stop relayLine up kids in teams. Each runs to a "car" (a wagon or chair), swaps a tire (a paper plate) and runs back.
• TriviaPrint this guide and leave the trivia page on the table. It's at the end of this checklist.

Bonus DIY games (free to make)

• Number Scramble: make the numbersWrite one big number per guest (1–8) on half sheets of 8.5 × 11 paper and tape them to the floor around the house. Write the same numbers on slips of paper and put them in a bowl.
• Number Scramble: how to playAbout every 15 minutes, ring a bell or play a revving engine sound on a speaker. Everyone scrambles to stand on an open number. Draw a slip from the bowl, and whoever is standing on that number picks a prize. Set the winning slip aside so every kid gets a turn.
• Lucky Plate: mark one plateBefore you set the table, draw a small checkered flag on the bottom of one dinner plate.
• Lucky Plate: the revealHalfway through the meal, announce that everyone should check under their plate. Whoever finds the small checkered flag picks a prize.
• Prize basketFill a basket with inexpensive prizes for winners to pick from: movie-theater candy boxes, die-cast race cars, checkered flags and stickers. Use it for every game. Buy more than you think you'll need. Leftover candy and toys make great thank-you prizes for your clean-up crew. 😉

Favors

• Buy favor fillers for 8A die-cast race car, a candy bar and a checkered flag.
• Check for choking hazardsUse age-appropriate fillers if younger siblings are coming.

Prep & set up

• Wrap the water bottlesPeel off the store labels, wrap with the NASCAR labels and chill.
• Fill the 8 favor boxes
• Make the Number Scramble signs and slips; mark the lucky plateTape the numbers down on party day so they don't get kicked around.
• Hang the banners and wall décorPut the wall piece behind the food or photo area, and drape the banner over a doorway or the food table.
• Inflate balloonsMix black, white and red. Air-filled clusters last longer than helium. Hang the streamers and scatter the confetti on the table last.
• Set out serving dishesFood goes in bowls and on platters, not on the printed plates, so the artwork stays visible.

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