Backyardigan Beach Bash -1yr- Teen Lifeguards

I recently hosted a 1st birthday for a family friend.  He loves the backyardigans and the pool , so we decided to combine both. We had a BACKYARDIGANS BEACH BASH. Of course it was held in the backyard. 

First the invitations, I created these using photoshop. I took pictures of him in his swim shorts in his baby pool and also sitting on a beach towel. I created a beach scene and added his pictures in frames along with each of the backyardigan characters. The invitations were printed on HP photo paper to give that glossy look.  They were placed in envelopes representing each color of the backyardigan characters. I add a backyardigan character sticker to the outside of the envelope.  

The decorations were fun. We used both backyardigan themed items as well as beach themed items ordered from oriental trading. I found backyardigan beach clip art online from the surf's up episode and had them blown up and cut out. I hung these all over the back yard. I ordered cardboard surf boards to line up against the backyard fence.  I attached backyardigan characters to the front of the surf boards.  I hung beach monkeys from trees around the yard.   We had balloons in the backyardigan colors(blue, purple, yellow, pink, and orange) tied all over the yard. 

The patio area was used as the eating area. The tables were covered with grass colored table cloth.  We hung his pictures from birth thru 1st birthday so everyone could see how he had grown.  We used backyardigan plates, cups and party hats. We also had disposable sippy cups for the little ones.   We hung grass table skirt along the brick line of the patio.  I cutout small pictures of the backyardigans in beach attire and attached them along the grass table skirt.  I downloaded songs from the backyardigan surf's up CD as well as other backyardigan favorite songs. 

All guests were asked to wear beach/swim wear and bring towels. We hired family teens to act as lifeguards. The boys wore red t-shirts with lifeguard sign and the girls wore pink t-shirt with life guard sign.   I made these using print shop.  Each teen wore a whistle around their neck.  I created a photo op by hanging a large aqua blue sheet  of paper decorated with life size backyardigan character pictures which I printed from online and had blown up. Across the top of the paper read BACKYARDIGAN BEACH BASH.  As the guest arrived, each child was given a surf board and their photo was taken. 

For activities, we made a beach area we created by buying 4lbs of sand from Toys R Us and spreading it in one area of the yard. I added pails and shovels and other sand toys.  I put out a couple of kiddie beach chairs.  We had a large kiddie pool and a small covered baby pool . We had a Banzai waterslide and a Banzai Baby Sprinkles Pool which included a slide, ride on toy and tunnel.  We had a bubble zone which included a bubble machine and several  toddler  no spill bubble tubs for the kids to blow their own bubbles.   

We also had a play zone for those who didn't want to play in the water. This consisted of a toddler slide, blocks, baby musical toys, cars, trucks and crawl tunnel.   We spread about 12 backyardigan beach balls and other blow up beach toys all over the yard. Kids played with these at their leisure.  Since all the kids were under age 4, we allowed them to play freely.  The lifeguards did a great job helping the kids in and out the pools and up and down the water slide. We had a table setup with suntan lotion, extra towels, and extra swim diapers.  

For food, we had fruit(grapes, strawberry, and watermelon slices), hot dogs ,  chicken nuggets and assorted chips.  We ordered a backyardigan cake decorated with all 5 characters. We also ordered a smaller cake for the birthday boy with a 1 on top.   We ordered primary colored gift boxes from oriental trading. On the outside of the boxes, we added stickers I created with backyardigan characters on one side and the birthday boy's picture on the other. We put in sun glasses, backyardigan blow toy, tattoos,  whistle,  and candy. 

While the party was going on, I printed each child's picture taken when they arrived and added it to their favor box.