A Summer Swim Party: No Pool Required

Note: I figured it was too late to post this at the end of last summer. Now this summer, time has slipped away again, but I am going to post it anyway. Maybe our friends "down under" will find it useful with their impending summer. And I guess it'll be in the archives in time for next year!

At the end of last summer, Princess had her first ever "friend" party for her 4th birthday. Even though the party wasn't quite the "Little Mermaid Pool Party" she originally requested, I think she was more than thrilled with the co-ed, non-Disney, non-pool, "Under the Sea"party we ended up with. If you have a birthday party still to plan for this summer, this one was easy, super-fun, and did not include a bounce house rental so check it out.

Details: Held on a Saturday morning/afternoon. Kids were told to wear a swimsuit and bring a towel. We encouraged "drop offs" in the invite. It seems here, parents are expected to stick around at parties (probably because most of the parties I have been to include 20+ kids). We only had 6 and 3 adults, so I figured we could handle it. And I didn't want to have to feed and entertain all those parents too. In lieu of gifts, we requested guests bring new or gently used books that Princess could donate to the local family shelter (which BTW, was a great experience for her--the woman who took the donation was so incredibly nice and even sent her a nice thank you card in the mail a week later). And between the gifts from Grandma, Grandpa, mom, dad, and old NY friends, she didn't miss the extra presents at all.

Decorations:

• green (seaweed) and aqua (water)streamers
• paper fish on fishing line
• shells from my favorite shell shop in Seal Beach.
• chalk art on the driveway.

Food: We provided "highly nutritious" lunch and snacks.

• Shells and Cheese
• Blue Jello with suspended Swedish fish. Found the idea here.
  
• Snacks: a variety of Goldfish crackers and mini Swedish fish
• juice and little water bottles.
• Fish Cake (instructions here) and strawberry ice cream.

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Activities:

• Decorate your own visor using foam visors and foam stickers.
• Treasure Hunt in the sandbox (idea found here). We filled our turtle sandbox (purchased used at Once Upon a Child for $8) with jewels, small shells and little sea animals.
• Slip and slide and octopus sprinkler attachment.

Goody Bags:

• beach balls
• small buckets and shovels (also used in the treasure hunt)
• sunglasses from the dollar store.
• visors
  
• treasures from the hunt
• NO CANDY - I figured I was already sending the kids home on a total sugar high, the parents didn't need more sugar to dole out to them.

It was a really fun and easy party. The kids entertained themselves for the majority of the time in the sprinklers and on the slip 'n' slide. They also spent a lot of time re-hiding their treasures in the sandbox after that activity was over.

Good luck with your party!