Cars Themed Birthday Party Ideas

Cars Birthday Party Ideas and Themes

Your kids love Lightning McQueen, Mater and all their friends, know the lines to Cars and are learning the lines to Cars 2 and now they want a Car Birthday Party.

There are lots Cars party supplies to choose from including Cars party invitations, tableware, balloons, decorations, thank you notes and party games. We found the best way to plan your Cars Party is get to know the main characters, places and story line.

Cars Movie Plot
Rookie Lightning McQueen is vying to win the Piston Cup and must head to California for a tiebreaker race to decide the champion. While on route to California, McQueen falls out of his big rig and during the confusion gets lost and ends up in the sleepy little town of Radiator Springs. From there McQueen gets into a little trouble, makes friends and learns a few life lessons too.

Main Cars Characters
Lightning McQueen
Mack – Mack pulls Lightning McQueen’s trailer to his races
Mater – aka – Sir Tow Mater – Runs Tow Mater Towing and Salvage
Sally Carrera – Town Attorney of Radiator Springs, runs the Cozy Cone Motel and is McQueen’s love interest
Doc Hudson – aka – Doc – Used to race and won 3 Piston Cups during his racing days
Sheriff – Sheriff is the first resident of Radiator Springs to meet McQueen, when he sees McQueen speeding
Luigi – Owns the Casa Della Tires shop in Radiator Springs
Guido – The forklift assistant at Casa Della Tires, Guido speaks Italian and knows a little English
Ramone – Owner of Ramone’s Paint and Body Art store, He is also married to Flo
Flo – Owner of Flo’s V-8 Café and is married to Ramone
Fillmore – Owner of Fillmore’s Organic Fuel, A fun hippie character that loves classic rock
Sarge – A military veteran and own of Sarge’s Surplus Hut
Lizzie – Owner of Radiator Springs Curios
Red – An emotional resident of Radiator Springs that doesn’t say anything but does garden and wash things.

If you are focusing on one of the other Cars movies, then review the movie, plot and characters to make games based around each movie.

Cars Birthday Party Food Ideas
Create a Pit Stop for snacks and drinks and have the Guests go to Flo’s V-8 Cafe for the main meal
Cupcakes decorated like wheels
Mini Bagel Bites – Look like wheels
Mater Taters – Tater Tots
Grape Koolaid – Motoroil, Green Koolaid – Antifreeze or Organic Fuel
Luigi & Guido’s Pasta Salad – Use pasta wheels (Circles)
Sally’s Shakes – Mini milk shakes
Pretzel Rods – Can be dip sticks. You could make an activity where the kids dip the prezel in chocolate to check the oil.
– Use these ideas or come up with your own Car themed food

Cars Party Decoration Ideas 
We provide links to popular Cars decorations at the bottom of the page, but offer a variety of Do It Yourself Ideas. The best tip is to decide on a Cars birthday party, brainstorm and write down your ideas, then re-watch the movies and then finalize your party plan.

– When welcoming Guests have them check in at the Radiator Springs to get their Cars Driver’s License
– Ask parents of the kids attending to send a photo, add a Cars image and create a license – Laminate and your ready to go
For Cars 2 Parties hand out Passorts at a Customs station so guests can properly travel the world

– Create a Racetrack in your Yard
Use mini racing Flags and decorative tape to outline a racetrack

– Create Themed Areas by making Shops from Radiator Springs using Cardboard and Paint 
Flo’s V-8 Café – The perfect place for drinks and food
Cozy Cone Motel – Rest area, place for ice cream cones
Ramone’s Paint and Body Art – Perfect for arts and craft projects
Luigi’s Casa Della Tires Shop – A great spot for games and activities

Other Popular Cars Themed Areas
Create a Pit Stop area when you can do tire changes, fill up with fuel (drinks) and even check dip sticks
Create a Winners Circle for Birthday Party games Winners

Create your own Cars Pinata – Take two round cardboard inserts that come with frozen pizza, glue 3 or 4 cardboard toilet paper roll sleeves between the two pieces of cardboard, which should give you a nice area to later add candy and prizes. Then use paper mache to cover the round pinata core, but remember to leave and opening so you can add the candy! Let the pinata dry and then add a second or third layer so the pinata is a challenge. Once it is complete, add the candy and carefully add a hook (so you can hang it) and fill in the opening. Last paint and decorate like a tire, then add Cars images and Birthday wishes.

Games and Activities for a Cars Birthday Party 

– Red Light / Green Light Game
This classic Stop and Go outdoor game is perfect for Cars, I mean kids of all ages. Here for Red Light / Green Light game details.

– Pin the Car on the Finish Line – Plus Other Variations
Play just like Pin the Tail on the Donkey, but with minor changes to reflect your Cars or Cars 2 Birthday Party
Pin the Car on the Finish Line – Each guest gets a car, is blindfolded, spun around and tries to place it on the finish line. The car that is the furthest over the finish line while touching the finish line wins.

Variations
Pin the Headlights on Lightning McQueen or Mater
Pin the Stickers on the Racecar – For a Fun Activity
Pin the Tires on the Racecar – You can have more than one winner for this version

– Cars Character Find
Hide or simply place lots of images of Cars characters around the party as decorations. Then when you are ready to play the game give them a printed out piece of paper of all the Cars images they need to collect. McQueen, Mater, Mack, Sally, Flo, etc…

Then show them the Piston Cup Race Board where you list their names on the left and the images across the top. Let them know that when they find one of the images (one image at a time) they must return to the Piston Cup Race Board so you can mark that they have completed a lap and you can check off the image at the Pit Stop. Once they exit the Pit Stop they can go find another image.

The First Racecar Driver to collect all the images (one of each) and therefore complete all the laps of the Piston Cup wins the race. Note: When making images you will need to have at least 1 per child and maybe a few extras just in case a few go missing before the game begins.

Variations:
Make this more competitive – Hide only 1 image and the person who finds it earns a lap. At the end of the game, the person who has earned the most laps wins the Piston Cup.

– Hot Tow Mater
Play like Hot Potato but have a stuffed or Tow Mater to pass. Use a timer to randomly determine who leaves the game when the timer goes off, set for 10 to 30 seconds per turn. Similar to Hot Potato.

– Ready, Set, Race Game
This racing competition game is fun at Cars, Cars 2 and any racing party where each child receives a racecar to race and gets to take that car home too as a party favor. Here for Ready, Set, Race Game details.

– Luigi’s Tire Roll Relay Race
Kids can have fun helping cleaning up Luigi’s Casa Della Tires or just rolling tires around in this Cars inspired game that kids and adults can play. Plus we have variations so you can make it more interesting. Here for Tire Roll Relay Race Game details.

Speedway Racing Game – This game puts the kids in the race and makes them the Racecar Drivers. We’ve included ideas to make racecar costumes and several variations so your Racing party game fits your age group.

Here are some Cars Party Supplies and Decorations.

Ceiling Hanging Swirls