Garbage Man Birthday

That's cute. My 2 yr old boy loves that darn garbage truck too. I searched some things and found this site that could be of some help.

http://site.pinkpeppermintpaper.com/blog/tag/garbage-truc...

You can do a trash pick up relay game. Have a small trash can filled with "trash" (crumpled newspaper, or whatever). Have kids take each piece of trash one by one to another empty trash can across the room (or yard, wherever you'll be). You can do individuals or teams.

Do a recycling sorting game. Have emplty plastics, papers (probably not glass!) and have them sort it. You can also do this as a relay game.

Trash painting. Take things that you might normally consider trash (bubble wrap, plastic cups, TP rolls, etc, be creative). Use those in place of brushes to paint.

Also, if you can find garbage trucks (like hot wheels), use those to paint. Roll the tires in paint, then drive it on the paper.

That's all I can think of at the moment, my LO just woke up. Have fun!

This just reminds me that my dad told me when he was a kid he wanted to be a garbage man:)

You can make little garbage can puppets. Or you can get old things like milk cartons, soup cans, paper towel rolls and set our glue, glitter, stickers and pipe cleaners and such they they can create little recycled toys from the garbage.

For decor, do like silver, and green streamers and balloons. Make party poms and flowers out of newspapers and hang them around:
http://imperfectlybeautifulms.blogspot.com/2009/07/how-to...

Here are some really cute ideas here for a garbage man recycle party:
http://www.partypop.com/forums/birthdays/m154847.htm

The invitations can be on cutout cereal boxes, write on the brown side and cut them out really cute into a garbage can shape, or just a rectangle and then decorate it with a glued on silver sequins for trash can lids or something.

For games you can do the old fashioned pin the tail open the donkey with a twist. Draw a garbage can on posterboard. Give each child a piece of recycleable 'garbage' like drawings of things like banana peels... or even just a piece of junk mail. Put tape on them and play the game so the children have to get the mail in the can.

You can get a small trash can and balls of newspaper, and they stand behind the line and throw the paper in the basket.

You can have a race, where kids are put into two teams, and give them a pile of 'clean' garbage. they sort them in piles of what is trash and what can be recycled. Whoever finishes first and sorts correctly wins the race.

This sounds really cute, it's giving me ideas for my sons' birthday!

some trash can clipart you can use:
http://www.google.com/images?hl=en&q=trash+can+clipar...

Awww...my son is almost 5 and still runs out each week to wave at the garbage man. In fact, last year he was a garbage man for Halloween. We covered his wagon with a truck I created from a large box and that's where he collected the candy.

As far as decor. I'd probably go with a green and orange color theme. Maybe get some of those little small plastic garbage cans to hold balloons or snacks. My son wants a Ghostbuster party this year and I have printed some pictured out on cardstock and cut them out. I plan on taping the picks to mylar balloons, I imagine you could do something similar with garbage trucks.

As far as games. How about pin the trash can on the truck or trash bag on the garbage man or something like that. Last year I blew up picks on my computer to poster size. printed out and taped the papers together and then taped them to foam poster board. I traced pressing down hard with a pencil. Then I traced over imprint left on the foam with a sharpie. Then I painted it, coloring it with marker would have also worked. This way I had the pics I needed for my game. I did the same trick for additional decorations last year.

Some sort of relay may be fun. Have them stuff trash bags with news paper. Or fill a plastic trash can...just think light and small since they are so little. Or even a relay where they dress like a garbage man - hat, gloves, safety vest and trash bag. A pinata is always fun. Maybe you could find a dump truck...that would be relatively close to your theme. A scavenger hunt would be fun too. Have them work as a team. Give them the first clue that leads them to the next clue. When they find the clue they bring it to you. Keep doing this until they get to their prize or goody bag.

If you want a video to show towards the end. Mighty machines has one all about garbage trucks...I have seen it so many times, I could probably narrate it for you. :) (It's on the same episode with the firetrucks). We rented our copy from Netflx.

It sounds like a fun a party!

Oscar the grouch from Sesame Street?

If you do a Google Search on "garbage man theme birthday party" lots of ideas will come up.

How about
1. have them decorate gift bags like trash cans (provide them with a plain bag, along with markers, crayons, stickers, paper to glue on, sticks of glue) and then have a
2. scavenger hunt! Take a picture of where the 'garbage' is...print it out and cut it up into 3-4 pieces. They have to assemble the 'puzzle' together...and then go to that point. Once they find the spot (outdoors - could be playset, a tree, a bush...inside could be the dryer, the bathtub, a toy) they will find both a toy for the garbage bag....and a clue for the next hiding place.
3. you could also have them decorate a garbage man hat!
4. the cake will have have vanilla icing with crumbled up oreos on it...along with gummi worms. Then it will look like a trash heap?
hth!

Hi Lisa, here's a few I thought of off the top of my head...

Garbage toss - you can use a small garbage can and have the kids use crumbled up newspaper and toss it into the can (or use the wrapping paper from opened gifts) - just toss it all over the floor and have them gather it up.

"Garbage bag" sack race - get some pillow cases and have them do the old fashioned potato sack races.

Garbage can basket ball - instead of a net, use a small garbage can or bucket and they can play basket ball.

Garbage arts and crafts - get a bunch of mixed up roughage (old buttons, noodles, rolled up paper (like the size of spit balls) - anything safe for them to on paper and have them use child safe craft glue to make art on paper. Cut open and spread out a few garbage bags on the floor and have them do their art on top (easy clean up too). Give a prize for best art creation by age group.
There's quite a few arts and crafts things you can do - just imagine using recyclable items.

As for decor that's a tough one - maybe check dollar plus stores for cheap garbage cans and decorate them with ribbons and balloons? Does he have any garbage truck toys? Make a centerpiece out of it and put balloons on it. As prizes go to the dollar store and see if they have any cars that look like garbage trucks maybe? Or see if they have them at any of the other stores from Matchbox.

I would also suggest for fun in the invite letting people know the theme and to dress accordingly - such as roughed up clothing or overalls - as they may get a bit messy during art activity. Good luck and hope it helps!

you could contact Waste Management (or whatever company you have). I know in our area they do tours and they give out stuff.
For games and activities - look up recycling preschool themes and you'll find a lot.

We played a game at my daughters 3rd birthday party where I blew up one of those long skinny balloons for each child and then had a lot of small round balloons blown up and the kids had to try to use the long balloons to knock the small balloons into a decorated box (on its side). Maybe you could do this with black balloons that they try to knock into the trash can, like knocking trash bags into the trash can? The kids had a ball when we played the game.

Good Luck,
D.

Wow, that sounds exactly like my son! If we sleep in and miss the garbage man, the rest of the day is ruined!!!

Our garbage company is Waste Management, and my inlaws were able to find a tonka-sized truck just like the real thing, my son LOVES it. Also our garbage man gave him a hat just like the one he wears. If you call the company maybe they can help you out with something like that.

I've also found Hotwheels & Matchbox garbage trucks, you could have a cake decorated like your street and put the little garbage truck driving down the road!

Good luck - he's going to love it.

How funny is that! What a great theme for a boy too!

For games:
Pin the trash can on the garbage truck. You'll have to use poster board and draw your own truck then use cardboard to make mini trash cans. Use tickytacky to make them stick or double sided tape.

Recycling sorting game. Get three waste baskets and have the kids sort paper, plastic and aluminum. You can have teams. Which ever team finishes the quickest wins a prize. You will have to save these items before the party in large amounts so they can play.

Trash can toss. Like bozo buckets. Use crunched up balls of paper and throw them into mini waste baskets. Get a small prize for each basket they make.

Clothes pin drop. You can use the traditional game pieces but put pictures of trash (magazine cut outs, etc) in the clothes pins.

For decor- I would "string" garbage (like cleaned out pop cans or cups from fast food places) on rope. You can poke holes through them, string them and tie them from one side of the room to the other. Also cray paper (sp?) in grey, green, brown, etc all strung up and kind of mishmosh looking would be cute. If you can make more than one garbage truck picture (or copy the one I mentioned earlier) you could hand those around the room on the walls too.

Good luck!

Some ideas: Use small metal garbage cans for buckets, put numbers on them and use ping pong balls to throw in them (like Bozo's grand prize game). Make a large poster of a garbage man character and anchor it on a solid surface so that it can stand upright and make the mouth big so you can cut it out and have the kids throw crumpled paper (garbage) through the mouth hole for prizes. Have the kids do sack races in garbage bags. Hope this helps. Maybe you can check out Oscar the Grouch themed games from Sesame Street as he lives in a garbage can?

Was observing our local garbage collectors waiting for the school bus this morning and thinking of ideas for you, as I think you can get really creative with this! Many of the ideas I had are mentioned in one form or another below. But have you considered asking the garbage man to come to the party with the truck (much like they have those events with firemen showing off their trucks). Of course he might not be able to do this per union rules or contracting, but at least he might be really flattered that your son is so into the garbage man, its gotta be a supremely thankless job!

2 other ideas - the garbage collectors always wear work gloves. Some of your games could invovle wearing gloves for added challenge. Another thing is you gotta do something with the "beep-beep" backing up sounds the trucks make in reverse!!

So fun!

If you have a toy dump truck that the kids can push or pull, maybe see who can pick up a couple of cans or something the fastest into the truck. Sack or three legged race with garbage bags. Sounds like a special bond your little boy has with the garbage man, which is really nice! Too bad he can't bring the truck and give the kids rides in the front for the party. Here are a couple of websites that might have some helpful ideas from other parents doing the same thing.

http://www.birthdaypartyideas.com/html/miscellaneous_part...

http://www.partypop.com/forums/birthdays/m154847.htm

Do a trash-to-treasure craft. Give the kids a bunch of recyclables and stickers and have them make a work of art out of the stuff.

You can also do trash-to-treasure stuff for decorations. TP your house! lol!

Good luck! Make sure the garbage man knows how much your kid loves him!

Could it be that he just likes the big truck the man drives, or that the man actually takes the time to talk to him. Not a lot of adults outside of family take the time to talk to little ones. I would decorate with pictures of big trucks. You probably won't be able to find plates with big truck so just chose a color, blue, red, green. Do traffic lights and signs since trucks have to stop for the light or sign. You may not be able to find a garbage truck toy but they do have dump truck toys I believe. Play the old school game red light green light and have the children pretend they are trucks. You can print out pictures of truck on your computer and enlarge them before you print so they are big enough. Hope this helps.