Fish Birthday Party Theme for Children
Take Children Under the Sea for an Ocean-Themed Celebration
Apr 27, 2009
A child's birthday party with a fish theme is a lot of fun. It is a unique theme that is cute and versatile. It can be appropriate for both boys and girls. It doesn't have to be expensive or work-intensive to plan, either.
Instructions for Homemade Fish-Shaped Invitations
Making fish themed party invitations at home is a breeze. All you need is construction paper and common household art supplies, and the birthday boy or girl can even help.
- Fold a piece of construction paper in half. Choose a light enough color that you can easily read writing on it.
- Trace or freehand an image of a fish from a side profile on the paper, making sure that the top of the fish touches the fold at the top. You should end up being able to flip the top fish up to reveal a second fish underneath.
- Decorate the front of the fish. Don't forget to include eyes, fins, gills, and scales. Most children have a lot of fun being creative or using glitter to outline the fish's scales.
- Let the fish dry, if the art materials used require drying time.
- Open up the fish to reveal a second outline that is blank. Use this space to write a clever invitation that fits in with the theme. A good one is, "It’s o-fish-al: [child's name] is [age]! Swim over and celebrate at [child's name's] house.” Don't forget to include all vital party info like date, time, place, and RSVP number.
Fish Themed Party Games
Having a party with a fish theme leaves so many options for games and activities. Here are a few suggestions to try.
Decorating an Under the Sea Mural
Before the party, freehand an ocean scene on a piece of large posterboard or a long sheet of butcher paper. A large fish should be featured in the middle, surrounded by bubbles, seaweed, coral, other fish, sea creatures, or the sandy sea floor. Just draw their outlines and leave everything uncolored. When guests arrive, set out art supplies and let them get creative together as they decorate the under the sea mural. This makes a great warm-up game and is especially important to help younger guests transition into the party.
Pin the Party Hat on the Fish
After guests have finished decorating their ocean mural, it's time to play pin the party hat on the fish! (If the mural needs to dry first, make sure you have another game ready to play in the meantime.) Distribute paper party hats to guests and let them take turns putting on a blindfold and trying to stick the party hat on the large fish's head.
Goin' Fishin'
Make a fishing pole by tying a string onto a wooden dowel. Tie a paper clip to the end. Crouch behind a sofa with a stack of fish cut out of colored paper and let each child take a turn casting his line over the couch. Give two good tugs to let the child know when the fish has bitten, and let him discover what he's caught. Let the kids fish for a few rounds, and then have each child's last catch of the day be a baggy full of ocean-themed candy like Swedish Fish.
Making a Fish Shaped Cake
This great-looking cake is made from a single 9" square baking pan. It just needs to be cut up, arranged, and frosted! Here's how to make a fish-shaped cut-up cake:
- Bake a 9" square cake and let it cool.
- From one corner, measure 5 inches along one side and 5.5 inches along the other. Cut on a curve through the points. (In other words, cut a football shape diagonally through the center of the square.)
- Remove the "football" shape. This will later become the fish's body.
- Remove one of the remaining triangular-shaped pieces. This will become the fish's tail.
- Take the remaining piece and cut in half to make two fins.
- Arrange the pieces and frost. Cover with sugar-crystal sprinkles to make the fish shimmery. Add bubbles made out of Lifesaver candies to the serving platter and use another Lifesaver for an eye.
With the above ideas for invitations, games, and cake, a kids' fish themed birthday party is sure to be a hit. Best of all, everything requires inexpensive materials that are probably already at hand. Children can help with preparation and it shouldn't take long at all to put together a great party to celebrate a special birthday with a fish theme.
For tips on planning a successful children's party and a list of theme ideas, read "Choosing a Birthday Party Theme."
 |
 |
 |
