Dolphin Birthday Party!

Today was the big day - Julia's 7th birthday party!  Julia decided that, instead of gifts for herself, she wanted to collect donations for Winter the dolphin in the Clearwater Marine Aquarium in Clearwater, Florida.  Since the theme of her party revolved around Winter, this made perfect sense.  And what a giving heart Julia has to do this!  So we had the donation box set up just inside the front door, where guests could drop off their birthday cards (for Julia) and donations (for Winter).

 And before I continue, let me post a picture of Julia's dolphin cake.  This was the easiest cake I have decorated - I only needed three colors, if you count black and white, which makes for quick and easy decorating.

 Back to the party . . . We had movie snacks set out ahead of time (Goldfish crackers and pretzels), as well as dolphin cups to hold the snacks.

 In the window room, Julia set up three activities:  a dolphin ring toss, dolphin tattoos and freeze dance (actually kind of like musical chairs - when the music stops, you stand on a shape with a number, and if your number is drawn, it's your turn to get a tattoo).  I know you can't see it, but Julia is posing on the shape with the number 7, since it's her 7th birthday.

 And the party table, where Julia will be served her birthday cake (and sung to, of course!).  The balloons will also be party favors for the guests to take home.

 We spent a majority of Julia's 3-hour party watching the first (original) "Dolphin Tale" movie.  We stopped half-way through for an intermission of playing games - BINGO and ring toss.  After the movie, the girls danced and got tattoos.

 Then it was time for birthday cake and singing!  After the girls had had their fill of cake (and doing sticker activity sheets), I read the nonfiction book Winter's Tail, How One Little Dolphin Learned to Swim aloud to the girls.  That way the guests knew which parts of the movie were real and which parts were made up.  We ended the party by playing "Hot Dolphin" - which is like hot potato, except the girls passed around a stuff dolphin.  Did my little Sunshine have fun?  Absolutely!  She planned a fantastic 7th birthday party!