There doesn’t seem to be much out on the web for Track and Field. I tried to search for some party favors to incorporate as inspiration and found nothing. I have come up with a few ideas. I hope they help and forgive me if I am way off “track” on these… (hee hee)
1. Silhouette Arrangements. Using Terra Cotta pots (1 per table), fill each with dirt and a patch of grass (this is your field). Next, adhere strips of high grade sand paper to a white strip of paper (1 per pot) (you can also print off track pictures using Google images or just paint them onto each pot)-this is your track. Attach each track to the outside of each pot. Then, print out pictures of track and field athletes, cut them out, and then trace their outline onto black card stock to make silhouettes. Adhere a thin piece of wire (used for making wreaths) onto each so that they stand in each pot. To complete each silhouette, adhere a picture of each child’s face that is attending the event. Hopefully you can get parents to accommodate you by giving you a pic. If not, the other option would be to print the athletes on white card stock and let each child use colored pencils to draw in themselves. This would give them something to do during any transition time.
2. Gift Boxes. Using small green boxes (found at Michael’s-you could also wrap a cardboard box of any color with green paper or paint them), line each with some tissue paper. Fill with items that track and field athletes would use during meets-bottle of Gatorade, Power Bar, sweatband, you could even put in a gold medal (found through Oriental Trading Company). For the outside of the box, cut strips of high grade sand paper, adhere to a white strip of paper and then attach to the box to form a track for the field (green box). Cluster boxes in center of tables and allow each child to take one home at the end of the party.
3. Running Shoes. That’s right. I am suggesting you use a running shoe for a centerpiece. I am only suggesting it if it is BRAND NEW! For each table, use one shoe and tie a cluster of balloons to it. On each balloon, adhere images of track and field athletes. Using large silhouettes of the athletes would also look pretty cool (in my opinion)-like the ones in example 1. This centerpiece could also be functional. You could fill each shoe with a different type of candy. Have the kids write down a guess of how much candy they think their table’s shoe has in it. Each table winner could take home all the candy in a goody bag. You could also extend this idea by mixing up the items-one table could have the shoe, another could have some batons (could be made using PVC pipe from Home Depot) filled with candy and standing in a party-friendly vase, another could have a Gatorade bottle filled with candy and a sweatband wrapped around it for added “themery”.
I hope I have given you something to go on. I would love to know/see how the party turns out! Please let me know if you (and your party) would like to be featured on Mommyship.