Epic Moana Birthday Party: Ultimate Guide to a Dazzling Celebration
Planning a Moana birthday party is a fantastic way to bring the magic of the ocean and the spirit of adventure to your little one.
With Moana 2 coming out soon, now is the perfect time to use this fun theme.
I just did this theme for my daughter’s 5th birthday and it was a huge hit!
There’s just so much to work with and who doesn’t want to think about a tropical getaway as things get colder?
From tropical decorations and Polynesian-inspired activities to adventurous games and delicious island-themed treats, a Moana party will be fun for kids and adults alike!
Dive into our guide for ideas to create a memorable Moana celebration that will leave everyone singing “How Far I’ll Go.”
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Moana Costume
For my daughter’s costume I ordered the exact stuff you see linked above. I hot glued some of the palm leaves together to make the crown.
I then hot glued some orange flowers. I bought two of the Moana dresses – one for each of my daughters.
I made the oar from a cardboard box and a big stick I found in the yard.
Moana Birthday Party Planning & Supplies
- I’m really good at planning things last minute but looking ahead means you’ve got enough time to get everything ordered in time and done in a stress-free way.
- I like to pick my top 3 things that I want to focus on and tackle those first. For me, it was the cake, the pineapple palm tree, and my DIY octopus candle. Looking back I probably shouldn’t have focused so much on the octopus candle because it took a long time but whatever.
- There are loads of options for Moana-themed paper plates, napkins and cups. The tableware options are plentiful. Also consider reusable cups like the hard plastic ones I chose
Moana Birthday Decorations
- Use colorful flowers and tropical decorations to add to the party’s tropical feel.
Pineapple Centerpiece
The focal point for the party and food was the pineapple palm tree/fruit tray display I made. Man I was proud of this baby!
- I made the large palm tree pictured above from real pineapples. I used a paper towel holder covered in aluminum foil as my base.
- I cut the tops off the 4 pineapples and then saved the tops and used them in my arrangement at the very top.
- I ordered the palm leaves and stuck them to the top of the palm tree along with the fresh pineapple tops that I cut off.
- I surrounded the pineapple palm tree with fresh fruit and then put fairy lights on the trunk and top of it. It was so festive and fun!
Pineapple Flower Arrangements
- I hallowed out real pineapples and filled them with glass jars of water.
- I then put brightly live colored flowers in the jars and large fake palm leaves. I think they came out so pretty and festive.
- You can order starfish and add those to the arrangements to make them look extra beachy.
- These arrangements were scattered around and on the main table where the girls ate.
Moana Sail
- I made a large Moana sail for the drink station for literally $1.25. I got a Dollar Tree poster board (the thick kind), used a broom I already had, my hot glue gun and I printed out the red Moana symbol. That’s it! I actually made two of them and put another one at the front door.
- What’s awesome about having a Moana birthday party is that you can reuse the decorations for a summer luau.
Photo Tropical Background
I bought a round photo backdrop for my niece’s shower and it’s coming in quite handy. I used zip ties to drape a couple of rope fish nets from side to side.
I bunched faux brown tropical leaves together along with some faux flowers and starfish on one side of the round gold arch. I thought it came out pretty!
Moana Birthday Party Food & Plates/Cups
- I wanted to keep it super simple food-wise since mine was a birthday party for 5-year-olds.
- We just served pizza, fruit, and chips.
- Where I did get creative was with how I displayed the food. I ordered small boat bowls, made Moana flags out of white paper and kabob skewers, and then hot glued them together. They came out adorable.
- I painted coconut shaped plastic cups to go with the Moana theme and added fun tropical straws to them.
- If you want to lean into the luau theme, serve teriyaki chicken tenders, rice, fruit, and lemonade for dinner.
- Have goldfish and Swedish fish as snacks to go with the tropical theme.
- Use watermelon halves to serve dishes for a fun and unique touch.
Moana Party Activities and Crafts
- My older daughter led the kids in a hula dance tutorial she had been practicing. It was actually adorable and completely free entertainment! Can’t beat that!
- I also had the kids use washable paint to decorate sand dollars you can order online. My mom texted like a week before the party and said she had a bunch of sand dollars she was purging so I had her send them to me. The kids at my daughter’s party painted them and I loved all the colors they used!
- Fill ocean animal bottle necklaces with colored sand for a fun and creative activity.
- Depending on their age, the kids can make their own flower crowns with real flowers or construction paper ones. If you don’t want to spend any money at all, the kids can make dandelion flower crowns like I did in this tutorial.
- If the kids are a little more advanced, or there’s a lot of adult help, they can make flower rings like the one pictured above. We made those for my niece’s wedding shower, which were super cute. We did ours with hot glue though so definitely need adult help.
Moana Birthday Cake and Desserts
- I made the above Moana cake for my daughter’s 5th birthday. I actually sliced up a Costco cake – because they taste to darn good- and made sugar glass waves.
- I added brown sugar on top to resemble sand and made the white chocolate shells with seashell molds.
- The sugar glass waves were a little tricky but totally fun to make. I wrote a blog post on how to make a Moana cake if you’d like to see more. I also made the waves out of a combination of rice paper and isomalt. You could also make the waves out of sugar glass but I’ve found that’s harder to work with and you have to work fast!
- It may be a good time to try a watermelon cake like I did in the picture above. I made this one for our pastor’s 50th birthday but you can put whatever number you want on top.
Party leis are cheap and cute
Moana Birthday Party Favors and Gifts
- The coconut cups that I painted to look like kakamora or coconut monsters were also part of their party favors. I found out AFTER I painted them that you can buy the coconut cups already decorated! They come with stickers that you put on the coconut cups. Oh well!
- We did a pinata so the candy from that was part of the party favors.
- We gave out brightly colored leis to each child who attended. They make a big statement and they’re pretty inexpensive.
Moana Party Outfit and Accessories
I ordered two Moana dresses for both my daughters to wear. I wanted one for my birthday girl – of course – and her bigger sister helped with the entertainment my leading the kids in a hula dance. So I wanted a dress for her as well.
What I love about the ones I bought is that they weren’t expensive and they’re something they’ll wear again. My older daughter mentioned she’d like to wear it as a cover up to the pool because it’s light-weight, tropical looking and totally adorable.
I wrote an entire blog post on the best ideas for Moana costumes, so you should totally check that out. While you’re at it, you’ll want to grab your perfect Moana necklace to complete the look.
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Conclusion
As you set sail creating your Moana-themed birthday party, remember it doesn’t have to be perfect.
You’re creating memories for you and your child so enjoy the process of planning and executing it.
I hope your party is as enchanting as Moana’s voyage!
Hi I’m Erica! TV news anchor and mom to 4 littles. I’m obsessed with creating those “wow” moments in life through crafting at home, cool travel adventures and special celebrations with loved ones. Thanks for joining me on this adventure!
