ALLEZ, ALLEZ, ALLEZ!!
My 8yo boy loves riding his bike and is cycling mad (highly encouraged by his Father!). So when it came time for his birthday party we held a Le Tour de France party for him. We gathered a 30 strong peloton that included his mates and their parents and headed off on a Stage.
How it worked
Near to where we live is a 2.7km bridge called the Ted Smout Bridge. The bridge crosses over Bramble Bay and has separate vehicle and pedestrian sections so it is really safe for pedestrians and cyclists. We started off from a park at one end and rode across to the other where refreshments were waiting for the riders. We had the Grandparents set up at the other end with an icy-poles and drinks station. The peloton then headed back to the starting point where we had the birthday cake and more food.
All up they ended up riding about 10kms. Unfortunately on the day it was very windy so this was a big effort for most!
Invitations
On the invitations we strongly encouraged a parent to accompany their child on the bike ride. The parents were a great help especially for added safety on the path, melt-downs and punctures.
Decorations
For decorations we had everything yellow, green and red and white spots. We had bunting strung up between some trees and the tablecloth was red & white spots. We also printed out some very simple labels and personalised their water bottles for them – as below.
Bunting
Cake
The cake was in the shape of a cycling jersey and was iced in the theme colours of the famous jerseys of Le Tour – yellow, green and white with red spots. We used jaffas to form the spotted jersey section.
Party Bags
Instead of traditional party bags we ordered some Le Tour water bottles from eBay and gave each guest one of these at the end of the party. These were both a practical and memorable gift for each of the riders in the Peloton!
Conclusion
All in all, it was a really fun party. It kept everyone active and involved and the 30 strong peloton really was an impressive sight as they rode off. The party was very inclusive and our peloton was made up of a mix of boys, girls, brothers, sisters, parents, uncles and cousins and they all came back from the ride feeling exhausted and ready for cake!
The parent involvement was a bonus as they were able to help their child in the unfortunate event of a fall or bike problem. My husband also carried some basic bike repair items with him.
A halfway point provides a good break for them before they ride back. Depending on the age of your child, you could make the stage longer or shorter.
The boys felt very much a part of the party and there was even a bit of argy-bargy at the end as a few of them sprinted for the Stage win!
