Firehouse Birthday Party

Four-Alarm Invitations

• Photocopy simple fire engine graphics from a coloring book or storybook, and fill in the date, time and place of party. Send them out four-alarm fast! Or help your kids create them on your computer using dalmatian (a firefighter's favorite pal) and fire engine clipart. 

Four-Alarm Decorations

• What’s black and white and “red” all over? This party, of course. Bright red paper goods are easy to find. You can also look for fire engine-themed paper goods at large party stores. 
• Hang fire-engine red balloons, or draw black spots on white balloons with a permanent marker. 
• Place decorated cake in center of table. 
• Make place cards by attaching names on card stock to toy fire hydrants, small toy fire engines or plastic spotted dogs. (Purchase them at party or toy stores, and give to party goers to take home.) 
• Make place mats using the same fire engine graphics as the invitations. Kids can color as they wait for the food to be served.

Four-Alarm Games & Activities

• Hand out toy firefighter hats to kids before the activities begin. (Hats can be part of their take-home loot.) Purchase inexpensive ones at toy or party stores, and personalize with a permanent marker if you like. 
• Have a "Rescue the Animal" Relay. Divide kids into two teams, and have them line up. The first child in each line must put on a coat, pair of boots and a firefighter hat (coat and boots should be slightly oversized to fit all kids), walk across the room and pick up a stuffed animal (completing the animal rescue), and then carry the animal back to the line where he passes the coat, boots and hat to the next child. Rescues continue until everyone has rescued an animal. The first team to finish wins! 
• Arrange a visit to a fire station, or arrange with a fire station to have a fire engine and firefighters come to your party. Some fire stations will do this with a donation made to their designated fund. Allow time after these activities for kids to write thank-you notes to the firefighters in appreciation. 

Four-Alarm Food Fun

• Serve Dalmatian Cupcakes or the spotted dog cupcakes found in Cupcake Pet Parade instead of the Fire Engine Cake. 
• Skip the ice cream and beverages; blend up smoothies instead. Cocoa-Peanut Butter-Banana Smoothies fit this party perfectly.