Bob the Builder -3yr- Work Aprons & Hardhats

For my son's 3rd birthday we are having a Bob the Builder construction party.  He has invited 12 (oh my!) of his little friends to the party that we will have in our church basement.   

INVITATIONS:  I always hand-make my kids' invitations so this time was no different.  I used blue cardstock and printed out color images of Bob and his gang from the Bob the Builder website.  I created lettering on the computer that said, "Can We Party?"  And then on the inside it said, "Yes We Can!"  Below that it read: Logan the Builder is turning three.  Come help him celebrate at a construction party! Shift Date: (party date) Shift Time: (party hours) Grub: (food) Construction Site: (party location) RSVP: To the Project Managers (mom & dad) 

DECORATIONS:  We found Bob fabric to make a kid-sized quilt that we will hang in the entryway of the church and I'm making signs to direct the families to the basement - "Party Zone," "Caution: Fun Ahead," "Stop for Logan's Birthday."  We bought construction boots, a hard hat, and overalls for my son's Build-A-Bear and he will sit on the cake table. 

I also ordered a balloon bouquet with a Bob balloon for the food table.  I ordered the Bob the Builder CD at Amazon and we will have it playing throughout the party. 

FAVORS: My mom is embroidering work aprons for each child with tools for the boys and a bear with a chef hat for the girls and each of their names - too cute for a group photo!  I ordered yellow hard hats from Oriental Trading and put their names on them. 

While they are waiting for everyone to arrive, I have stickers for them to decorate their hats with.  I also ordered inflatable hammers from Oriental Trading to give on the way out. 

GAMES:  We will play "Bob Buckets" a take-off of the old Bozo Buckets where you line up buckets (cardboard paint buckets from Home Depot) and try to toss bean bags (made from Bob the Builder fabric) into them.  There will be a coloring table with Bob coloring pages from the Bob website.  We have a Bob pull-string pinata that I'm filling with candy. 

The church houses a preschool and they are letting us use their bikes, climbing toys, etc. so they will basically have "free play" for the rest of the party. 

GIFT-OPENING:  There are two TVs in the room where we will open presents so I'm playing Bob videos in case the kids don't want to watch the gift-opening.  

FOOD:  We are ordering pizza for everyone and will serve snack foods in my son's dump trucks and other construction vehicles.  I ordered a 1/2-sheet cake from Costco with his name and Happy 3rd Birthday and I will decorate it with small Bob toys and crushed up Oreos for "dirt" and top it with a Bob candle and three small candles. 

THANK-YOUS:  I'm planning on making the thank-yous in the shape of wrenches with the following saying, "Thanks for Helping Us Get the Job Done!" and letting Logan draw a picture on the inside of the card.  I'm sure my son and all of his friends will have a great time!