Under the Sea -6yr- Sunken Ship

6 year old Ocean/Under the Sea Party 

INVITATIONS: I made the invitations on my computer and printed them on 8.5x11" scrapbooking paper with a pool water picture on the back. I fit 2 invitations on a page, cut them in half and sealed them with a mermaid sticker. The invitations read as follows:  "Calling all Mermaids and Jellyfish, Sharks, Squid and Seals, too There's going to be an adventure, And we'd love to share it with you!  Sarah is turning 6 years old It's time to celebrate! We're having a party  under the sea Saturday, May 21 is the date.  Wear comfy clothes;  we'll be running around. We may even get a little wet. The party is from 1:00-2:30; Can parents & siblings stay?  YOU BET!" 

DECORATIONS: The party was held at our church in the Fellowship Hall. I hung tissue paper tropical fish all over and banners featuring sea creatures. I created a special area for my daughter to open her presents. As a backdrop, I placed her in front of the window opening separating the kitchen and hall. I hung blue metallic table skirts on the window opening, then a cargo net overtop of the table skirts.

On the ledge, I placed stuffed sea creatures, shells and "worm balls" (they look just like sea anemone). I sat her on a piano bench covered with a blue metallic table skirt. When she opened a present, the person who gave it to her could sit by her on the bench. Other decorations I used were sea shell bowls (from Oriental Trading), sea animal paper plates, and raffia table skirts. We also had the soundtrack from the Little Mermaid playing. 

DRESS: My daughter wore a mermaid costume. The other children each wore a sea animal visor (Oriental Trading). Upon entering the party, each child also decorated a goody bag with stickers and markers. 

GAMES:
(1) Sea Animal Treasure Hunt: They were divided into 2 teams, each with an adult captain. They were given instructions to collect the names of 26 sea creatures, 1 starting with each letter of the alphabet. As a help, I printed off pictures from the internet of various animals (1 for each letter of the alphabet), laminated them, and taped them (including their names) on the wall all over the room. Examples were Killer Whale, Anemone, X-ray fish, etc. Once the team filled in all the blanks, they brought the list back and were awarded first chance to go on a dive in a sunken ship.

(2) Sunken ship: I created a story about a man who lived long ago who really loved toys. As a gift to his nephew, he started a chain of toy stores with ships sailing toys all over the world. One of the ships sank and is still there today. In one of the classrooms, I created a sunken ship. We put garbage bags over the window so it would be dark. I used inflatable sea animal pool toys throughout the room. I put raffia table skirts on the walls and floor to simulate seaweed. All through the room, I placed toys that I bought at a dollar store. There was everything from kaleidoscopes to jump ropes to water guns.

As a finishing touch, I placed glow bracelets all over the floor to provide a little light as well as an eerie aura. I also filled 2 gold treasure boxes with smaller toys in the room. Each team had a chance to go into the "sunken ship" to find a treasure box and also "recover" a few of the lost toys. After everyone went on a dive, they divided up the loot from the treasure boxes.

(3) Clown fish Pinata, available from Oriental Trading. As always, pinatas are a hit! They had a blast!! 

(4) Sea animal "nursery": I told the children as they left the party, we would take a small detour to the kitchen to visit the baby sea animal nursery, where we were raising some young sea critters. I set up my 2 year old's water table and filled it with plastic sea animal squirters (Oriental Trading). Each child then selected the one they wanted to take home. 

FOOD:  My sister-in-law made a beautiful cake featuring blue wave frosting, tan frosting for sand, and edible fish and shells. I bought single serve ice cream to go with it. We also had goldfish crackers, Swedish fish and a fruit salad. Four of the children had "X"s on their plates and won door prizes - stuffed sea creatures. 

I heard several parents and children comment that this was the best party they had ever been to! My daughter had a wonderful time, as did everyone who was there.