Airplane Party 3-5yr - Paper Airplanes

We have 2 boys, whose birthdays are both in November.  The oldest turned 5 and the youngest turned 3.   

We did the airplane tickets for the invitation.  I used grey cardstock so it would look even more real. 

We were doing this at my in-laws house out of state, so we wanted it to be fun and inexpensive.  During the day, we let Dad and Grandpa make paper airplanes out of colorful construction paper.  We strung them on the ceiling fans and turned it on low.  The planes stayed on and they flew the whole night. They had rafters so we tied more paper airplanes up on those also. (This was probally one of the coolest things to see, b/c everyone got involved and it was so cheap.) 

On the windows, we bought airplane cling ons from the dollar store.  They made quite an impression.  On doorways, we put the Gate and Number 3/5.  As for the party table, we covered it with brown butcher paper.  Down the center of the table we laid 2 strands of white Christmas lights.  It made it look like a real runway.  In the center of the runway, we laid toy planes from the dollar store.    Each child, had a place setting with their name written on the brown butcher paper.  Their plate, cup, and crayons so they could color on the table were also there. 

The cake was a sheet cake with a huge plastic landing tower with the runway on it.  It was part of a cousins' present as well as so cute.  The cake itself wasn't tall but the landing tower made it look so unique and fit in so perfect. 

The games we played were pin the pilot on the plane.  We just printed out a plane and a pilot from print shop.  We traced the pilots' face with a red pen to see where he would go.  We used sticky tack to keep it on.  We also played Don't get caught without a plane, basically muscial chairs but you had to step on the plane.  Winner got a prize from the dollor store. 

We called our local airport and they donated little wooden planes that you had to put together with their logo on it.  (They could fly far when thrown!)  They were put in the thank you brown paper bag with an airplane rubber stamped on it.  Along with donated Poison Control Stickers, magnets, and other stuff donated by the local Poison Control Center.  An Airline also donated the pin wings that they would give out to the children if flying on a real plane.  This was honestly one of the best themed birthday parties we have ever seen.  There were so many compliments.  The best part is that my children are still talking about it and it was inexpensive as well as brought everyone together.