Amazing Race -13yr- Brains or Brawn

Since our family is the biggest fans of Reality T.V. I had my son An Amazing Race Birthday Party for his 13th birthday. Two weeks before the party I sent out invitations to not only the children but their whole family!

I made the invites on the computer made in the form of a brochure, on the front it had the Amazing Race logo and said  "The Smith Family" (Last name of family) on top and on the bottom "Does your family have what it takes?" on the inside I put please join us as we race to the finish to celebrate Cody's 13th birthday. I also put where the race would begin (I started my race at a friends house about 10 miles from mine where the race would end!)and a time when they would receive their first clue.  I also reminded them not to be late or they would be the last team to depart...on the back page I put in some rules about the race.

1. Be safe always wear your seatbelt

2. No speeding ,you are responsible for your own tickets.

3. All team members except the driver must particiapate in all roadblocks and detours.

4. You must have all your clues when you get to the finish

5. All team members including the driver must be on the mat at the finish line first in order to win.

My friend made some clue boxes to put out on the route and other family members were there to make sure no one took them before the teams arrived! I typed each clue and made up a riddle to send the teams on their journey..The first clue had them racing to a park where the clue box was hidden on a hiking trail. there they found the clue box and next clue which had them go to the local wal-mart and pick up a 2 liter bottle of sam's cola (I put a dollar in ea clue and used the drinks for the party)

Once they got the soda they had to find my car in the parking lot, give me the soda and get their next clue which had them racing to a local church parking lot where they had their first detour! Brains or Brawn..the teams had to decide once there if they wanted to use their (brains) which was to work a 20 word search puzzle about the birthday boy or (braun) carry 3 cement block around the parking lot and back in a tub.

After they finished their task they chose they received their next clue which sent them 5 miles to a small town to find the gazeebo and their next clue, once there their clue had them go to another park in this town where they had their roadblock.  Here one adult team member had to race the other team members across the field to a finish line wheelbarrow style until everyone was at the finish line then they received their next clue which sent them to a convenient store (I asked in advance if the cashier could help me) where they had to buy a small banana laffy taffy and ask the cashier for the clue.

The clue then sent them to our neighborhood and a friends house which was four houses up the street from us. There they had to search the yard for a plastic egg and bring it to the person by the clue box and get their last clue, Which said for the whole team to come by foot to the birthday boys house and be the first to arrive and claim the prize!!! I had the yard decorated and made a mat out of a tarp and put up little flags on each corner and had the birthday boy there to greet the teams as they arrived..

Once all the teams got here we took pictures of each team on the mat..gave the winning team their prize (which was a $25.00 gift card from McDonalds, had Pizza, cake and Ice cream and then opened gift..This was truly an amazing party and everyone is still talking about it young and old alike!!!