Transformers Bowling -5yr- Autobots Go Bowling

My son was having his 5th birthday and wanted it at the bowling alley. However, he also wanted it to be an animated Transformers theme. As a graphic designer, I immediately had a ton of ideas.

First, I found a group picture of the animated Transformers. Using Photoshop, I made it look like each Transformer was holdling a bowling ball. I put that image fairly large on one side of the invitation and on the back side, I used the same image only smaller in the center. At the top I put Logan is Transforming into a 5 Year Old. To celebrate this event the Autobots have planned a bowling party!" I then customized each invitation to say "Ryan Come Join the Fun!" or "Nathan Come Join the Fun!" I printed them as a 5x7 full color and laminated all of them.

I then decided to take that Transformer image of them holding the bowling balls and printed it off on iron-on material. I went and found t-shirts at Michael's and ironed on that image to the front of the t-shirts. I found the actual Transformers font and printed each boys name out and ironed it on the back of the shirts.

I found small canvas bags at the dollar store and using fabric paint wrote each of their names on the bags folded up their individual t-shirt and then put their personalized invitation in the bag too. (I was sure to ask them to wear their special bowling shirt to the party on the invitation.) Using that same Transformers/bowling image I made mailing labels and return address labels. I mailed them in a padded envelope to each of their homes to the respective boy - kids LOVE to get mail so I thought this was super cool.

The day of the party all of the kids showed up in their special bowling shirts. This was really neat to see - I got SO many compliments from people on how cool this was! It was also very easy to keep an eye on the kids in the bowling alley! After playing a game of bowling we ate pizza and snacks. I of course had all of the animated Transformers plates cups napkins table cloths & balloons I could find!

We then had really cool cut-out Transformers cakes - 1 cake was cut out to look like the Autobot face and the other cake looked like the Decepticon face. One cake was vanilla & strawberry filling and the other was chocolate so everyone was happy.

I ordered pewter bowling medals off of Oriental Trading - these were so neat - they were on red/white/blue ribbon and looked like gold medals at the Olympics! I had my son hand them out to everyone and took a group picture. The back of the medals were all engraved with "Logan's 5th Birthday Party May 2 2009"

After he opened all of his gifts the party was essentially over. Before everyone left I had my son pass out a thank you bag of goodies: In bright blue cellophane bags I had put in there Transformers tattoes a small squirt gun a bouncy ball candy & gum Transformers fruit snacks and Transformers stickers. I then made a bag topper printed with the same Transformers/bowling photo and it said "Thank You For Coming to My Party." I folded it over the top of the bag and stapled it on.

Everyone had SO much fun! After we got home we made out special Transformers thank you cards and mailed them to each boy. This was by far the best party yet and I'll have a hard time topping it next year!"