Beach party theme for backyard for my two year old in three weeks... I have a small above the ground pool in my back yard which is my "ocean." There will be signs out front leading to the house "Hot sand" "No fishing" "Dogs must be on leash" "lifegaurd on duty" and "Welcome to LISA'S BEACH" just before you enter. there will also be my daughter's chalk board with the temperature and the "surf report" and "watch out for rocks" or something like they really have at the beaches. My husband is making a cardboard lifegaurd stand and we are slapping some white paint we already have in the garage on it.

Decorations are easy to find. I have been at this a while so I found coupons and went to the dollar stores and found lots of cool things like star fish shaped chip bowls, beach pails to serve chips in, tropical fish napkins and plates and hanging fish decorations as well as beach chair, sunglasses, sun, dolphin and shark cut outs. You can buy beach balls REALLY cheap in bulk, so those will be part of the decorations hanging from the ceiling (thread and a tack, it takes a little time but I do it every christmas with snowflakes and plastic balls and it is the most beautiful thing -- thought I would hang beach balls and star fish and what-not...). I will also have some balls scattered about in the yard for play. I also bought a fishing net decoration and little plastic sea life toys (lobsters, crabs, sea horses and starfish) to put in it. These are also LOVED by my kids and they can have them to play with after the party. I even found colorful plastic "ice cubes". They are water filled plastic pieces (fish, palm trees, etc.) that you freeze and can put in the drinks or float in the punch bowl (saw a conch shell shaped punch bowl I may go back and get at the party supply store...) that are also re-useable.

I already have a fisher price plastic castle in my back yard. One that the kids can climb in, on and around. I am going to put it in a pile of sand and officially make it a "sand castle". I just thought that one up today... I will also have, aside from the pool, a slip 'n slide for more water play. Also an inflatable dolphin ring toss game (you can find those all over, also have a cute octopus version but I was being cheap as I could). Also I am borrowing a sand box from a friend and I bought some real sea shells (dollar store!) and real star fish (dried, of course! Oriental Trading Company -- they have great stuff!) to put in the sand. The kids will all get a chance to dig for the buried treaures in there -- OOOH! New idea! I can put some plastic jewels and plastic coins in the sand, too!

I bought a fish pinata and will make a pin the mask on the snorkeler or some sort of beach themed pin the tail on the donkey game with some poster board. I found a very cool cake on the cover of last month's Woman's Day magazine (june 2002, I think). It is the cutest thing EVER! The top looks like a beach with sand (crushed nilla wafers) and a little ocean (somehow made from blue gelatin) with little swimming Teddy Grahams and whipped cream waves. It is decorated with candy shells and is the cutest thing ever! It shows you how to make little mermaids out of the teddy grahams and snorkelers and all. I saw it and knew it was perfect! I have some shell beads to hang from the sliding glass door leading to the outside, and of course will have the radio outside and plenty of sunblock onhand for all the little party-goers.

One of the cutest things is the party favors I found at the dollar store. Sand buckets in the shape of an octopus. Each has two shovel arms, a sand sifter for a hat and even little eyes and smile stickers on it. How cute! And ONE DOLLAR! I see so many "goody bag" toys in the garbage, so I hope this is something the kids will really get to use (we live in Florida). I have some temporary tatoos (tropical fish) to put inside and maybe some goldfish crackers or gummy sharks or something. I usually take a souvenir photo of each guest with my child at my birthday parties. So for this one, I will borrow my brother's surf board and try to come up with some sort of back drop (have not quite figured that out, yet -- but I still have three weeks!) and the child can either stand next to the board or choose to get on it and strike a "surf pose". I will send the snapshots with the thank-you cards. Poloroid film costs too much!

My invites are pretty plain, just fish cards. But I have seen some great ideas for invites with sand and stuff glued to them, so maybe for the thank-you cards I can get more creative! I am also trying to locate some of the orange fencing you see at the beaches, sometimes, or to block off certain areas. I want to block off the side of my house where there is an old truck parked that I would rather the kids not play around.

I don't have many scheduled games since there is a pool and a slip 'n slide, but there is always room for a beach version of Duck Duck Goose, like "Dolphin, Dolphin, SHARK!" if the kids want to play. I started buying everything early, so I hit sales and dollar stores. The great thing is that almost everything is re-useable so if we ever have another beach theme or luau, adult or child, most of the decorations are taken care of! OH! I also found bamboo tiki torches on sale 2 for 3 dollars (usually about 6 bucks a piece!).

It all seems like a lot of work, but it's for the kids and parents to enjoy and everyone is welcome to stay as long as they like. We can cook hamburgers or other "beach fare" and everyone can hang out and enjoy the "beach" without the jellyfish! Well, hope for me that it does not rain -- I live in "The Sunshine State" but it rains throughout the summer!
Tova Hooper

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