Octonauts Birthday Party Decorations, Ideas, DIY Party Favors & More

I never fully appreciated the scope of a child’s full-blown obsession until my daughter met the Octonauts. After an 18-month obsession, my daughter finally had the Octonauts birthday party of her dreams. Complete with a homemade Octonauts crew hat, a creature report and plenty of ocean-themed food, the party was a blast and Captain Barnacles would have been proud.

Octonauts Birthday Party Ideas

My daughter’s obsession with the Octonauts is so great that an episode of the Octonauts is a unit of time measurement. How long until we get there? Four Octonauts (which is approximately one hour). For the record, our party was approximately eight Octonauts, and it was perfect.

Of course, it all starts with an invitation (which I designed). 

Octonauts Birthday Invitation
Custom Birthday party invitations are available by order. Email to inquire about price. 

Creature Report

When I started planning the party months ago, I decided that I wanted to turn the kitchen into the Octopod – I wanted partygoers to feel like they were onboard the Octopod.

Those who have seen the Octonauts know that the Creature Report is the coolest part of the show. So the first thing I needed to achieve that was the set of computer screens used to display the Creature Report each episode.  The screens made the perfect party background, and I loved the way they turned out. Plus K got a kick out of a Creature Report all about the birthday girl.

Custom Creature Reports are available by order. Email to inquire about price. 

Octonatus Creature Report

Under Water Balloon Canopy

The next most striking thing I did to emphasize the Octopod feel was to create a balloon canopy over the kitchen. The canopy of blue balloons gave the feeling of looking up at the ocean. 

It was simple to create, but my husband thought I was nuts when I told him I wanted to hang balloons from our 14-foot ceiling. In the end, even he admitted that it looked really cool.  And it really is a cool effect.

We used 29 balloons to create the canopy (one in the package was busted).

Octonatus Party Balloon Canopy Decoration

DIY Bling Candle

One of my favorite details was the candle for K’s cupcake. I looked everywhere for a pretty number candle for her cupcake, but was sad to find that all of the number candles are just plain ugly. Well, not ugly – but boring and with little options to match a theme. I ended up with one with red, yellow and blue stars all over it. 

Then I got an idea – decorate it! So I found self-adhesive blue crystals at JoAnn’s for $1 (and I had a 40% coupon!), and I made some magic. I already had the big clear crystal in my stash, so it was just a matter of a little craft glue and ugly candle be gone. Seriously, I am going to be doing this from now on. For less than $2, K had a beautiful blinged out candle for her cupcake.

Octonauts Bling Candle DIY

Octonauts Printables

Playing with the Octonauts colors of blue and orange and emphasizing the ocean feel, I used accents of blue and with white polka dots as the basis for all of the coordinating printables I created. I made coordinating table tents for food labels and several items for the goodie bags.

Free Octonauts Party Printables coming soon.

Ocotnauts Birthday Party Decorations

Octo-Food

All of the party food was ocean themed. I served:

  • Captain’s Chow
  • Coral Reef Salad
  • Shark’s Teeth
  • Sandollars
  • Seaweed dip 
  • Pirate’s Booty
  • Buncha Muncha Crunchy Carrots
  • Fish Biscuits
  • Giant Clam Cookies
  • Octopus Puffs

Octonauts Ocean Food Ideas
Ocotnauts Giant Clam Cookies Ocean Food
I have had a lot of questions about the clam cookies. They are Nilla Waffers filled with orange icing (the key is to use Wilton canned icing for perfect application). The “pearl” is a yogurt covered raisin. And the “sand” is brown sugar. Super easy!

Ocotnauts Octopus Ocean Food

Peso’s Medical Goodie Bags

When searching for ideas for an Octonauts birthday party, I fell in love with the idea of using Peso’s Medical Bag as the goodie bag / treat box. Careful thought went into these goodie bags which contained gifts from each of the eight crew members and an Official Octonauts certificate. 

***Update*** Details about what is inside the Octonauts goodie bags as well as three four printables — Official Octonauts certificate, Fish Biscuits Treat Toppers, notepad covers and crew list — are now available.

Octonauts Peso's Medical Goodie Bag

Octonauts Games

To keep the party running smoothly with a gaggle of Kindergarteners in my house, we played three Octo-themed games: Octonaut Bingo, Pin the Mouth on the Octoalert and an Octopod pinata

I designed the Bingo and Octoalert games myself, and I plan to make them available as a free printable soon.

My free Octonaut BINGO is now available. 

Ocotonaut Pin the Octoalert GameOctonauts Bingo Free Printable

Octonauts on DVD

Of course, not everyone at the party was as Octonauts savvy as K. So to help “educate” them on all things Octonauts, we also had the new Octonauts: To the Gup-X DVD playing in the background. Featuring some of K’s favorite episodes, it was a great birthday gift for K that was also very useful at the party!

Octonaut Shirt Hat
Template and tutorial for the DIY Octonauts crew hats coming soon.

Octonauts Birthday Party Supplies:

Octonaut Birthday Number Wreath Decoration

53 thoughts on “Octonauts Birthday Party Decorations, Ideas, DIY Party Favors & More”

  1. My granddaughter loves Octonauts! As a matter of fact, for Christmas & her birthday, we bought her Octonaut toys. I wish I would have seen this site before May 31st, because my daughter had all 3 of her kids’ birthdays then. GREAT ideas!!

    Reply
  2. Love love love your party!!! My son is similarly OB.SESSED with the octonauts and I’m planning his party which is in 3 weeks. Don’t suppose any of your printables would be available before then??! Thanks for the inspiration 🙂

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  3. Hi Jen,
    Thank you for the inspiration. Any update on those printables. I am behind on my organisation so would really appreciate your help.
    Greetings from Oz
    Claire

    Reply
  4. I am super interested in your printables as well. I had midway through planning my son’s 3rd birthday party for July 12th when I found your blog! Now I am sending back a lot of what I have ordered and doing something more along the lines of what you have done here! SO CUTE, you did a fabulous job!

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  5. I am super interested in your printables as well. I was midway through planning my son’s 3rd birthday party for July 12th when I found your blog! Now I am sending back a lot of what I have ordered and doing something more along the lines of what you have done here! SO CUTE, you did a fabulous job!

    Reply
  6. I am absolutely in LOVE with your Octonauts Birthday Theme/Ideas. It is so adorable. I am very interested in your printables. This would be saving me money for my sons 3rd birthday.

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  7. Love your party! One question, HOW did you make the 6 door hanger? I love it and so desperately want to make one! Please please please share how you make it! So cute!!

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    • Candice – I WISH I could take credit for it. But it was actually made by a friend of a friend (whom I don’t know). She made it for her daughter when she turned 6 and passed it on to my friend for her daughter’s 6th. Then it was the PERFECT color for my daughter… And it had one more 6th birthday to celebrate after mine 🙂 I can tell you that it is coffee filters and the back is a giant piece of poster board. But I don’t know the details on how she dipped them. Although one of these days, I might have to try my hand at making one 🙂

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  8. Love your party. I’m doing one for my son. Is there anway to get the personalized creature report signs? I desperately need them but it says its no longer available on etsy. Thanks in advance for your help!

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  9. Hi – What a wonderful Octonauts party you hosted. I am planning my son’s party for Feb 14th and was wondering if you were still doing the creature reports?

    Thanks,
    Marsha

    Reply
  10. I love all your creative ideas! Our son is having Octonauts as his theme for his 4th birthday this month. Do you have your creature report available as a printable? If so, could you please email me with details? Thanks so much!

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  11. Wonderful party! My boys want their party to be Octonaut themed. Can you tell me how you did the giant clam cookies? And what’s underneath that looks like sand? Thanks!

    Reply
    • Sure thing! The clam cookies are Nilla Waffers filled with orange icing. The “pearl” is a yogurt covered raisin. And it is all sitting in a “sandy” ocean floor — brown sugar! Have fun creating an Octonauts party!

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  12. I LOVE all the ideas and creativity! We are using a lot of your inspiration for my son’s 3rd birthday party, this Saturday at our local aquarium. He is SO excited! One of the last things we are having difficulty with is figuring out either A) how to do the Tweak keychains. (already found a cute keychain, just need the printable and instruction) OR B) an alternative option for the “Goody” (medical) bag. I saw a tutorial was coming soon, and figured I just hadn’t clicked on it. Any advice you can offer, or alternative ideas p.would be GREATLY appreciated!
    Thank you so much!
    Brenda
    P.S. LOVING the blog. Have shared it with all my girlfriends, and they are all fans now, too. : D

    Reply
  13. Hello! I am currently planning my daughter’s 3rd birthday party. She has requested an Octonauts-themed party and I am loving the Creature Report based on the child herself that you have shown in this post. How can I go about having one made for me for a party that is scheduled for early October 2015? Any assistance you are able to offer is greatly appreciated. Thank you !

    Reply
  14. Hi! My daughter’s birthday is in January and I’m planning on making it octonauts, she loves octonauts, she’d watch it all day if I let her. But I have a question, did having it blue and orange ever make it feel too boyish since the party was for your daughter, I’m planning on making it teal and orange for my daughter since it felt too boyish to me lol but besides that, I love all your ideas! Where do I find the peso medic printable? Gonna make the medic bags as goodie/thank you bags 🙂

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  15. How did you make the number six which is hung in the front door, can u shares the process, I am planning my daughters 4 th octonauts themed birthday party

    Reply
    • Unfortunately, that is probably the only project I don’t have any pictures of, so I don’t have a tutorial to share. However, this YouTube video does a fantastic job. It looks like she used foam board, I used cardboard from a large shipping box I had lying around (free!). Hope this helps! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RsQpHPuUVc8

      Reply
  16. This is fab. Sadly I’ve run out of time to make my daughters October party quite so fabulous.
    Do you have any food printables to share? I would be so grateful 🙂

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  17. Cute party! My son wants an Octonaut party this year and would love the ‘Creature Report’ of himself! How did you do this? Thanks!

    Reply
  18. Hi Jen,
    The link to the octonaut medical bag plaster printable doesn’t work. Is there any way you can fix this or get it to me? Your party looked amazing, I can’t match it but nicking a few of your great ideas!

    Reply
  19. Hi there. I am planning my son’s Octonauts birthday party for this coming Saturday, Feb. 4 2016. I created the medical bag party favor using your ideas (but I swapped out some of the favors for other items. Any chance you would be able to create a modified version of the Octonauts Gift List for me? I would so appreciate it! Thank you 🙂

    Reply
  20. I have been trying to print the food label for Tunips Fish Food with no success. It prints out very large and off to the right. I can’t get one label to print in whole. I’ve messed around with the sizes trying to get it on one page and no luck. Any ideas? Thanks and appreciate any help you can provide.

    Reply
    • Hi – make sure you are downloading the file to your computer. Don’t just save the image on the blog, download the image from the link. Then print the file from your computer. This should help.

      Reply
  21. i would really love your help with planning this theme for my son jayce 1st birthday party on august 16 2017

    Reply
  22. Hi love your creature report! My son is having an Octonauts themed birthday as well and I love to have the creature report! Thanks!

    Reply

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