A Whimsical Under the Sea Birthday Party Idea

Hair swirling in the ebbing currents, graceful weightlessness, aqua-tinted vision, and of course Ariel of The Little Mermaid are what make little girls daydream about being mermaids. We think a mermaid birthday party is a perfect time to make her (or his!) fanciful dreams come true. Read on to learn how to dazzle your mermaid loving kiddo and her friends with whimsical decor, delicious “seafood” and unforgettable activities.

Look the Part

For the big day (or even just a regular Sunday) if you want the birthday gal or guy to look the part, follow our easy mermaid tutorial. There’s only 5 easy steps! Click here for the scoop.

photo: Erin Feher

Invitations

These message in a bottle invitations are a clever and fun way to let your guests know it’s going to be a fun one. The detailed do it yourself directions at Crafting A Green World lets you add your own personal touch and includes everything you need to know, from cleaning used bottles, to paper staining, and even a colorful wax seal.

If you’re not the craftiest crayon in the box, you can buy a message in a bottle kit at Invitation in a Bottle. For three bucks a pop, they will personalize your invitations, and send you a complete kit including, bottles, sand, shells, and ribbons all in the color and style of your choosing.

Your guests will be giggling with excitement when they see these funny and adorable cards. Send off your little one’s pic to Happy Cat Printables and they will turn her into a virtual mermaid! The invitation is then sent as a jpg or pdf file so you can print out as many as you’d like.

Become a Mermaid

Did you know Mermaid schools are popping up across the country? From a mermaid camp in Florida to a mermaid swimming school in Minnesota, click here for where to take your own little mermaid’s love of everything under-the-sea to the next level.

photo: Sheroes Entertainment

Decorations

Capture the ethereal essence of an underwater kingdom with these delightful decorations. Craftier parents can create some effects themselves, while those more craft-challenged may find some of the store bought items more appealing.

Adorn your party room with these whimsical jellyfish—beautifully displayed here at I Scrap, U Scrap—will make you and your guests will feel as though you are swimming in an underwater wonderland. Color an upside down paper bowl and glue matching ribbons to their bellies; then add googly eyes make them come alive.

AngliesDesignz, available on Etsy, offers the whole Mermaid kit-and-caboodle with their Mermaid Girly Under the Sea Kit. They’ve got the bases covered from cake-toppers to birthday banners, and will deck out your party with these adorable ornaments.

Every little mermaid should be adorned with shells and pearls and no one understands this more than Dominica of Proudest Monkey Photography. She displays a truly whimsical way of capturing a gorgeous party setting with her table top decorations and handmade chair flair shown here via Chickabug.

Food

A mermaid-themed party is a perfect opportunity to get fun and creative with your kiddo’s finger food. Here are some delicious ways to dine on the abundance of the ocean without wrinkling your guests’ noses.

Put an ocean-inspired twist on your classic Chex Mix recipe by adding goldfish crackers, like in this recipe from Brownie Bites. Want more great snack ideas? Click here for more seaside-inspired treats.

photo: Brownie Bites

Get that cool-breeze-in-your-face feeling with this refreshing beverage shown here by High Heeled Hostess.

It’s no stretch of the imagination to think maybe your little mermaid isn’t too keen on eating raw fish. Fret not! You can fake it ’til you make it with this easy, sushi knock-off brought to you by MommyGoggles.

Your guests will be lickin’ their lip when they see this revamped lunchtime classic—starfish pizza and seashell salad. Easy directions courtesy of BubblyNatureCreations.

Sarah at CottonKiwi delivers all things under the sea with these great mermaid munchies. From Octopus weenies to Oyster and Pearl Madeleine cookies, she’s got you covered.

Activities

Everyone knows a mermaid’s only job is to play! Here are some fun aways to celebrate the plight of the mermaid.

Every mermaid princess needs a royal, jewel-encrusted, glittering crown sitting atop her wind-swept hair. Genevieve Gail provides you with a printable template for your little mermaids to decorate to their hearts desire.

Whether your little mermaid is in grade school, or preschool, Easy Party Ideas and Games has a plethora of dancing, throwing, tagging and treasure hunting games—including this one, shown here by Creative Party Place.

Guests will be having a ball when they step inside a mermaid stand-in cut-out. Let them visualize themselves as real mermaids with this cute photo op, shown here by the Party Animal. If your artsy, make one on your own, if not, there are many gorgeous options for purchase.

Get crafty with these underwater-themed sticker snow globes. Directions at the Outlaw Mom are easy and the end result is your mermaid’s own little piece of the ocean.

The Cake

If you’re looking to purchase an over-the-top cake for your little mermaid, here are some gorgeous examples of the endless possibilities.

Carina of The Jet Set is a jack-of-all-trades and one of her many talents is baking. Here she showcases a completely edible, completely gorgeous seaside confection.

Aussie mom Steph Bondville had to share this amazing cake her friend had made for her daughter’s 6th birthday. There’s a surprise inside– the cake is layered aqua ombre.

This buttermilk work of art is just a little slice of what Sweet and Saucy can create. Edible sand? No problem!

Not a professional baker? No problem! Cake-toppers add that special touch to your homemade cake that will take your confection to the next level.

Modern Lux Events will have any assortment of cake topper, from cuddly cute, to downright breathtaking.

Artisan Cake Company offers truly artistic cake toppers, you won’t want to eat them. The best part? They are prepared to ship all over the globe, no matter which ocean your little mermaid swims in.

The cake-toppers at Patricia Minish Designs (via Etsy), add some bling and pizzaz to your cake giving your little mermaid a cake dripping in fantasy.

Party Favors

When the time comes to say good-bye to your little aquatic guests, you’ll want to give them something to remember this amazing experience. Here are some pretty little keepsakes to send them home with.

Guests can rock the mermaid look long after the party ends with these adorable starfish headbands by SunAndSurfCreations.

This mermaid-shaped novelty soap has elegance and utility. Your kids will be partyin’ like a mermaid the next time they hop in the tub with this handmade soap by BlondInABathtub.

Your guests can bring home part of the ocean with them when they wear these cute bottle cap and shell necklaces made by Zanymanilyla Bottle Capz and Jewelz.

Do you have any other ideas to add to make your kiddo’s mermaid birthday party an awesome one? Let us know your tips in the comment section below.

— Lisana de la Torre