Okay, so my middle daughter, Alice, just turned six. She’s in kindergarten, and for months, all she could talk about was a Baby Shark party. Not "a party," but specifically, a Baby Shark party. I swore I’d plan it early, but you know how it goes. Between Nora’s (10) soccer and Emma’s (7) art lessons, and Leo (3) just being, well, three, time slipped away. Suddenly it was two weeks out, and I realized I had no idea how to throw a baby shark party for kindergartner level enthusiasm!

I started with the invites. Found some cute ones on Etsy, personalized them, and sent them out. Easy, right? Then the real work began. I went to Cub Foods and bought ALL the blue and yellow snacks I could find. Goldfish crackers, blue jello cups, yellow lemonade, you name it. My vision was very matchy-matchy, which is my thing.

Decorations: Oh boy. I saw this super cute TikTok of someone making a balloon arch that looked like ocean bubbles. "Sarah," I thought, "you can totally do this." Spoiler alert: I cannot. After three failed attempts and a lot of popped balloons (which made Leo cry, of course), I ended up just taping blue and green streamers everywhere. It looked... fine. Not Pinterest-perfect, but festive enough for a bunch of six-year-olds who just wanted cake.

The cake was another adventure. I tried a TikTok recipe for a blue velvet cake with white frosting and some edible sugar pearls to look like bubbles. It tasted good, thank goodness, but when I tried to pipe on a little Baby Shark, it looked more like a sickly goldfish. My perfectionist tendencies took a hit, but Alice thought it was hilarious, so win some, lose some!

For games, we did "Pin the Fin on Baby Shark," which was a hit, and a dance party to the Baby Shark song loop (parents, you know the pain). I also set up a craft station where the kids could decorate their own "shark teeth" necklaces with pre-cut felt and string. This was actually pretty calm and fun for them. I found some cheap little party hats too – nothing fancy like the 11-pack Kids Birthday Party Hats with Pom I saw online later, but they did the trick.

Honestly, the biggest hiccup was the "ocean" sensory bin I made. I used blue dyed rice, little plastic sea creatures, and some seashells. The idea was great, but it ended up on the floor. Everywhere. For days. My husband, bless his heart, was still finding blue rice behind the couch yesterday. So, note to self: maybe no rice bins indoors for a six-year-old's party.

Overall, Alice had a blast, which is all that matters, right? But I’m already stressing about Emma’s next birthday. Any Minneapolis parents out there have tips on how to throw a baby shark party for kindergartner age without losing your mind? Or just, general survival tips?

Sarah, I feel you on the balloon arch struggle! My stepson Max (12) always wants to help with EVERYTHING, which is adorable but also means twice the mess and sometimes, let's just say, *creative* interpretations of my instructions. For his pirate party last year, we tried to build a whole ship out of cardboard boxes. It was a disaster, but the kids had fun decorating the pieces before they inevitably collapsed. If you're looking for DIY ideas, I actually got some good inspiration from a post I found here about How To Throw A Pirate Party – lots of crossover with ocean themes.

When I’m planning, I start months early. Seriously, like 3-4 months out. I keep a dedicated party binder. For a Baby Shark theme, you could do a treasure hunt for "shark bait" (goldfish crackers, naturally). I’d hide little plastic fish in blue sand (outside! not rice inside, learned that one the hard way with glitter once – still finding it in our Chicago apartment). And for decorations, instead of a balloon arch, maybe a simple blue and green tablecloth with some fishnet draped over it? Add some cut-out construction paper fish. Keep it simple and crafty. Let the kids do most of the decorating for the party space. Max loves painting banners, even if they look like abstract art. It's about the process, right? You’ve got four kids, Sarah, so anything to lighten your load is a win. Also, watch out for that Minneapolis wind if you try any outdoor decorations! Chicago wind is no joke and has ruined many a carefully placed banner for me.

The cake sounds like it tasted good, and that's half the battle! For the next party, maybe just buy plain frosted cupcakes and let the kids decorate them with blue and yellow sprinkles and some gummy sharks? Less pressure on you, more fun for them. My husband Leo always says the kids remember the fun, not if the cake was perfect. And he’s right. Good job surviving, mama!

WHOA, SARAH! Sounds like Alice had an EPIC time! 🦈🎉 Finding blue rice for days? That's just proof of an awesome party! My daughter Piper (8) is totally obsessed with Baby Shark too, though she's past the kindergarten stage. She had a massive ocean-themed birthday when she was 5, and it was WILD! We went all out because I LOVE photography and wanted everything to look amazing. I know what you mean about how to throw a baby shark party for kindergartner. It’s all about the bright colors and that catchy tune!

For Piper's party, we actually had it in our living room in Houston! It was tight, but we made it work. I got a ton of inspiration from this other post on the GINYOU blog: Baby Shark Birthday Party Ideas: How We Threw A 10 Toddler Ocean Party In A Living Room. That one saved my bacon for space-saving ideas. We borrowed a mini bubble machine (total hit!), and I made a "seaweed" curtain out of green crepe paper for the doorway. So cool! 🌿

Cake wise, I am with you on the TikTok recipes. I follow so many of them! But I just buy a plain blue cake from a local bakery and stick some cute plastic Baby Shark toppers on it. NO FONDANT EVER! 🙅‍♂️ That stuff is the enemy of good cake. Your shark teeth necklaces sound like a genius idea! I should remember that one for Piper's next theme. The kids love anything they can take home. We did little "adopt a fish" party favors with tiny plastic fish in clear bags. So simple but they loved it! Your Alice sounds like a happy camper, and that's the main thing! High five for making it through! 🖐️🥳

Baby Shark and a Real Dog

Alice's labrador Finn wore a dog birthday hat to the Baby Shark party and the six-year-olds loved it more than the cake. Check the dog birthday party supplies for pet-friendly party gear.