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
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
Slow Roasted Hawaiian Pork Recipe
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!
Susan Browning
The edible sand was such a cool, idea my kids loved it!!!!!
Heather
Very cute! I love the little gelatin cups and ice cream cone cupcakes! I’ll definitely have to look back on this when I have a beach party this summer. Thanks for sharing!
Kaitlyn
All of these ideas are too cute! The beach decor is so bright and colorful! I’ve never heard of edible sand. What is it exactly? Pop rocks?
Atta Girl Amy
I actually made the edible sand using sugar and Kool-Aid packets. The kids loved it!
Cathy
What a fun party and so many cute ideas. Loved the beach ball, the chocolate flip flops, the edible sand , the….. I think I loved it all. Thank you for sharing at Share It One More Time. Cathy
Michelle
What a great looking party! My daughter’s pool party is next weekend and I’m totally stealing the sand art idea! 🙂 Thanks a bunch!!!
Kathleen
You have set up an awesome party, I bet that was a lot of fun. Thanks for bringing your party to the #HomeMattersParty
Kathleen
Tiffany
Now THIS sounds like the perfect backyard fun! I love LOVE the edible sand idea!
Mrs. AOK
Oh my goodness this looks like TONS of fun!! Thanks for sharing with us at Mommy Monday!! 🙂
XOXO
Lou Lou Girls
This looks so amazing! Pinned and tweeted! Thanks for being a part of our party. I hope to see you, Monday at 7 pm. Lou Lou Girls
Shellie Bowdoin
Too cute! Who needs the beach to have a beach party? I would love for you to share this awesomeness in the next Fun Summer Finds Linkup! Opens for the 2nd week on Thursday…http://bit.ly/1GkGMqz
Shellie
http://www.thefabjourney.com
Georgia @ Silver Spiral Studio
Such cute ideas! Love the edible sand art 🙂