Awesome Ocean Party

Here are some ideas for making invitations with an ocean theme:

• Many stationery stores sell computer stationery and blank cards with pictures of whales, beaches, or ocean waves. Simply write or use your computer's printer to add party info.
• Cut blue or green contruction paper to fit standard-size envelopes, and write the party details with a gold or silver pen.
• Cut simple fish, sailboat, or seashell shapes from sturdy paper. Your child can help you add detail to the front, then write the invitation on the back.

• Hang blue and green streamers.
• Use sand, costume-jewelry pearls, and shells to decorate the table.
• Nestle sea-life stuffed animals into a large piece of blue felt or tissue paper, or arrange them on a colorful beach towel. Add your child's sand shovels and pails, sand-castle equipment, and so on to enlarge the display.
• Make a treasure chest. Use gold foil paper or other solid-colored paper to wrap a large shoebox. Tie gold cord around each end to close. Decorate with glitter paint. Fill with shells, plastic necklaces and coins.