Why a Derby Race Makes a Great Birthday Party

Getting kids away from their screens and into their creativity is no easy feat. Rallying everyone together in the spirit of racing guarantees hours of entertainment as your party guests build, decorate, and test their creations in head-to-head heats. The theme of a kids derby car party puts STEM skills to great use and revs the imagination from start to finish. And regardless of the awards given at the end, everyone will come away from the experience feeling proud of the hard work that went into their creation.

Derby Cars for Kids: Brick Derby™ or Pinewood Derby?

As you start planning your derby birthday party, you may wonder which of the two racing types is the best fit between Brick Derby™ and Pinewood Derby.

A Brick Derby™ birthday party is a great option for all ages. It’s easy to build a car from bricks you likely already have or you can easily acquire, and there’s no need for potentially dangerous tools like saws and sanders. All you need is our chassis and weights bulk pack as the base, some imagination, and a will to win!

A Pinewood Derby-style birthday party is better suited for kids aged 8 and up. They’ll get their creative gears turning as they figure out how to turn a block of pine wood into a first-place racer. Some tools, a little engineering, and creative spirit are needed for this style of racing, and our bulk pack is the perfect place to start.

Party Checklist: Everything You Need

Reference this checklist anytime to keep your party plans on the right track!

• Derby party packs, based on the finalized headcount with minimum 1-2 spares
• Racing track, either built, purchased, or borrowed
• Workspace tables
• Building bricks for Brick Derby™; saws, chisels, sandpaper, pencils, and paint for Pinewood Derby
• PRO Tip: 1 pound of building bricks can be used for 3 to 4 Brick Derby™ cars for kids
• Stopwatch or other timekeeper
• Clipboard and paper / white board for keeping track of each race
• Prizes and decorations; optional photo backdrop
• Food and beverages

Designating Roles

Help is essential when putting together a kids derby car party. We recommend soliciting the help of a few other adults for the following roles to ensure race day goes smoothly:

• Pit Boss: runs the build tables and the pit check
• Track Boss: stages each heat and releases the cars
• Announcer: calls the heats, keeps score, and hands out awards

When to Skip Scoring

If you want the focus of the party to be more on fun and less on competition, forgo scoring the races. Let the kids build their cars, check that every car is under 4 inches tall, and race until the kids are done. Every car can receive a ribbon, and one adult can run the whole operation. For Brick Derby™ races, the crashes at the bottom of the track are half the fun!

Party Timeline: Building, Racing, and Awards

For both Brick Derby™ and Pinewood Derby-style parties, the timeline is essentially the same:

Timeline: Before the Party

3-4 weeks: Send out invitations; decide on judging and prize criteria; secure track if borrowing

2 weeks: Order derby party packs based on headcount, plus any building materials, decorations, and prizes; secure track if purchasing; designate roles (Pit Boss, Track Boss, Announcer) for other adults in attendance

Pinewood Pro ships same-day on all orders placed before 1pm ET!

1 week: Secure food order and pickup details; distribute Pinewood Derby-style racing kits if they’re to be built at home ahead of the party

1-2 days prior: Begin setting up track, work stations, and decorations

Timeline: Day of the Party

This timeline assumes a 1:00pm start time. Adjust the itinerary to fit your circumstances!

Pre-1pm: Complete setting up the track, work stations, and decorations. We recommend having a long workstation with building bricks or tools (if building at the party) ready to go.

1:00: Pit opens. Snacks out. Every racer picks / receives a chassis, a car number, and a bit of guidance on placing the Zinc Brick Weights at the back of the car.

1:10: Build time. More info on this below! 30 minutes, or however long you deem fit.

1:40: Pit check. Make sure every car is under 4 inches tall, as taller cars can hit the timer gate. Early finishers are encouraged to take a few test runs.

1:50: Drivers' meeting. Allot five minutes to explain how the racing works, then deliver the racer's pledge: "I built it, I'll race it, and I'll cheer for every car.”

1:55: Racing! Each car runs once in every lane, so no one gets stuck in a slow lane. Figure about 2 minutes per heat: 20 racers on a 4-lane track is 20 heats (about 40 minutes), and 10 racers is about 20 minutes.

2:35: Awards. Fastest car (1st, 2nd, and 3rd), plus a few just-for-fun awards. Suggestions are listed below.

2:45: Open track. Unlimited runs until the party wraps. Cars go home with their builders.

When It’s Time to Build

Brick Derby™: As the kids arrive, we recommend having a long workstation with building bricks ready to go. Each child should receive a chassis and a bit of guidance on adding the Zinc Brick Weights to the back of the car. They’ll spend 30 minutes, or however long you designate, building a car, and then the racing begins! It’s low stakes, easy to get off the ground, and kids will lead the way with just a bit of adult supervision.

Pinewood Derby: As the kids arrive, we recommend having a long table with pre-cut cars, wheels, axles, and tools at the ready. Alternatively, car kits can be distributed ahead of time for parents and kids to build and decorate at home. We’ve factored that option into the timeline above. Adults can guide each child through designing, shaping, and decorating the car if assembly is done at the party. Once the cars are complete, the races can begin! It’s more competitive and collaborative with adult guidance and supervision.

Racing

Everything led up to this: the race itself! Divide your racers into heats. Then, for Brick Derby™ racing, have each racer hold their car at the top of the track. At your mark, racers will let go of their cars and watch them fly down to the finish line. For Pinewood Derby-style racing, the Track Boss stages and releases each heat. Be sure to designate help with time and score keeping!

Awards

Once all the races are finished, it’s time to award prizes. We recommend categories such as:

• Most Unique Car
• Fastest on the Track
• Most Collaborative Racer
• Best in Show

And much like the car designs themselves, you can be as creative as you’d like with the prize categories!