35 Beach Birthday Party Ideas for Kids This Summer
Welcome to the ultimate guide for planning the perfect beach birthday bash for your little one!
As the summer sun beckons, what better way to celebrate than with a coastal-inspired extravaganza? Whether your child dreams of mermaids and pirates or simply revels in the sand and surf, we’ve curated 35 delightful beach birthday party ideas to ensure an unforgettable celebration.
From creative decorations to fun-filled activities and mouthwatering treats, let’s dive into the sandy shores of imagination and make this summer birthday an ocean of joy!
Seashell Treasure Hunt
Organize a thrilling treasure hunt where kids search for hidden seashells scattered across the beach. Provide treasure maps or clues leading to the ultimate prize—a chest filled with goodies like small toys or candies.
Sandcastle Building Contest
Divide the kids into teams and let their creativity shine as they compete to build the most impressive sandcastle. Supply them with buckets, shovels, and decorations like shells and flags. Award prizes for categories like tallest, most detailed, and most creative.
Beach Olympics
Set up a series of fun and energetic beach games such as relay races, beach ball volleyball, and frisbee toss. Create makeshift medals using painted seashells or ribbon necklaces to award the winners.
Most Popular Guides
- The Ultimate Birthday Party Checklist (Step-by-step)
- Kids Birthday Parties: The Ultimate Guide for Parents
- 50 Kids Party Food Ideas (Budget-Friendly)
- 50 Best Kids Birthday Party Ideas (Budget-Friendly)
- 50 Fun Birthday Party Themes for Kids
- Birthday Party Places for Kids: The Ultimate List for Any Budget
DIY Beach Tote Decorating
Provide plain canvas totes along with fabric markers, paints, and stencils for kids to decorate their own beach bags. They can personalize their bags with beach-themed designs, their names, or fun summer motifs.
Under the Sea Photo Booth
Create a photo booth area with a colorful backdrop featuring underwater scenes like coral reefs or schools of fish. Supply props like snorkels, goggles, mermaid tails, and pirate hats for kids to dress up and capture memorable photos.
Luau Limbo Dance
Get the party grooving with a traditional Hawaiian limbo dance competition. Play some upbeat music and use a limbo stick or a jump rope for kids to limbo under. Lower the bar with each round to see who can bend the lowest without touching the sand.
DIY Seashell Jewelry Station
Set up a crafting station where kids can make their own beach-inspired jewelry using collected seashells, beads, and strings. Provide basic jewelry-making supplies and guidance for creating bracelets, necklaces, or anklets.
Beach Bonfire and S’mores
If allowed at your beach, end the party day with a cozy bonfire as the sun sets. Provide marshmallows, chocolate bars, and graham crackers for kids to make delicious s’mores while sharing stories and laughter by the fire.
Surfboard Painting
Purchase inexpensive mini surfboards or use large pieces of cardboard cut into surfboard shapes. Let the kids unleash their artistic talents as they paint and decorate their own surfboards using acrylic paints and brushes.
Beach Movie Night
Set up a projector and screen on the beach for an outdoor movie night experience. Choose family-friendly beach-themed movies like “Finding Nemo” or “Moana” and provide blankets, bean bags, and popcorn for a cozy evening under the stars. These beach birthday party ideas are sure to make a splash and create lasting memories for your child and their friends!
Beach Yoga Session
Hire a children’s yoga instructor to lead a fun and relaxing yoga session on the beach. Incorporate playful poses inspired by animals found in the ocean, like dolphin dives and crab walks.
Sand Art Station
Set up a sand art station where kids can create colorful masterpieces using bottles or jars to layer different colors of sand. Provide various shaped containers and funnels for pouring the sand to create unique patterns and designs.
Beach Scavenger Hunt
Create a scavenger hunt checklist with items commonly found at the beach, such as seashells, driftwood, seaweed, and sea glass. Divide the kids into teams and see who can find all the items on the list first.
Beach Bowling
Set up a DIY bowling alley using empty plastic bottles filled with sand as pins and a lightweight ball, like a beach ball, for bowling. Kids can take turns trying to knock down the pins while enjoying some friendly competition.
Seashell Wind Chime Craft
Gather a variety of seashells and small pieces of driftwood for kids to create their own beach-themed wind chimes. Provide string or fishing line for hanging the shells and wood pieces, and let them get creative with their designs.
Beach Bubble Party
Bring along bubble wands and bubble machines for a magical bubble-filled beach party. Kids can chase and pop bubbles while enjoying the ocean breeze and sunshine.
Beach Volleyball Tournament
Set up a net for a friendly beach volleyball tournament. Divide the kids into teams and let them bump, set, and spike their way to victory while enjoying some fun in the sun.
DIY Beach Sand Art Candles
Provide small glass jars and colorful sand for kids to create their own beach sand art candles. They can layer different colors of sand inside the jars to make beautiful patterns, then insert a tea light candle for a glowing keepsake.
Beach Nature Walk
Take the kids on a guided nature walk along the shoreline to explore the beach ecosystem. Point out various marine life, shells, and plants while teaching them about the importance of preserving our coastal environments.
Beach Picnic and Sandcastle Tea Party
Set up a whimsical tea party on the beach with blankets, cushions, and a low table adorned with seashell decorations. Serve finger sandwiches, fruit skewers, and refreshing drinks while kids enjoy building sandcastle towers nearby. These additional beach birthday party ideas offer a diverse range of activities to keep the little ones entertained and engaged while celebrating in the sun and sand!
Beach Tie-Dye T-shirts
Provide plain white t-shirts and a variety of tie-dye colors for kids to create their own beach-themed tie-dye shirts. They can experiment with different folding techniques and colors to make vibrant and personalized shirts.
Beach Bingo
Create custom bingo cards featuring beach-related items like seagulls, sandcastles, sunglasses, and beach balls. Play multiple rounds of bingo with small prizes for the winners, such as mini beach toys or snacks.
Beach Science Experiments
Set up a mini science station where kids can conduct simple experiments using items found at the beach, such as saltwater density experiments, sand volcanoes, or seashell pH tests.
Beach Karaoke Party
Bring along a portable karaoke machine and let the kids showcase their singing talents with beach-themed songs. Create a playlist featuring popular summer tunes and encourage them to perform solo or in groups.
Beach Mini Golf
Create a mini golf course on the beach using beach toys, buckets, and other found objects as obstacles. Set up a series of holes along the shoreline and provide toy golf clubs and balls for kids to play a round of beach mini golf.
Beach Puppet Show
Set up a makeshift puppet theater using a sheet or beach umbrella and encourage kids to put on their own puppet shows using beach-themed puppets or stuffed animals. Provide props and let their imaginations run wild!
Beach Bowling Pinata
Fill a beach ball pinata with small toys, candies, and treats and hang it from a sturdy beach umbrella or tree branch. Let the kids take turns hitting the pinata with a soft bat until it bursts open, showering them with goodies.
Beach Tug-of-War
Divide the kids into two teams for a friendly game of tug-of-war using a thick rope or beach towels. Dig a shallow trench in the sand for added stability and see which team has the strength and teamwork to emerge victorious.
Beach Storytime
Set up a cozy reading corner on the beach with blankets and beach-themed storybooks. Invite a storyteller or parent to read aloud to the kids, immersing them in tales of adventure, friendship, and marine life.
Beach Sand Art Sculptures
Provide buckets, molds, and tools for kids to sculpt their own sand art creations. Encourage them to build elaborate sandcastles, sculptures, or even sandy replicas of sea creatures using their imagination and creativity.
Beach Watercolor Painting
Set up an outdoor art station with watercolor paints, brushes, and paper for kids to create their own beach-inspired masterpieces. Encourage them to paint seascapes, sunsets, or their favorite beach memories.
Beach Limoncello Making
Teach kids how to make their own refreshing beach mocktail using lemonade, sparkling water, and fresh citrus fruits. Provide ingredients and let them mix and match flavors to create their own signature limoncello drinks.
Beach Tie-Dye Bandanas
Instead of t-shirts, provide plain white bandanas for kids to tie-dye with vibrant colors. They can wear their custom bandanas as headbands, scarves, or face coverings while exploring the beach.
Beach Sand Art Bottle Necklaces
Supply small bottles with cork stoppers and colored sand for kids to create their own beach-themed bottle necklaces. They can layer different colors of sand inside the bottles to make colorful and wearable souvenirs.
Beach Glow Stick Dance Party
As the sun sets, host a glow stick dance party on the beach. Provide glow sticks, bracelets, and necklaces for kids to wear and dance to their favorite music under the twinkling stars. These additional beach birthday party ideas offer a variety of interactive and creative activities to make the celebration truly memorable for your child and their friends!