Sophia’s Ocean Themed Birthday Party

Around here, we love a good party.  Birthdays are celebrated right here at our home and enjoyed by as many friends and family as our kids want to include.  We just like people and don’t mind entertaining. Also, we love to throw a good party and DIY it.  Not only does it save money, but the preparation makes just as many precious memories as the party.

Sophia absolutely loved it…and the yummy brownie.

This year as we were strolling along the beach we stopped strolling when we saw something sticking out of the tide as it rolled out.  It looked like the top of a large shell to me.  We eagerly started digging and found a giant conch shell!  As the morning progressed we dug up at least 40 huge conch (with nothing left inside except sand of course) and collected them to make a giant palace.  As we were admiring our hard earned shells, Sophia said she wanted a sea-shell treasure hunt at her birthday party.  With that, the ocean theme was born.

With every birthday party for young kids we try to have activities to keep them all busy and we always involve the kids in the planning and execution.  They love having a hand in their parties!  For the ocean theme we decided on simple blue and green ribbons, streamers and balloons for decoration highlighted by our DIY carnival style ocean games.  There is no need to go overboard with decor.  I promise – your kids will love balloons.  You already knew that though, didn’t you?

Here’s the lowdown on how we put together the party!  I will be posting a full DIY on the Octopus, Mermaid and Jellyfish so stay tuned!

The Invitations

We made these clam shell invitations on the computer and printed them out on some excess gold sparkly paper I had from my wedding!  Actually, this was the last of the paper but we have used it for every girl’s birthday party yet!  A little glitter paper and a little sparkle go a LONG way.

The Party Girl

As usual, Sophia wanted to be in costume.  This time she was a mermaid and for the first time in her life, she had the long hair she has been longing for since she was not even two.

Activities

We had a ball with these games…both making and playing them!

Ocean Freeze Dance – We made a huge ocean mix of fab songs like Wipe Out and Teenie Weenie Bikini and all things Nemo and Little Mermaid.  It was the soundtrack for the whole party.

Octopus Toss (Like Bean Bag Toss / Cornhole for kids) – we had fun making this and the kids still play with it every day!

Sea Shell Throw (Like the old Bozo Buckets)

Pin the Shell on the Mermaid – we made this gorgeous mermaid for this game and Sophia will hang it in her room as soon as I build a frame.  It was so simple and cheap and she really is a beauty!

Sea Sketch (Simple ocean outline with a pile of sidewalk chalk for kids to draw ocean creatures)

Jellyfish Pinata

Seashell Flashlight Hunt with Glow Necklaces and Necklace Flashlights – this was a HUGE hit.  We ordered glow necklaces in bulk and let the kids put them together as we waited for the sunset.  Then we handed out tiny necklace flashlights that were $7 for a dozen!  We hid hundreds of clam shells all over the yard and had the kids search for them.  Here is Miles in his necklace.

Food

We fed the kids dinner as the party was at 5:30 p.m.  It was simple: hot dogs, fruit, goldfish and macaroni and cheese.  The kids munched away and were rewarded with the goodies from the Jellyfish pinata and the Mermaid Fin brownie!  Yum!

Party Favors

The kids took home their glow necklace and flashlight as well as a giant conch they got to choose out of a big basket.  We wrote Love, Sophia on the inside with gold paint pen.

Overall the party was a big hit and once again, I am so glad to have not only the memories of Sophia and all her friends at the party, but of all the projects we did together getting ready for her big day!