It’s summertime and we figure that a lot of you will be heading to the beach at some point! But what about those of us who won’t be able to make it down to the shore? Our suggestion for this Theme Thursday is to create your own seaside getaway by throwing an ocean-themed birthday party!

Amazingmoms.com has some great suggestions to make it feel like you’re celebrating under the sea. Take a look:

Decorations:

• Your guests will feel like scuba divers when they arrive at the under-the-sea adventure you’ve created. Hang several strips of party streamers vertically from the ceiling. Cut streamers in varying lengths and shades of blue. We use “sticky-tak” to avoid making holes in your ceiling.
• Add paper fish intermittently with the streamers.
• Cover the party table with a light blue or white sheet.
• Make a festive party centerpiece by attaching a bouquet of balloons to an ocean-themed toy, such as a heavy plastic whale. Add other plastic toys as well. Use butcher paper or poster board to decorate the front door with an underwater scene.
• For added effect, switch out some of your standard light bulbs to colored blue and/or green bulbs.

Party Games:

• Shark or Whale Tag: The birthday child begins as a “shark” in the middle of a large playing area. All other players are “fish,” who must try to run past the shark to the other side of the playing area. If a fish is tagged, he or she holds hands with shark to build a bigger shark and help tag more fish. The last fish left wins!
• Minnow, Minnow, Shark: Children will play this game just as they would “Duck, Duck, Goose.” Replace the fox player with a shark.
• Fishing for Treasure: Explain to the children that an old sunken ship is rumored to hold valuable treasure. Their job is to find clues that lead to the treasure, which is a box filled with their party bags. Before the party write and hide your clues. Attach the clues to items you would find on a ship… silverware, candlesticks, teacup, personal items, etc.