Caleb and Grace’s rainbow race car party
We celebrated the third birthdays of my nephew Caleb and his best friend Grace recently. Last year, it was a bigger digger party. This year, it was a rainbow race car party – combo theme as chosen by the birthday kids.
Caleb’s dad (my brother Mark) and Grace’s dad (Thomas), best mates since primary school, orchestrated the box car concept for the party, gathering suitable cardboard boxes and designing a prototype that could be worn by a child racer, with windscreen, front and rear lights, wheels and with optional spoiler and front antenna (for radio reception, what else?). They set up a pit stop area on the patio where the party guests constructed their race cars – kids assisted by adults (or maybe kids putting the adults to work!), with all the necessary supplies – push-pins, sticky tape, paper plates for wheels, cupcake/muffin patty papers for lights, coloured pens, stencils, crepe paper and other items for customising the cars.
The prototype car was probably the fanciest, most refined model of the day. I don’t think anyone chose to replicate the wheel rims as featured on the prototype. 
Everyone was soon engrossed, building their box cars.
Ruby teamed up with her Nanna to customise her car. Her car was Number 2.
Caleb enlisted the help of his dad. His car was Number 5.
Zoe had the assistance of her Opa (grandfather) – she really made him work hard!
Zoe’s car, labelled Zoe Lightning, was Number 8.
Of course, for Zoe, purple trim for her car bonnet which she added herself
I asked the kids to smile for me, but they were too busy admiring their new cars!
What’s better than playing with a toy car? Playing with a toy car while being in your very own box race car 
Our two qualified box car engineers installed Grace’s spoiler
The latest in box car race driver accessories: the essential fairy wand
My favourite box car was this awesome butterfly car, created from the only black box of the bunch, with wings and hot pink pipe cleaner feelers
Some box cars were further customised to carry special passengers – in this case, Boomer the dog and Teddy the bear, both in party frocks. Boomer belonged to my brother when he was a child, and has now been adopted by Ruby.
Self-service race car fuel
Sandwiches and pikelets
Honey joys and homemade sausage rolls
Meatballs and mini quiches
Fruit kebabs and chocolate cookies
Ruby wore a special hat she made herself – inspired by a police/ambulance sirenAfter we’d all had some afternoon tea, the box cars and their drivers were rounded up as we made our way to the local park where the race track and Rainbow Race Car Grand Prix awaited.
Engines revving…
Ready, set, GO!
The cars zoomed around the track, engines roaring with squeals and giggles. I won’t lie – there were a few spills and tears on the track. But the pit crews were ever watchful and stepped in swiftly when young drivers got a little overwhelmed.
After the initial frenzy, some of the kids parked their cars off the track, preferring the freedom of running along without being in a box, while others stayed in the driver’s seat for as long as possible.
I know I’m not the only adult who wished there was a box big enough for me. Juji and I started a discussion about what electrical appliance would provide the right-sized box to make a race car for an adult. Whatever box it was made from, my car would have wings, red trim and be Number 3.
The guys even made a rainbow checkered flag to be waved at the start of each race. Grace took a turn as flag girlEven after multiple box car races and running races, the kids were eager to keep racing, so a new series of walking races was announced.
And off they went…again!
The races finally came to an end – it was time for birthday cake. The chocolate rainbow race car birthday cake was baked by Caleb’s mum Angela, then assembled and iced by Grace’s mum Emma.
Rainbow race car cake complete with Duplo driver and steering wheel
We all sang happy birthday while the those closest to front wriggled impatiently in anticipation.
As soon as the birthday kids received their slices of cake, they did exactly the same thing. It’s easy to see why these two get along so well.The race car cake was delicious, moist and stick-to-your-teeth-chocolatey. Of course, rainbow icing and rainbow napkins made it even more enjoyable.
I know I’ve said it before, but I love taking photographs at the kids’ birthday parties. I hope they’ll enjoy looking at these pictures in years to come.
Happiness is eating birthday cake with your best mate at your joint birthday party – even better when your mums don’t insist that you use a fork!