Mermaid Birthday Party

One of my favorite (self-imposed) duties of motherhood has got to be party planning! My kids and I have such a fun time dreaming up their ultimate party themes and fun homemade cake ideas to match. This year, my daughter Juniper turned 4 years old and requested a mermaid birthday party. I think she was probably envisioning something fit for Ariel, while I was busy thinking of ways to do this theme without the red-headed Disney character plastered on each dinner plate and napkin. The party was a lovely event certainly fit for a mer-princess like Ariel, but still kind to the Earth, my wallet, and my eyes!

I wanted to share my table decorations and themed treat ideas so that you can also easily throw together a fanciful mermaid birthday party for the special mermaid or merman in your life!

Earth-Conscious Party Supplies

I know a lot of children’s party supplies are often made from plastic—like flatware, cups, and even plates. Not to mention party favors and cake decorations. While paper plates and cups are still coated with material designed to prolong their lifespan, they still eventually break down and are a much kinder choice compared to plastic alternatives.

I decided to combine paper party products with compostable items like plates made from pressed palm leaves and flatware made of birch. This is the perfect party theme for these types of product since they go with the earthy vibes associated with the beach.

My sequined tablecloth is something I decided to buy last year, knowing it would probably coordinate with most birthday party ideas my girls dream up. (They love sparkles, and the white color matches everything!) So far we’ve used it for a My Little Pony party and this mermaid party. This time around, I covered the tablecloth with one of the two fishnets that came in this set. (The other fishnet is hanging on the wall behind the table.)

For party favors, we simply made starfish wands with ribbon streamers. I wasn’t sure what to do about the starfish, to be honest. I know that using real starfish seems like an eco-friendly choice, considering they’re natural byproducts of the ocean. However, I also know that not all starfish you buy at stores are ethically sourced and may have been alive when caught. Even if they weren’t alive, I’m learning that taking shells from the beach does have an impact on other sea/beach creatures’ natural habitats. In the end, I decided to use these resin starfish I found on Etsy.

Mermaid Birthday Party Supplies

1. Clear Bubble Balloon Set
2. Lilac Paper Cups
3. Lilac Scalloped Napkins
4. Holographic Shell Paper Plates
5. Birch Flatware
6. Resin Starfish
7. Compostable Palm Leaf Plates
8. Natural Fish Net Decoration (set of two)
9. Drink Dispenser with Natural Base

The starfish “mermaid wands” were a cute addition to the table settings, and the kids absolutely loved playing with them through the entire party. These were a breeze to make, and more fun and imaginative than a lot of the little trinkets often used as children’s party favors. Here’s how to make your own.

Starfish Wand Supplies:

• Starfish (I used these resin ones)
• Ribbons in colors to coordinate with your party (Mine are all from Joann)
• 12″ wood dowels
• Hot glue gun

Step One: Cut the ribbons into 18-20″ lengths

Step Two: Knot one of each ribbon type around the top of each dowel. Stagger the lengths so that one side of the tied ribbon hangs lower than the other side.

Step Three: Apply a line of hot glue across the tied ribbon as shown above right.

Step Four: Press a starfish onto the hot glue and hold for a moment.

These starfish wands were a big hit, which got me wondering why didn’t we think about doing mermaid headbands as a party craft? Maybe we’ll do that for our next mermaid birthday party. (I’m already getting requests from sis for a similar party because—mermaid dresses!)

For a party backdrop, I kept it simple with a hanging fishnet covered in various sizes of clear bubble balloons. I purchased this set of bubble balloons from Etsy and was pleased with the mix. They were really difficult to blow up by hand, so I’d recommend using a pump of some sort if you’re not using helium. I strung them up with monofilament and 3M hooks.

If you follow me on Instagram, you may have really questioned my sanity when you saw me spend the better part of a week practicing making macarons until I found the perfect method for making shell-shaped macarons. I’ve made macarons before, but had never really achieved perfection until my self-imposed macaron boot camp. These little guys looked really special and were admired and enjoyed by each of our guests. (The chocolate pearls are sixlets I found at a party store.) I made them a few days before the party and kept them sealed up until the big day.

You may be wondering about this sandcastle cake, so don’t worry! I’ll be sharing a tutorial for it very soon. It was sort of a grand experiment that I had planned for a while and ended up making the morning of the party. It went really well and ended up being a straightforward (though a bit time-intensive) project. I really think this party wouldn’t have been the same without the sandcastle cake. I would certainly make it again if I were to go back in time! Plus, it was amazingly delicious and gave us good leftovers for a family gathering the next day.

We have ourselves one happy little mermaid! It was such a fun day. My heart is always filled with so much joy to see my kiddos truly enjoy the fruits (or cake) of my labor! Party planning can be a lot of fun, but obviously can be a lot of work too, if you let it. Do the amount that you find fun and works with your schedule and family lifestyle. I’m just the crazy lady scrolling through Pinterest already planning the next big bash! – Mandi

Credits//Author and Photography: Mandi Johnson. Photos edited with A Color Story Desktop.