SpongeBob Says: Party!
SpongeBob SquarePants has been a kids' favorite for over a decade, and the little square sponge has been showing up at birthday parties almost since he debuted. SpongeBob's show has a wide audience, making him an acceptable guest at both toddler and teen parties. The nautical theme of the show also is helpful when planning a birthday party based on the denizens of Bikini Bottom. Does this Spark an idea?
Attire
Remember that SpongeBob lives in a pineapple under the sea in Bikini Bottom. Your invitation might indicate that guests should arrive wearing bikini bottoms (or Speedos for men). Another idea is a costume party in which guests arrive as their favorite SpongeBob character. Or you might consider holding a contest to see who can show up in the best headgear made from a pineapple.
Cake
Some grocery stores have SpongeBob cakes already prepared and ready to buy, but you also may be able to order one from the store; check the store's design selections. Wilton also makes a SpongeBob cake pan. To make a cake shaped like Patrick, the starfish, you can cut a larger rectangle cake into a five-point star shape.
Games
There are plenty of game ideas to build around SpongeBob. As with the cakes, SpongeBob and Patrick pinatas are very easy to find in grocery stores and party stores. A fun game idea that requires a little more work is to buy several yellow sponges and decorate them to look like the Bob. You then simply adapt the old-fashioned game in which one team soaks a sponge in one bucket and runs to another, wringing the sponge out into the second bucket. The first team to reach a certain amount in the second bucket is declared the winner. If you have access to a clarinet, have a Squidward contest to see who is the worst at playing this instrument.
Food
A SpongeBob SquarePants theme lends itself to several food ideas. The most obvious perhaps is cooking up hamburgers and calling them Krabby Patties. Paint the words "Chum Bucket" on a plastic or tin bucket and place little packages of ketchup, mustard, relish and barbecue sauce inside. If you want to go a more extravagant direction, toss a luau complete with finger foods, Hawaiian-glazed chicken fingers and pineapple slices.
Tags: Bikini Bottom, grocery stores, second bucket, SpongeBob SquarePants