Oceanic Birthday Party Ideas for Kids

An oceanic expedition theme falls along the lines of a water-themed party but has a more specific direction. If you are interested, here are some resources and ideas:

Check out these Ocean Adventure party supplies at Birthday in a Box. They’ll pull your theme together.

If you are on a budget, don’t be afraid to mix and match tableware. For example, use an oceanic-themed plate with solid (and often less expensive) cups or cake plates.

An idea for an ocean invitation is to cut a piece of blue cardboard to fit inside a snack-sized Ziploc bag. On the front of the cardboard, write, “Under the sea is the place to be … ocean currents, fish galore, an adventure is sure to be found, come and see, and together we’ll celebrate ___ turning ONE under the sea!” On the back, provide the party details. In each bag, place a little bit of sand, small shells, etc. Seal the bags up and place them in blue and green envelopes.

For oceanic decorations:

Tape green and blue streamers of varying lengths to the ceiling to create the appearance of water. The kids will feel like they’re swimming through the ocean when they arrive. Choose balloons, streamers, and tableware in oceanic colors — definitely use blue for water, but then mix it up with an array of appealing colors that resemble favorite fish, etc.

Make a jellyfish out of paper plates and hang streamers as its tentacles.

Play ocean/beach music.

For oceanic activities:

Make your own little oceans with baby food jars. Place sand, water, sea beads, little shells, and blue food coloring in the jars. Secure tops using a hot glue gun.

Bury treasures in little sand pails or in a sand box for the kids to dig for.

Let the children wade in a kiddie pool together.

Play Go Fish using a small fishing pole with a magnet on the end. Have a contest to see how many fish can be picked up in thirty seconds.

For oceanic party food:
Jell-O ocean fish: make blueberry Jell-O Jigglers and cut them into fish shapes.
Peanut butter & jelly-fish sandwiches
Fish sticks
Fish shaped sandwiches
Pasta shells
Goldfish crackers
Gummy fish and sharks
Fishing poles: Attach a licorice rope to the end of a long, thin pretzel stick, and put a gummy fish on the end. Kids can make and eat these as an activity.
Make little ocean sundaes using chocolate ice cream as the sea bottom, whipped cream with blue food coloring as the water, and sprinkles and gummies for the sea life.

Serve blue Kool-Aid — it looks like ocean water! Freeze gummy fish in ice cubes as an additional decoration.

Add “seaweed dust” (Pop Rocks candy) to the blue Kool-Aid to make it fizzle and foam.

Put together a fun favor box for the kids to take home too. Celebrate Express has a cute one.