Capture the excitment of a party on the sand by throwing a school beach party.
The warm soft sands, bright sun and rhythmic lapping of the waves make the beach a favorite leisure destination for many. While taking your students to the beach is not a realistic plan in most schools, you can provide students with the next best thing by planning a beach-themed party. By using some beach-themed decorations and planning tropical games, you can allow your students to enjoy the beauty of the shore from the comfort of your school.
Beach Party Decor
Set the scene for your beach party by creating a beach landscape with paper. To build a paper beach, cover your gymnasium or classroom floor with paper, and allow students to paint a blue ocean and yellow sandy beach. Place masking or packing tape in loops under your paper to ensure that it stays firmly stuck to the floor and does not present a tripping hazard to party guests. Carry the theme through the ceiling by creating a bright sky covered with student created suns. Several days before your school beach party, provide each student with a large sheet of yellow construction paper. Ask the students to use art supplies and scissors to create a sun out of their paper. Once students have made their suns, tape them to the ceiling of the classroom or suspend them from the ceiling of the gym using thread or twine. Finish off your beach scene by adding cardboard palm trees to the perimeter of the room to set a tropical vibe.
Musical Beach Towels
This twist on traditional musical chairs gets students up and moving during their beach party. To prepare for this game, gather a large collection of beach towels. When it is time to play the game, lay the beach towels out in a loose circle. You need one fewer beach towel than you have participants in the game, so if 10 students are playing, lay nine towels in a circle. Play some beach themed music, and instruct students to walk in a circle around the towels. Instruct students to dive onto a towel when the music stops. The student who does not make it to a towel is out, and play continues after another towel is removed from the ring.
"Swim" Dance Competition
Take students for a trip into the past, and engage them in a "swim" dance competition. To begin this activity, ask a dance-skilled staff member who is comfortable with old school moves to demonstrate the classic "swim." Elect judges, or allow teachers to act as the panel of experts. Play beach-themed music such as the Beach Boys, and allow students to do their best imitation of this classic dance. Eliminate students one by one until only the best swim dancer is left. Reward this student with a "meaningful prize," such as water wings spray painted gold.
Tags: allow students, beach party, beach party, beach towels, school beach, school beach party, student with