Drive-In Movie Birthday Party DIY Tutorial

This year my daughter wanted a sleep over but I didn't think her friends could handle it.  We compromised with a sleep under - drive-in movie style.  I've seen the idea around and her darling auntie threw a very similar sleepover a couple of years ago.  This was actually one of the cheapest parties I've ever thrown and could easy go boy/girl or combo.

I made 12 cars from medium storage/shipping boxes.  These were just big enough for these second graders.  For older kids, I would get the large boxes.  You could always get freebies from the grocery store.  Three sides are folded down into the box.  The third side is taped up for the snack tray.  I used a craft knife to cut out a spot for the drink cups and the popcorn boxes.  Then I got wrapping paper from the dollar store, cut each roll in half and wrapped the boxes.  The wheels are black paper plates.  I also put a glow necklace and bracelet in the back of each car like an antenna.   Honestly, I hate cutting so I wish I had just spray painted the cars or left them brown, but they did look really cute this way.   

No movie would be complete without a concession stand.  We just had loads of candy and popcorn.  The decorations are poster board and white duct tape with bunches of balloons.  I also made two giant versions for the front porch by taping together 2 poster boards into huge popcorn buckets.  They looked a lot cuter in person than in the photo. We also had pizza and lemonade, plus cake pops.  The girls sat through the entire movie while I sat in the back of the room with a couple of other adults and drank a glass of wine and watched the movie.  I had stickers for the girls to decorate their cars with when they first arrived.  That kept them busy while everyone was getting to the party.  I wanted to print our license plates with their names for the backs of the cars but I ran out of time.  

All in all I'd say the party cost me about $50.00 for the snacks, pizza, cake, and candy and another $40.00 for the cars and decorations.  Every girl got to take her car home and they were all thrilled with that.

Fast forward to day 2 of the cars.