Any creative party ideas?

I'm planning a birthday party for my son who turns 3 in a few weeks. I caught his dad having an affair a few weeks after his 2nd birthday last year and his little world pretty much fell apart and it's been a tough year so I kind of want to make this a special birthday and I guess a bit of a survivor party as well cause we made it through this year without his dad around any more.

He's obsessed with cars, wheels, monster trucks, tractors, pretty much anything with an engine. So I've got a professional cake decorator making a "Wheel cake" and cake pops and I've got a few wheel/car decorations, including a monster truck pinata. I'm thinking I'll make some car shaped snacks too.

I'm guessing that we've all attended a few parties for little boys that like cars. So any ideas, preferably not too expensive and more D.I.Y. cause I'm spending my budget on a pro cake (so worth it as I've seen her cakes at many parties I've painted at). So any ideas for cools snacks, games, activities (ages from 2 till maybe 6 or 7)

I would welcome suggestions and ideas to give my little guy his best day ever!

Hire a face painter!

Oh wait...

Gotta love Pinterest for birthday party ideas:
http://workmanfamily.typepad.com/our_life/2011/04/greys-2nd-birthday-part-1.html
http://www.kidspot.com.au/best-recipes/Chocolate+34/Tiny-Teddy-cars-recipe+3772.htm
http://media-cache-ec2.pinterest.com/upload/239746380133422959_cUIjHbPo.jpg

You rock Janna. How cool are the tiny teddy cars!!!

Riana; Take a moment to feel proud of yourself! Let this be the last time you ever think of yourself as a survivor...

Survivor? - HA - girl, you are a triumphant powerhouse, a rock star mom, a one woman show, an amazing talent, a ... well, YOU fill in the blanks from now on.

NO ONE and I mean NO ONE knows what it takes to be a single parent unless you are one yourself.

And no one appreciates it more than the children who are raised by a single parent.

Best wishes going your way from a long standing member of the club

Well said Miss Ronnie..Well Said..

Riana, don't ever look back, just forge ahead with your wonderful little guy and you will be amazed at the rewards that await you both! Happy birthday to the little man.

Do you happen to know anyone who works in construction? If so, ask them if they can drive over one of their big machines.

A friend of mine had an acquaintance come by with a bulldozer and a bobcat for her boy's birthday. The kids got to sit in the cab and I think they even got to raise and lower whatever the heck you call the scooper thing on the bulldozer. They couldn't drive around due to liability, but she said the kids just loved being up close and personal with it.

Good for you for standing strong and being there for your son. Best wishes for an awesome birthday party.

I'm so sorry you've had a bad year. I got rid of my husband for the same reason. Miss Ronnie is right, you rock and don't forget it. I think the idea of having a real macine would be cool, even if it's just a friend's fancy car.

Make this a day you enjoy as well. After all your son is only 3 and likely won't remember any of it in a few years, but you will. (I got kidnapped by an Apache woman when I was 3...you'd think I'd remember THAT, but I don't lol!

Kids are resilient. He'll flourish with your love, and you with his.
What a great mom to follow through on providing him with the best, and saying no to being treated poorly.

My dad is a brilliant true psycopath and master manipulator. I only finally broke contact with him when I was 22. Until then I just kept tryin' (and cryin')! Kids can rise above a lot and sometimes it just makes us better people.

What about your local fire hall? Do you know anyone who knows anyone in the firehall? Often they will allow kids to come through and sit in the trucks, especially if you know someone. Or the police station... Or in construction too... That would be the best!

Our past parties (though I have a girl, not much help for most ideas) have been really fun with a treasure hunt. There are programs that let you customize your clues with riddles, making them simple clues to really tough or outright directions (fill in the blanks type), as well as print a map. If there are older kids or cousins coming too, they can help. For 3, you might make a sandbox and let them dig for buried cars to keep. Depending on space and logistics, you could create a dirt track full of hills and road signs in the yard to play cars on. Or tape roads down if you have hardwood or tile floors.
If all he wants to do is play cars, think of ways he can spend his party doing that with all of his friends.
And what about dollar store wooden cars they can colour and keep? You can pre-assemble if needed and they can use felts, or paint, depending on what your level of comfort is. Or if they're too young (it's been a while since mine was 3, I forget), then you could colour them yourself and just make it part of their take home gift.
I think at 3, it doesn't take much to be overwhelmingly happy. Cake, friends, playing... Add in a movie and presents, and WHOA! Bliss!

Have fun!
And congratulations.

Here's a couple more pinterest boards for monster truck ideas.
http://pinterest.com/cutiepatootie/monster-truck-party/
http://pinterest.com/charerickson/monster-truck-party/
http://pinterest.com/rachelp1408/jameson-s-monster-truck-party/