For my daughter's 4th birthday my husbend and I planned a beach party for her in our backyard. We set up 4 swimming pools (family size, 2-med-lrg and 1 small for the toddlers). We blew up about a dozen beach balls, we had squirt guns, a bubble table with an assortment of large wands and a tunnel maze. We also built her a large sand box and had dozens of pails, shovels, and assorted toys. We played several Beach Boys cd's throuhout the party. I hung up signs around the yard: NO LIFE GUARD ON DUTY, WATCH OUT FOR SHARKS, HANG LOOSE, and LIFE'S A BEACH. I also stacked a large sign by our driveway that said MIKAYLA'S BEACH BASH! For invites I used scrapbook paper with a beach scene and typed up a cute poem that read: Cowabunga!! Mikayla's turning 4!!! Surf's up at the __________ beach and you're invited to catch a wave and hang loose with us! We'll have a totally tubular time! Wax down your surf board and paddle on over to: our address and phone #. Be sure to wear your swimsuits or comfortable beach wear (don't forget your towel!) and come chill with us at Mikayla's beach bash! Later dude! Because all ages were invited I attached a note to the parents at the bottom of the invite that read: For your child's safety we ask that you please stay with your child throughout the party as we will have swimming pools out. Please make sure your children are wearing waterproof sunscreen and have their shoes on at all time except when enjoying the pools. Thank you.  We had invited about 20 kids and 15 of them came! So I think it's very important at this age that parents remain will their kids at the party. Can you imagine watching all those kids around the pools with no help!!! :) Anyway. We also decorated with red, yellow and blue streamers and 30 balloons. We also hung die cuts in the shape of crabs and other sea life. The plates and napkins were also sealife decorated. We served lots of soda and lemonade, BBQ chicken wings, potatoe salad, corn dogs, friut kabobs and assorted munchies. My daughter really wanted a barbie cake so my friend made a square cake and decorated it will blue frosting. Then see staked a 4" round cake on top to resemble an island and decorated it with brown sugar. We sat Barbie that was dressed in a bikini on top of it. Then we added blue shark gummies to complete the look. For party favors each child recieve a mini sand pail and shovel that I purchased at Target for a very resonable price. It was a total blast and people are still talking about it...9 months later! Can't wait to plan her 5th birthday!!!