Host a robot-themed party!

Start by creating a mechanical theme with a do-it-yourself banner; cut out gears and wrenches from silver wrapping paper, then string together with fishing line or a thin silver ribbon.

Once the party starts, make sure your kidbots are tuned up and ready to go by making a pit stop at the snack table. There they’ll find all the edible parts fit for a robot – nuts and bolts, circuit boards and robot wiring – no cooking or baking required.

Mix together pretzels, circle- and square-shaped cereals and Smarties for the nuts and bolts; use colourful block candies for circuit boards and licorice as wiring.

When their tank is ready for a refill, make sure they get a swig of jet fuel (Raspberry-Cranberry Lemonade) to keep their motors running and wheels spinning. Cut out gear- and bolt-shaped tags with creative labels and paste them onto bright paper with fun designs.

Play robot games

Robot relay Give each child a windup robot and let them race the toys against one another on the floor. Use masking tape to mark the start and finish lines.

Robot freeze dance   Have kids dance like Mr. Roboto until the music stops – then they freeze. Whoever keeps dancing after the music has paused is out until only the winner remains.

Robot Says   It’s every kid’s favourite game, but with a twist. Instead of saying “Simon Says” before every command, turn on a flashlight. Kids should only obey the robot commands when the flashlight is turned on.

Make a robot craft

Cut out one paper robot shape for each child at the party. Let them decorate it with foam, felt scraps, googly eyes and glitter. Attach to a paper lunch bag and then show them to a “help yourself” station with loot like a windup robot, a robot-shaped cookie cutter with recipe attached and a snack bag of the “nuts and bolts” party mix.

Make a robot costume for the birthday boy or girl with our easy step-by-step instructions>