Backyard Beach Party Ideas for an Epic Summer

Bring the beach to the backyard with these colorful and fun beach party ideas. You’ll find easy summertime recipes, crafts, decorations, printables and fun party game ideas that kids will love!

It’s time to celebrate summer with a beach party!

No ocean? No problem!

I have a bunch of beach party ideas — recipes, crafts, decorations and activities — that you can pull off in your own backyard. So slip on your favorite swimsuit and your cutest pair of flip flops and hit the sand (or the grass)! 

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This party is all about fun. The decorations and craft projects are inexpensive and easy, and the menu is kid friendly, with a few special treats for the grownups!

I’m sharing the details of a backyard beach party our family held a few years ago. I’ve also updated this post to include dozens more ideas, including beach party snacks, water games, crafts and decor inspiration from other bloggers to help you throw the most epic backyard vacation ever.

More Epic Party Ideas

For more party inspiration for kids and adults, don’t miss these posts:

• Donut Party Ideas
• Star Wars Party Ideas
• Staycation Ideas
• Kentucky Derby Party Menu
• Minecraft Party Ideas

Beach Party Ideas: Decorations

To set the scene for our party, I hung a beach scene shower curtain from Walmart between two trees, then set up my buffet table in front of it. (Here’s another shower curtain option.)

Next, I added a white tablecloth, a colorful beach towel as a table runner and two kid-sized Adirondack chairs.

And you can’t throw a party without a bunting.

So I made one out of a beach towel. Click for the instructions for the no-sew beach towel party banner.

I scattered a few felt and foam beach balls around the table, too. (I made those, too!)

More Beach Party Decorating Ideas

These crafts and decorative touches will help you recreate the beach vibe at home.

• DIY Beach Ball Garland from Studio DIY
• Painted Mason Jars from The Country Chic Cottage
• Cocktail Umbrellas Summer Door Wreath from Heathered Nest
• Summer Fruit Luau Pineapple Watermelon Decorations from Craftivity Designs
• DIY Napkin Ring Summer Craft from Heathered Nest
• Pool Noodle Luminaries from Create, Craft Love
• Pool Noodle Popsicle Banner from Southern State of Mind
• Goldfish Birthday Party from See Vanessa Craft
• Mason Jar Aquarium from Hello Wonderful
• Beach Theme Cocktail party from Celebrate and Decorate

Oyster Shell Candles

Shop for Beach Party Supplies

Beach Party Ideas: Food

For the food at our backyard party, I kept things simple.

Lunchables snacks, a big pitcher of tropical punch and some melon balls.

Puffed cheese balls and whale crackers served in beach buckets.

Ocean blue gelatin cups with Swedish fish swimming in them.

And ice cream cones.

But they’re not really what they seem because everyone knows ice cream melts in the hot sun.

But these pink lemonade cupcakes served in ice cream cones didn’t!

We also had chocolate flip-flop pops from Once Upon a Chocolate. (You can use this mold to make your own chocolate flip flops.

Life really is better in flip-flops. And with chocolate. You can download the free “Life is Better in Flip-Flops” printable here.

Since we didn’t have the ocean to cool us off at our party, I set up a hydration station.

There, the kids found lots of things to quench their thirst and cool themselves off.

Like snow cones with homemade sno-cone syrup…

Homemade popsicles and bottled water with drink packets to mix in.

To make your own easy beach party favor, download the free printable water bottle tags I created and print on letter-sized cardstock.

More Beach Party Snacks & Beverages

Serve up these delicious snacks, sweets and beverages for a taste of the beach at home.

• How To Make Candy Sea Shells from The American Patriette
• Flip Flop Cookies from Oh My Creative
• Nilla Wafer Clam Cookies from Elevate Everyday
• Sandcastle Cake from Living Well Spending Less
• Ham and Cheese Sandwiches from Frugal Coupon Living
• Beach Ball Cake Pops from Craft-O-Maniac
• Tropical Yogurt Fruit Dip from Atta Girl Says

Tropical Frozen Lemonade with Pineapple Rum

Tropical Snack Board

Hawaiian POG Juice

Margarita Popsicles

Slow Roasted Hawaiian Pork Recipe

Frozen Margarita Pie

Beach Party Fun & Games

At our backyard beach party, the hydration station also had a bucket of water balloons for the kids to throw at one another. Everybody loves a water balloon fight!

It’s not a trip to the beach if you don’t get wet.

And, of course, you have to play in the sand.

Rather than building sandcastles, the kids got to create edible sand art in mason jars.

You definitely want to check out this recipe.

More Outdoor Water Games & Summer Fun

Have fun in the sun with these outdoor activities and water games that are perfect for a backyard beach bash.

• Mini Water Blobs from Hello Wonderful
• Stock Tank from Hunter Premo
• DIY Flamingo Sprinkler from Rain On A Tin Roof
• Make A Sprinkler From An Old Pool Noodle from Make It, Love It
• Water Balloon Volleyball Game from It’s Always Autumn
• Water Balloon Pinata from Paging Fun Mums
• DIY Water Wall from Tinker Lab
• Pool Noodle Fishing Game from Happy Tot Shelf
• DIY Sprinkler Arch from More Like Home
• How To Build A Soaker Seat from Wilkerdos
• Firefighter Race A Water Game For Kids from Kid Friendly Things To Do
• World’s Best DIY Slip ‘N Slide from The Relaxed Home School
• Chalk Art Jelly Fish from Glued To My Crafts
• Squirt Gun Water Race from Design Dazzle

I hope your summer is a blast!

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