For my sons second birthday we decided to go with a sports theme.  My husband designed the invitations by making them look like a football superbowl ticket.  Where the information for the game date and time was we put the party date and time (eg.  "John Smith" Bowl, Saturday July 2, 2005 Kick off 2:00 pm at "Smith" Stadium)  With the tickets we sent a "parking pass" this included any additional information such as for the kids to wear their favourite team colours as well as for the parents to remember sunscreen and a bathing suit. When the children arrived we had them go right into the back yard where we had a swimming pool set up a bouncy castle and a carft table.  The carft was a "door hanger that each child could make with sports themed "fun foam" that was peel and stick so there was very little clean up. As the guests arrived we already had the food in place. We rented a hot dog cooker similar to wht you would see at a Stadium.  We also had pre made individual size bags of popcorn and nachos with chees in football shaped bowls.  Then we served the usual pop juice, water and beer for beverages. The kids had a blast playing in the different areas of the yard.  The bouncy castle was the big hit. After we opened presents, we did cake which I made.  Because we had 50 some odd people including kids I had to make 2. One was a Buffalo Bills jersey with the #2 on it for his bday, the other a football. These were a big hit, well worth the half a day it took me to make.  For loot bags I used sport themed cello bags, and each girl got a pair of pom poms, a bouncy ball (basebal, or basketball) wrist bands and sport pencil.  Each boy got a megaphone and a whistle, bouncy ball and of course everyone got to take home their door hangers that they made. All in all everyone, we had alot of fun especially my son, and that was the most important.