Children love the underwater world – it’s full of mystery, color and the most amazing creatures. It also makes a brilliant party theme for a lucky birthday girl or boy and their friends. Here are some fabulous tips to make their party a sea-going success!

Go for a dip in the magical ocean

Little people have amazing imaginations, so if the party room looks like it’s under the sea, they’ll want to dive right in! Here are 5 of the easiest and most effective decorations:

1. Get lots of blues and greens into the room with sheets of paper and blankets. How about creating a beautiful bright coral reef too? You can do this by making coral shapes from pool noodles, tissue paper and sticks painted silver and gold. Also add in some images of sparkling fish. Check out this helpful video for step-by-step instructions.

2. Cut silver foil or tinsel into long lines to hang from the walls and doors to give the effect of shimmering tendrils of light seeping into the ocean.

3. Buy some round paper lanterns (or make paper mache or cardboard round shapes) and attach tissue paper ‘tentacles’ from the bottom to create ‘jellyfish’. Prop on chairs or dangle from the ceiling.

4. Have plenty of white or silver balloons floating about to look like bobbing air bubbles. You can also use balloons with ocean-related designs for dramatic decorations, like our giant shark balloon or our pretty mermaid balloon. 

5. Fill the room with as many shells and sea creature toys you have, or can borrow, to really set the scene. You’ll love our new Cosmo the octopus created from organic soft knitted cotton - he’s large, cuddly and utterly delightful! Our sensational Under The Sea garland, featuring a shark, whale, fish and jellyfish, with lots of shiny details, will look fantastic too.

Turn your guests into sea adventurers

Help them be seaworthy by providing flippers, snorkels and masks – they’ll have such fun wading around the room! Or, if they want to be mermaids or mermen, create a craft table to make terrific tails to splish and splash with. You’ll need boxes, white cupcake liners, foam brushes, paint, glitter (optional), scissors, pencils, a hole punch, glue sticks, ribbons and socks. Click here for step-by-step instructions.

Also check out our fabulous mermaid wrap dress up with a top and a wrap with a tail design, both covered with shimmering iridescent sequins.

Have the perfect underwater picnic

Who needs a table, when you can dine on the seabed? Spread a large blue or yellow blanket on the floor as an excellent place for party guests to settle. Serve yummy treats on spectacular sea-themed tableware. They’ll love our large shiny shark platters to give chills and thrills whilst they tuck in, and our Under the Sea range with charming clownfish napkins, plates and cups with glimmering foil touches and beautiful sea creature illustrations.

If you’re looking for sea-themed culinary delights, then give this fabulous shark watermelon fruit bowl a try.

We also love the idea of serving sandy shells (pasta shells covered in grated Parmesan) and fish in the ocean (Swedish fish candies placed in blue Jell-O). Check out here for lots more food and ocean-themed fun party suggestions.

Don’t forget to add to the fishy fun by playing sea-related songs whilst the little aquatic angels dine. Here are 5 of our favorites: Under the Sea and Fathom’s Below from The Little Mermaid soundtrack; The Beautiful Briny from Bedknobs and Broomsticks soundtrack and Yellow Submarine and Octopus’s Garden by The Beatles.