One of the best parties I ever threw was my son's second birthday, it was a construction theme. The adults were just as into it as the kids, and our living room was transformed into a full blown construction site! You may not want to go completely over the top like I did, but if you are feeling bold you will be entered into the history books as a legend among party throwers!

I sent out dump truck invitations that I made out of construction paper. On the invitation I wrote: "Attention Builders - Your skills and services are needed at the construction of Seth's Second Birthday. Please report to the jobsite on _________ at _________. Come dressed in your work clothes, as the foreman will be assigning each of you various projects!"

To prepare my house I put down tarps and drop cloths everywhere! Then I put brown Kraft paper on the walls, set pieces of plywood covered in old sheets on top of coolers to be at appropriate two year old heighth, put yellow caution tape around, got large pieces of packing styrofoam, and wheelbarrows full of dirt in my living room.

I went to a local dollar store and purchased rubber mallets, levels, measuring tapes, and safety goggles. Then I contacted a local lumber yard who provided nail aprons at no charge. I bought some birthday safety helmets and each child received a helmet, tool belt complete with tools, and safety glasses for about five dollars. This was also their take home favor.

For activities I put out paint rollers and paint pans and they painted washable paints on the walls covered with Kraft paper, they hammered golf tees into the styrofoam with their mallets, they mixed playdough "cement", made plaster casts, and I arranged for a friend of mine to come by with a bobcat.

I put chocolate cake in the back of a large toy dump truck and served it with a new garden hand spade. When the party was over it looked more like a demolition site than a construction site, but clean up was very quick and easy thanks to the tarps and the drop cloths! The party did take a great deal of planning, but it was definitely worth it!

For your child's next birthday get inspired, get dirty, and have lots of fun!