For my son's 3-year birthday party he selected a Rescue Heroes theme. Because our family is large, the kids ranged from 9 months to 12 years old!After all the guests arrived I "ordered" them to sit in the family room and "listen up". Before they could become a rescue hero, they would have to complete basic training. We began with a short series of calisthenics which had everyone giggling. Next we divided the group (14 kids)into three teams, by age. The teams went through a series of basic training exercises, manned by other parents. They included an obstacle course, putting out a fire (Red and orange balloons attached to a poster of a building), and Search and Rescue practice (all members of the teram took turns hiding while one member searched for them). After each group finished an activity, they were told to assemble on area rug until the next "sargeant" was ready for them. This cut down on wandering.Once everyone had completed each exercise, they were assembled on the rug and given their Rescue Hero kit. This consisted of a shovel and pail filled with a badge, a flashlight,a paper plate, and a fishing pole made out of a dowel with string and a magnet tied on the end. During the ceremony, I received an emergency phone call on my cell phone that a series of disasters were taking place and all new heroes were needed immediately. The teams were dispatched to a cave-in (Blankets on chairs in a dark corner of the basement that had little people scattered inside), a flood (little play animals with paper clips attached in a bath tub filled with water), and a meteor shower (red and orange balloons thrown form the top of a staircase. The sargeants manned each of these stations also. The kids got medals and a goody bag in an awards ceremony after they completed each of the rescues. For the cake we made a fire truck out of a 13x9 cake cut up. For the meal, what else but hero sandwiches!!!