For my daughter's 6th birthday, I did an "Amazing Race" party. I built the idea for the party around the show on CBS "The Amazing Race".  I sent letters to 5 of my neighbors that live on my street about 3 weeks before the party asking them if they would participate in my daughter's birthday party. After all 5 agreed, I then sent out the invitations to the children. I went to a car rental agency and told them I was having a party, and would they part with 20 of their in town maps that are given to customers when they rent a car.  I went to Specialtybottle.com and ordered their "message in a bottle" bottles with the bags. I cut the maps into 2x6 inch strips.  I typed the invitation on the computer, cut it out and glued the invitation to the strip of map that I had cut out. I rolled the invitation up and put it in the bottle.  If you watch the show, you know that there are 2-person teams that travel all over the world. The 5 different neighbors on my street represented 5 different countries.  Three of the houses were given a list of 5 questions. The other two houses were given a party game to play.  As the children arrived I had put signs up saying, "Apple Airlines - We Core For You", To All Gates, Terminal A-6, Gate R, Baggage Claim Area (this is where the presents went)etc. As the guests came in the front door, I told them to just follow the signs as you would in an airport.   I had divided the children up into 5 different groups, each a different color. Each team had an adult team leader.  The teams were identified by colored leis.  The pink team all had pink leis, the yellow team yellow, etc.  I welcomed all of our "travelers" and explained that they were about to set out on a wonderful adventure. To take the competitiveness out of it I explained that even though the party was a "race" it didn't matter how fast you finished the race, the object was to complete the race. Each team was given a beginning envelope.  When I said go, their team leader opened the envelope and it told them that their journey would be starting in a certain country.  I said that this country was located at...then gave one of my neighbors addresses.  Each team was sent to a different country, so that 5 teams were all going to 5 different places.  Every team went to each of the 5 countries. There were 5 teams all on different tracks. When the teams arrived at the country they were to ring the doorbell and my neighbor answered. They were read a question. Upon answering the question correctly, they were given an envelope which contained the name of the next country they were to travel.  To break up the routine, there were two houses (countries) that the children had to complete a physical task in order to get their next envelope.  One country they had to do the egg carry, and the other country they had to fill a bucket of water with a cup, each child taking a turn.  I had given each neighbor a large envelope with 5 different color coded envelopes inside.  The neighbor knew what team got what color envelope because the teams were identified by a different color.   Obviously you had to have an adult team leader to help navigate the course and also to help the kids cross the street. It was so much fun to see all of these kids wandering up and down our street with a mission at hand.    As the teams arrived back to our home (our home was the U.S.A. - the last letter the teams received from the last country they visited said "Congratulations, you have completed your journey. You may return home to the good ol' U.S.A.) I had the parents line our sidewalk and make a victory tunnel (you've done it at soccer and T-ball games) and we cheered the teams as they came home. We then had a medal ceremony and each child had their name called, and was given a medal. The treat bag they took home contained a souvenir from each country ie.: Germany - a bag of pretzels; China - a fortune cookie; France - a mini piece of cheese; Switzerland - a chocolate bar; and Mexico - four pkgs. of Canel's gum (Chicklets). I also found globe key chains at the party store.  The kids had a blast and I think they also learned at they went. The hardest part of the party was arranging 5 different teams to be on 5 different journeys.  It took a lot of organization, but it was well worth the time and energy.