Believe it or not, it IS possible to throw a “beach party” in February. Tricky? Yes. Impossible. No.
Emma had her heart dead set on a beach party theme, and I didn’t have the heart to tell her no. So off to Pinterest I went. There were a lot of cute ideas I wanted to implement, so if you’re ever in a jam, seriously Pinterest is a miracle worker! The main highlights for Emma’s party according to Emma had to be:
- Bounce house complete with slide
- Cheeseballs and Gushers must be present
- Pizza, lots and lots of pizza
- Ice cream cake, and it must be cookies n’ cream
- Limbo- for prizes
That didn’t seem like too bad of a list, and I am so happy to report that all of her requests were met. When it came to the bounce house, there was no other company I would go to other than Magic Jump Rentals. If you read my previous blog post about Kensey’s Frozen themed party, you know just how awesome they are! I wouldn’t count on any other party rental company for my events.
After preparing for this party for weeks, I felt like I had everything ironed out. Then the weather decided to throw a curveball at me and anticipate rain on the day of the party. With only a few days to spare before party day, I needed to figure out entertainment for a few dozen kids, and FAST. I contacted Magic Jump Rentals to see what my options were. I learned that due to safety reasons, they won’t deliver bounce houses when rain is present. They did however offer me four carnival games in exchange, which was music to my ears, because that will entertain the kids for hours, all while staying on theme. The carnival games reminded me of the fun boardwalks by the beach, so it completely worked! I was so relieved to have worked with a company that was so fast to fix the issue, and not leave me hanging without a plan. It completely turned the party around! I also ordered some “sand in a bottle kits” for each kid to create as a backup plan for the rain. No one was going to be bored on my watch.
The weather was at a 50% chance of rain come the night before the party, so we decided to play it safe and bring on the carnival games. I woke up on party day with a clear idea of how the party was going to go, and then the rain disappeared completely from the weather app! I quickly called Magic Jump Rentals and scheduled the original jumper to be delivered again, but let’s add a few carnival games, because I seriously moved furniture for this concept. I was relieved that the kids would have the bounce house she originally wanted, but now we have some extra fun to make this party complete. Again, Magic Jump Rentals was a BIG reason this party went to smoothly, so I can’t thank them enough.
It was time for the day of the party! Sunny (and cloudy) skies ahead, and a birthday girl full of excitement. After running around like a chicken with my head cut off all morning for prep, the party was ready to begin right at noon, all while I was still in my pajamas. After quickly changing into something less “swamp mom chic” I was ready to party! This beach bash had it all: tropical bounce house complete with obstacle course and slide, carnival games, a s’mores cart, as well as a ton of other fun activities and delicious food. I’m not one for pinatas, it’s just too much work for okay candy. So, we decided to create some fantastic goodie bags for the kids to take home instead.
Once the party began, it was just consistent chaos until about 5pm, which was only a few hours past the party end time. Since we had the bounce house until dark, I kept it open for the kids to stay and play if they wanted to. That was a blast for Emma, but boy was I ready for the day to end! The day began though, with s’mores. K Franco events hooked it UP for Emma’s party! Knowing her theme was a beach theme, they came fully decked out in beach aesthetic for their cart! She had a special custom sign with Emma’s name and the menu for the day. Upon ordering, she toasts the marshmallow on the spot and even melts the chocolate a bit, creating the most perfect and mouth watering s’more. Like them extra toasty? You got it! We had a full hour of on the spot s’mores and I was more than okay with this being my lunch! If you’re ever looking for that extra special touch to add to your next event, look no further. K Franco events has done everything from baby showers to weddings and more! These chic little square mallows make it a bit leveled up than your average s’more. I cant thank K Franco Events enough, and I cant wait to use them again!
After indulging ourselves in s’mores, I decided to snag some pizza to even things out. I’m all for desserts first, but all these kids needed a legit lunch. Along with pizza, they snacked on veggies and chips, and after all of that was finished, we sang Happy Birthday with ice cream cake. I got Emma a personal sized ice cream cake as well as a much larger one for her friends. After lunch, the kiddos enjoyed making sand art. I found the bottles and small funnels as a kit on Amazon, along with the sand to compliment the project. The kids loved how they could use the colors of the rainbow to create something beautiful for their family. Each creation looked different than the one next, and it was a beautiful sight to see. We also gathered the kids together for a fun game of limbo. I was quite impressed with just how flexible these kids really are! After some food and fun, the party came to an end. Everyone took home a goodie bag filled with toys and treats, all of which i got in a kit off, of course, Amazon. The fun addition to the bags were our favorites, Sunstaches! We LOVE Sunstaches because they are actual functional sunglasses with a fun twist to them. We use them for theme parks trips, car rides, and of course, party favors. They create everything from Disney to DC and even funny avocado glasses! Seriously, name your theme, they got something for that! They were kind enough to provide the glasses for her party, and for that I’m eternally grateful. Since it was a beach theme, we went with Ariel mermaid glasses for the girls and boat captain theme for the boys. They we’re a total hit!
Bottom line is, with a little bit of patience and creativity, and an Amazon prime membership, a beach party is totally possible any time of the year. I relied heavy on Pinterest for my ideas, like using a fisherman’s net and small clips to hang pictures on it. Then i took to Amazon and tried to minimize the extra work, like decorations and goodie bags. If you have a kid over the age of two, chances are a bounce house is all the entertainment they need. Most party rental places will have a beach or tropical bouncer as an option, but I would definitely check Magic Jump Party Rentals if you’re in the Southern California area. Having carnival games was certainly not on the original list of ideas, but having it there added the “boardwalk” element I didn’t even know was missing. It allowed the traffic in the bounce house to spread out a bit, and gave kids who needed a break an option for something else to do. Magic Jump had dozens of games to choose from, and we ended up choosing the ring toss and duck hunt. I also purchased tropical style temporary tattoos and had a station all set up with a wet sponge ready to go. I felt like there was more than enough to keep the kids happy and entertained, so I’m going to consider this party a total success! A HUGE Thank You to all who came out and celebrated our incredible Emma! The party would NOT have been a success without the people we love to share in the day, and that is what truly matters most.
I would like to personally thank Nicole Long Photography for providing all of the photos used in this post. She is absolute MAGIC behind the camera and specializes in family and engagement shoots, but also content creation at theme parks and anywhere else your heart desires in So Cal! Be sure to head to her Instagram at @NicoleLongPhotography or visit her site at:
http://www.nicolelongsphotography.comYou can also have the beach party of your dreams by booking your party needs through Magic Jump Rentals. Although I originally contacted them about a bounce house, they offer SO much more than that! And that customer service… their help picked my sad state off the floor after finding out about the rain and I can never thank them enough for that! They were punctual on BOTH parties on drop off and picking up. The bouncers were clean and ready to be used! Even after a small amount of rain happened, we used towels to dry it off and the towels were practically clean after wiping! To a germ hating mom, this is music to my ears! If you’re in the So Cal or Los Angeles area, do yourself a favor and visit them at:
http://www.magicjumprentals.comSome other important links for your beach party planning that SAVED ME:
Sand Bottles with funnels:
https://www.amazon.com/your-orders/pop?packageId=1&ref=ppx_yo2_mob_b_pop__fp_2_pp&orderId=112-9280966-0729030&lineItemId=lgnjoxppqknoqny&shipmentId=DB7TJQsqdColored Sand:
https://www.amazon.com/your-orders/pop?packageId=1&ref=ppx_yo2_mob_b_pop__fp_2_pp&orderId=112-9280966-0729030&lineItemId=lgnjovprkpruqny&shipmentId=DB7TJQsqdGoodie Bags:
https://www.amazon.com/your-orders/pop?packageId=1&ref=ppx_yo2_mob_b_pop__fp_8_pp&orderId=112-5239333-7089018&lineItemId=lgmmqumupnmnwny&shipmentId=DWJSXDMzMSunstaches:
Captain's Hat Sun-Staches®Fisherman’s Net Photo Holder:
https://www.amazon.com/your-orders/pop?packageId=1&ref=ppx_yo2_mob_b_pop__fp_3_pp&orderId=112-3354331-6808217&lineItemId=lgnjrumrnqmnony&shipmentId=Dsxdtn0f3Party Leis:
https://www.amazon.com/your-orders/pop?packageId=1&ref=ppx_yo2_mob_b_pop__fp_7_pp&orderId=112-5239333-7089018&lineItemId=lgmmqumupnmnsny&shipmentId=Dqd4XrM0MTemporary Tattoos:
https://www.amazon.com/your-orders/pop?packageId=1&ref=ppx_yo2_mob_b_pop__fp_9_pp&orderId=112-5536253-4366620&lineItemId=lgmmquqtpjrsuny&shipmentId=DByKp6MxMTo book K Franco Events for your next event, be sure to follow them on Instagram at @kfrancoevents or online at:
http://www.etsy.com/shop/kfrancoeventsEmma’s blue tie-dye romper was from Justice and Kensey’s rainbow dress is from Cotton On Kids. The party decor was a mix of Target and Party City, and the balloons are all from Party City. The ice cream cake I custom ordered at Baskin Robbins and was delicious!
Balancing Blocks 