Little Mermaid Budget Party Ideas

[bear74]

My DD turns 5 in July and we are doing an Ariel party.
Any ideas for games and favors 7 girls age 5-10 including DD, 2 boys age 3.

Plans so far

Set up pool and Ariel Sprinkler
Serve Fish sticks and gold fish

 

[crusoe2]

Try www.familyfun.com -- click on the Parties link at the top of the page and then Party Themes. Then look for the Under the Sea link. They have lots of cute ideas and there is yet another link that takes you to a whole page of ideas for a mermaid party. Good luck - it sounds like fun.

 

[disneyfreakk]

how about pin the fin on Flounder?

 

[bear74]

found a couple of game ideas what do you think?

Water Sponge Relay: Need two buckets per team and one large sponge. One bucket will have water placed near the team the other empty off a distance. Players must soak the sponge and carry it to the empty bucket and wring it out then take it back to the next in line. Continue.

Water Balloon Relay: Need a pile of water balloons per team (more than one per person). First in line takes balloon runs to designated area, sits on balloon, pops it and runs back to line. Next in line goes. If they drop their balloon or it pops before sitting on it, they must run back for a new one.

Old fashion water fight: balloons, squirt guns, bottles etc

HOT POTATO- (OR BEACH BALL)
Always a birthday party favorite game. Use the Under the Sea CD for this game, and also for background music.

 

[Allabtprincesses]

http://www.birthdaypartyideas.com/html/mermaid.html

 

[pjlla]

DD also had an Ariel party when she turned 5 (in 2000 ). But it was a great party. I did a treasure hunt around the yard. The prize they found was their goodie bag. I found these cute silver metal baskets (think coffee cup size) and filled them with jewels, jewelry, and candy. I wrapped them in clear blue Saran wrap.

Another game was related to buried treasure. I found a great treasure chest at Christmas Tree Shop and filled it with "gold and silver" (pennies and nickels, plastic coins, foil candy coins, and other silver and gold wrapped small candies. Each girl had an opportunity to fill her bag (gave them each a decorated lunch sack) with treasure. They had to scoop it from the treasure box with a large spoon with one hand held behind their back and carry the spoon to their bag and dump it in. They had one minute. (Kind of like an egg and spoon race.)

And we did "pin the crown on the mermaid" (my brother free-handed a mermaid picture on a large piece of paper for me.... can you say "FREE"?).

I found fish sippy cups for each girl to use at the party and take home. I used the standard Ariel plates and napkins (from Birthday Express if I remember correctly).

But the BEST part of the party were the invitations! This was in the days before digital cameras and Photoshop, so this was all done BY HAND. I took several photos of DD wearing a construction paper "shell bra" and a real shell necklace and a bikini bottom. I did several poses that were supposed to look like swimming and diving. When developed, I picked the best photo and had copies made. I took the photos and trimmed them right along the edge of DD's body, cutting off the legs. Then I bought sparkly green reflective paper and cut out a tail shape (copied from an Ariel coloring book). I made sure that the "waist" of the tail fit DD's waist in the picture. I mounted the trimmed photo of DD on the invitation cover (water blue paper) and then added the sparkly tail and surrounded the picture with bubble and tropical fish/turtle stickers. (I think I made about 15 invites... probably took several hours.) It was SOOOOO adorable!! If I was more technically skilled, I'd LOVE to scan the invite and share it. But alas, we also lost the electrical cord to the scanner last summer and have yet to replace it. Just take my word for it, the invitation were the BEST! (FWIW, the invitations were LARGE... think 8 1/2 x 11 folded in half... the envelopes are available at Staples).

HTH.................................P

 

[bear74]

heres another idea

Little Mermaid Freeze Dance: Play "Under the Sea" song from the Little Mermaid movie, and invite the kids to dance to the music. When the music stops, whoever is still moving - goes out of the game.

Okay I want to do this game, but need an inxpensive idea instead of sand.
Bury seashells, gold covered chocolate coins, gems (aquarium decorations from the pet store), costume jewelry and other trinkets in a sandbox or a plastic pool filled with sand. Give the children plastic shovels and let them hunt for buried treasure under the sea

Ariel's Treasure
Ariel is completely enchanted by all objects related to humans.
Can the children help her find them?
Before the party, hide simple household items around the party are or yard; forks, combs, spoons, bowls, toothbrushes, stapler, hanger etc.
the children will work together to find all of the items and then

 

[bear74]

Ariel Birthday Party Food Ideas I found
*"Seanut" Butter & Jelly Fish: Create a bunch of peanut butter & jelly sandwiches. Next, cut them into fish shapes using cookie cutters or butter knife.

*Dole® Pineapple Fish (available in a can)
Fish sticks
*Tuna Salad
*Gold Fish Crackers
*Gummy Sharks
Ice Cream

 

[mdrob214]

heres another idea

Little Mermaid Freeze Dance: Play "Under the Sea" song from the Little Mermaid movie, and invite the kids to dance to the music. When the music stops, whoever is still moving - goes out of the game.

Okay I want to do this game, but need an inxpensive idea instead of sand.
Bury seashells, gold covered chocolate coins, gems (aquarium decorations from the pet store), costume jewelry and other trinkets in a sandbox or a plastic pool filled with sand. Give the children plastic shovels and let them hunt for buried treasure under the sea

Ariel's Treasure
Ariel is completely enchanted by all objects related to humans.
Can the children help her find them?
Before the party, hide simple household items around the party are or yard; forks, combs, spoons, bowls, toothbrushes, stapler, hanger etc.
the children will work together to find all of the items and then

Instead of sand, buy large bags of rice? I don't know how expensive they are but you can get 10lb or larger bags and I bet they aren't too much

My DD also had an Ariel bday party--in 1998 when she turned 4. It had just come back out on vhs....

 

[camouseketeer]

I made up this game for my DD's princess party.

Fill a large tub with water.

Thread a metal paper clip over the handle of a plastic spoon.

Dump the "dinglehoppers" in the tub.

Get a few dollar store fishing rods (with magnets on the end) or make your own.

Kids use the fishing rods to "fish for dinglehoppers."

 

[mom4graceandlogan]

I made it feel like it was under the sea very cheap by buying a roll of blue streamers and 2 bags of blue balloons. I crisscrossed the room in a lot of streamers and then taped blue balloons to them to look like the ceiling was all blue bubbles. I had been to a party before like this in college where we used a helium tank to blow up balloons and create them same effect but I did not want to spend the money on a helium tank. Everykid that came to the party came in and looked up and said WOW! I also got 2 pack of big cut out fish on clearance from the party store and taped them around the room.