Spongebob 5yr - Decorate Photo Frames

Elizabeth's 5th birthday Spongebob Squarepants party.  My daughter's birthday is in August, which was perfect for a backyard water games party with the loveable character, Spongebob. We ended up with 16 children ages 2-10 (most under age 7) plus a number of adult guests.  

Invitations: I used neon yellow paper. I glued a color-printed Aloha from the Bikini Bottoms postcard to the front, with Who Lives in a Pineapple Under the Sea? printed below in Spongebob font (free download).  On the inside I inserted a photo of my daughter in a pool wearing her pink snorkel & mask, plus other Spongebob clipart above the response Spongebob Squarepants! And He Wants You to Come to a Party with Me! I added details using nautical terms such as Dive Location (Bikini Bottoms our address), Cast Off (date), Dive Time, Resurface, and a few items to be served from the Krusty Krab menu. Guests were asked to bring swimsuits. I added Spongebob stickers and tropical fish stamps to blue and green envelopes. 

Decorations: I used 3 large decorative fish nets for our backyard fence, deck railing and front stairway railing. We added fake red/white life preservers; plastic fish, crabs, lobsters, sea horses, shells; colorful leis; my sons fishing pole; my daughter's hula outfit; ukulele; beach pails; 4 sets of kids snorkel/mask/fins; colorful blow-up water rings, etc.  We set out all kinds of fancy real seashells. We taped pink streamers to pink helium balloons to create jellyfish and attached these to 2 stairway railings.

We hung blue & green streamers in doorways to look like water and added blue & green balloons on the floor.  We placed 2 tiki torches at entrance to our backyard gazebo, which is attached to the deck.  We used plain blue-green tablecloths on 2 tables and an over-sized hula girl beach towel on the kitchen (buffet) table.  I cut out paper windows and a dor to turn a real pineapple into Spongebob's house for the centerpiece.  We used several expandable tissue paper pineapples, lanterns, and hanging decorations.  Most of these are available at the Oriental Trading Company - ours were given to us by a friend after a backyard luau. 

We already had a goldfish bowl in our kitchen, and our main bathroom is decorated with an ocean theme, including an aquarium and my son's pet hermit crabs, so we were set!  We played fun luau music inside & out.  This definitely set the party mood.  Activities: As guests arrived, we started them decorating colorful foamboard photo frames with foam stickers and glue-on sea creatures. I found the supplies at Michael's crafts (on clearance!) and made the frames with a wallpaper knife and magnetic strips.  I also set out Spongebob coloring pages I downloaded for free and baskets of crayons.  The highlight of the party was the arrival of Spongebob himself! 

We found a local business that arranged for a fully costumed Spongebob character (with appropriate Spongebob music) to lead a couple of games and pose for photo ops with the kids.  He also gave the birthday girl a special photo album for the occasion.  They did two relay races, walking like a crab, and also dressing in mask/fins to carry a small bucket of water.  This was a bit difficult for the youngest guests, but everyone LOVED meeting Spongebob!       We are fortunate to have a spacious backyard.  We set up a large blow-up swimming pool, slip æn slide, and Spongebob water sprinkler, plus we have a fort/swings/sandbox, and a tetherball.  We basically let the kids free play and then did a couple of other games, squish the jellyfish (water balloons) and Squidward (octopus) tag.

Then my dad dressed up like a pirate and announced the next party highlight - a treasure hunt!  In lieu of a pinata, I had filled my son's toy treasure chest with gold (chocolate) coins, candy necklaces and ring pops and placed it on a tray covered in sand, with some of the loot spread around the base.  I had made a dozen clues on index cards and hidden them around the yard û I drew pictures so the non-readers could help in the hunt.

The pirate gave the kids their first clue, and they eventually found the treasure chest hidden under our deck.  We told them the booty would be divided up and put in their treat bags.  After eating and drying off, we had the kids sit in a circle on a beach blanket in our living room.  They passed the gifts around the circle to luau music, and when the music stopped, my daughter opened the gift she was holding.  The guests said this was one of the best parties ever! 

Food: I printed off a Krusty Krab Menu using Spongebob font, glued it to brown paper, and hung it in the kitchen. We served such foods as: Krabby Patties (hamburgers); Plankton Planks (hotdogs); Seanut Butter and Jellyfish Sandwiches; Squidward Snacks (cheese puffs); Coral Chips (potato chips); Fish Food (goldfish crackers); Sponge Kabobs (fruit kabobs arranged around the Pineapple house); Ocean Cooler (blue raspberry jello with gummy fish inside and whip cream); and Jellyfish Juice (blue Hawaiian punch and pink lemonade); Patrickæs Favorite Star Cake and Sandy's Sweetest Ice Cream (vanilla or rainbow sherbet cups). 

Elizabeth and I made the starfish cake from two round cakes - one was the body, the other I cut into 5 curved triangles to form Patrick's head, arms and legs.  We used bright pink frosting and added colored sprinkles to make it appear bumpy.  I used white frosting and black decorator gel to draw on the face, with black jellybeans for eyes.  It was easy & looked great!  I covered a tray with blue plastic wrap to look like water, placed the cake in the center, and surrounded it with brown sugar (to look like sand) and plastic seashells.  I added 5 cute wavy blue candles.  We used square Spongebob plates & napkins, clear pink plastic glasses, and bendable straws with attached tissue fruit decorations. 

Take-home Treats: Guests got to take home their photo frames; coloring pages; fish & palm tree plastic glasses found on clearance for 50 cents each at Wal-Mart; clear cello bags containing Spongebob crackers & fruit snacks; bubbles; real sponges; their treasure chest "booty."   

Thank-you Notes: I printed these using the Spongebob font and clipart, enclosing a party pic or two for each guest to put in their photo frames.