The minute I saw Katy Perry’s halftime show last year…I knew I had to throw a Left Shark Pool Party. The cartoony take on a day at the beach was just too much fun! When my little Katy Perry jamming, shark-loving friend Sidney wanted some ideas for her birthday pool party….well, I couldn’t help myself but to bring this theme to life.

The other cast of characters dancing along in the halftime show that were must haves: The dancing palm trees and beach balls. Both were fairly easy DIYs…and I’ll show you how to put together the beach balls yourself.

Also–since I was working with a realistic party budget for someone else’s kid, I made sure everything I made or did was on the super-cheap for about 10 kids. Super-cool pool party ideas on a budget? Yes, please! Read on for a whole bunch of ideas for your next pool party that are budget-perfect…even if you don’t invite left shark to the bash.

Pineapple Cake

I threw this party last year (and am a slow poke about posting parties)–and since then, pineapples have totally become the trend. I’m feeling so chic being ahead of the times! This cake was an easy DIY.

HOW TO MAKE: Frost a 2 tier cake yellow. Cross hatch with chocolate frosting or black frosting in a tube. Add some green paper “leaves” to the top.

Watermelon Pops

Party food should be fun, even if it’s healthy! And nothing goes with summer or pool parties better than watermelon. Make watermelon a blast to eat with some quick and easy watermelon pops.

HOW TO MAKE: Slice watermelon into triangles, cut a slit in the rind and insert a Popsicle stick and you’re ready to pool party!

Sunbathing Bear Brownies

Are you noticing the semi-homemade trend here? Yes! No fancy cookies or ordered cakes here, and everything was inexpensive and put together quickly. Sunbathing bear brownies

HOW TO MAKE: Make brownies and cut into rectangles. Sprinkle with crumbled graham crackers. Add a piece of candy belt for the towel, a teddy graham, and a paper umbrella and serve up on a bed of brown sugar sand. Perfect pool party food!

Flip Flop Cookies

Really, you’re going to see a ton of tutorials out there on the interwebs for these…they aren’t original. But popular because they are so stinkin’ easy to make up. The kids loved them because they’re cute, you’ll love them because they’re easy.

HOW TO MAKE: Use cookie icing (can buy in a tube) and pipe flip flop straps onto Nutter Butter cookies. Accent with a mini M&M.

Don’t you just love the happy little palm trees and happy beach balls? Seriously, besides left shark, they were my favorite part. And I do get excited about party details that crack me up.

Smiling Beach Balls

The beach balls were done with a white paint pen and a sharpie marker. Not complicated at all!

HOW TO MAKE: With a white paint pen, draw circles on the beach ball where the eyes will go, and a rectangle for the tooth in the mouth. Let the paint dry! Use a wide black sharpie marker to draw in the mouth and eye details.

The tables the kids sat at for the party was just as full of campy fun as the dessert spread. A tissue paper pineapple was the centerpiece, and left shark helped out by holding Sidney’s birthday sign. Most of the other items came from the dollar store or were thrift shop finds.

Left shark makes me equally want to do “fins to the left” ala Jimmy Buffet and boogie down ala Katy Perry. So much fun emotion from one little shark!

To dress up (inexpensively) the backs of our party chairs, I added a little braided raffia and some paper hibiscus. The flowers were made from crepe and tissue paper. Crepe paper has a lot more stability

All in all, I didn’t actually make or decorate that much. Just the tables the kids sat at and my super-small dessert display. Really, kids don’t need acres of sweets at a party, and a few little things is more than enough. The party guests thought everything was spectacular and loved every moment!

If you loved the printables, I’ll be happy to package them up for purchase. Just shoot me an email.

Don’t forget to pin this party on Pinterest!

Related Ideas

5 Minute Pool Party Cupcakes and the Last Minute Pool Party

20 Easy Ideas for a Puppy Party on a Budget

{Real Party} SHARKS!

Emoji Make a Splash Pool Party

Shark Party Ideas | Summer Celebrations

Little Witch’s Tea Party on a Budget – A Bewitching Halloween Party

{Real Party} A Midwinter’s Pool Party

Shark Party Punch