• Wheels on a Car: Fold construction paper to make a card. Draw or glue a picture of a car on the front of the card. Cut out two circles from a different-coloured construction paper to make wheels; attach them to the car using T-fasteners so the wheels can turn. Write party details inside. If you prefer, do the same for a train picture, or make propellers for a plane.



• Paper Aeroplane: Fold a sheet of coloured construction paper into an aeroplane. Unfold, write party details inside, refold, and mail in a large envelope.

• Decorate the party room to resemble an airport, train station, or petrol station, or use all three motifs:



• For an airport, lay out a long bedsheet or strip of butcher paper for a runway and set up chairs to look like the inside of a plane. (Do the same for a train or bus, using the sheet or paper as the road.)



• For a plane or train, cut out two sides of a large cardboard box to make an entrance. Paint the inside and outside of the box with appropriate details.



• For a bus, lay a large appliance box on its side, cut off the top so kids can sit inside, and cut out windows along both sides. Paint the box yellow and add details inside and out.



• For cars, get a large box for each guest, cut off the tops of the boxes so kids can sit inside them, and cut out windows so they can look out. Paint the boxes inside and out, adding details like headlights, wheels, wipers, and so on.



• Create a petrol station using cardboard boxes.

• Offer children engineer or pilot caps. Or buy engineer bandannas.

• Race Cars: For each child, cut out the top and bottom of a large box, leaving only the sides. Have children step into their cars, pull them up to their waists, and run a race.



• Bus Pass: Have everyone sit in two single-file lines. Give each line leader a plate of cotton wool balls to pass back over his head. The players must try not to spill any cotton wool as they race to get the plate to the last player in their line. Repeat the game with a variety of challenges, such as passing a cup of water, putting on and taking off an article of clothing, and so on.

• Sounds of Transportation: Find a children's tape that plays a variety of transportation sounds, such as a car engine, a bus horn, a motorcycle, a plane engine, or a train crossing-or tape the sounds yourself. Play the tape and have children guess the sounds.

• Make a Car: Let guests design their own cars. Provide individual cardboard boxes, cut and ready to go, then let guests paint their cars and decorate them with markers and stickers, adding headlights, doors, windows, and so on. Provide some fun accessories to add, such as bumper stickers, reflector tape, bike horns, and so on. Have a car parade down the path when you're finished.



• Pilot/Engineer: Invite an airline pilot or train engineer to the party. Ask the pilot to come in uniform and talk about what it's like to fly a plane or drive a train.

• Storytime: Read stories that feature trains, planes, or other modes of transportation. Sing "The Wheels on the Bus Go Round and Round," then make up your own lyrics for planes, trains, and automobiles.

• Make sandwiches with kids' favourite fillings: Cut off crusts and cut sandwiches in half. Lay sandwich pieces end to end on the table to make a train. Set veggies and fruit on top for cargo.



• Make Aeroplane Salad: Cover a plate with leafy lettuce. Set a peach half on top to make the body of a plane. Set an apricot half on each side to make wings. Place round crackers at the fronts of the wings to make propellers.



• Buy weighted cups used for drinking liquids in cars, fill them with a favourite drink, and give them to the kids. Let them keep the cups.

Choo-Choo Cake

1. Bake a sheet cake following a favorite recipe. Cool.
2. Cut the cake into small rectangles and set the rectangles end to end to make train cars. Make one train car per guest, if possible.
3. Frost each train car with different-coloured frosting.
4. Add details with strings of licorice, frosting tubes, and other decorative items.

• Send guests home with toy cars, trains, or airplanes.



• Hand out books on transportation.



• Let guests keep their car cups or give them spill-proof drink containers.



• Let guests take home the costume accessories-engineer or pilot caps or engineer bandannas.

• Create a cruise ship from a large cardboard box, take it to the backyard, and let the guests get in and pretend to sail away. If you like, provide some water toys for an afternoon of water fun and games.

• Give yourself enough time to collect and prepare boxes before the party. Large boxes are available at appliance stores, or you can buy them from shipping stores.