Fishing Birthday Party Theme

Fun Ideas for a Fishing Theme Birthday Party

Decorations
Blue and Green balloons and streamers.  Hang varying length pieces (1 foot to 1 1/2 feet pieces) of light and medium blue streamers from the ceiling to look like you are under the water.  Hang different sizes of fish within the streamers.  

Cover the tables with blue tablecloths - cut a wave pattern (scalloped edge) at the bottom of the tablecloths if you are using cheap plastic or paper tablecloths.  Layer different colors of blue to look like waves.

Decorate the walls with fishing nets, rods, reels, and tackle boxes. 

Place shells and plastic lobsters and starfish on the food table.

Fun Ideas
If there is a local lake or pond near your home take the birthday guests fishing.  You will need a few poles and bait.  Take along a picnic lunch to eat at the lake.   Bring buckets for each child to collect items from around the lake - you can make a nature scavenger hunt for the children to do when they are waiting for a turn to fish.  Nature Scavenger Hunt list

Games
Mystery Fishing Game
For the "water" use a large appliance box, hang a sheet across a doorway, or cover a table so that the "fish"
(and the person in the water) are hidden from view. Tie a string to a stick and attach a clothespin on the end
of the string.  Birthday party guests take turns "casting" the line into the "water". The person in the "water" puts
small gifts, favors or candy on the clothespin and then tugs the string to signal that there is a "fish" on the line. 
Then kids pull up the line and retrieve their prize.  This is a simple but fantastic birthday party game that kids
adore!  Have lots of prizes because they will all want to do this birthday party game again and again. 

Sponge Relay Games
Divide birthday party guests into 2 teams. Use 4 buckets - place two at the starting line and two 30 or more feet away.  Fill the farthest buckets with water. Players take a sponge and run to the far bucket, dip the sponge in the water and then run back to the starting line bucket and squeeze the water into the empty bucket. The first team to fill their bucket wins. (Use larger buckets to hold the water first since a lot of the water will be lost as they race back to fill their bucket.) Variation: Race backwards for a crazy birthday party game twist!

Pirate Treasure Game
Fill a small pool or sandbox with sand and hide small plastic fish, coins, birthday party favors, crystals, rings, jewelry - anything that goes with your birthday party theme in the sand. Have the kids use sifters and small shovels to sift through the sand and find the birthday treasures. 

Swimming Pool Games
If you will be swimming during the fishing party try our fun Swimming Pool Games

Food
Fish crackers
Sweedish fish
Crock pot of "bait" - hotdogs in bbq sauce.  Cut the hotdogs lengthwise in 5 - 6 pieces.  When they cook they will curl up and look like worms. 
Dirt cups - chocolate pudding in cups topped with crushed Oreo cookies and gummy worms.

Party Favors
Sweedish Fish
Goldfish crackers
Sponge Bob Candies
Small toy magnetic fishing pole games
Fish stickers

Goody Bags
Small tackle boxes
Fishing nets
Boat shaped boxes or bags
Fishing hats