As a mom, it’s very important that I make sure my daughter feels celebrated on her birthday., so I threw my 7 year old the BEST birthday party ever–a Malibu Barbie birthday pool party.

Watch the Malibu Barbie Birthday Party video!

The night before her birthday I decorate the kitchen with balloons and banners, so that I am prepared for her special birthday breakfast in the morning. I cherish this time with Ziya. Over the years, this tradition has become a chance for me to reflect on my time with her, and our relationship as mother and daughter. It seems like it goes by faster every year…

One of our more exciting traditions is an over-the-top themed birthday party! Ziya’s 6th birthday party was Mermaid themed- It was a total SPLASH! We had a lot of fun in the pool (luckily the weather cooperated with us) so we thought we’d base our party around the pool again this year.

Ziya’s favorite toys are her Barbie dolls. She insists on taking them with her EVERYWHERE (the grocery store, the park… If she goes, they go). With the Barbie-core becoming more popular (thanks to the upcoming Barbie movie) we thought we’d throw a totally Barbie-fied Malibu Barbie Pool Party!

BARBIE PARTY DECOR, SUPPLIES & ACCESSORIES

The week before the party was dedicated to finalizing any and all details. We spoke with each of our vendors to confirm their availability and schedule. We also held a ‘mock set-up’ to really nail down where all of our decorations would be placed. We took pictures of each station so we could recreate it for the party. Anything and everything that could be set up in advance was put up the day before the party.

We ordered a bunch of accessories, props and supplies, mostly from Amazon.

We moved furniture, blew up pool floaties, hung streamers, staged the food bar, and anything else that could be done before the party. This greatly reduced set-up time day-of, which allowed me more time to work on my daughter’s hair, and get myself ready! 

Birthday Party Vendors

Austin Balloon Co. – Bounce House, Balloons, and Barbie Box (@AustinBalloonCo)

Simply Sweet Bar – Paletas Cart (@SimplySweetBar)

Sugar Shaker Bakery – Cake and Cookies (@SugarShakerBakery)

EK Balloons – Wooden Arches (@EK_Balloons_)

KrunchyArt – Face Paint and Glitter Tattoos (@KrunchyArt)

Trisha Dash – Photography (@TrishaDashPhotography)

Barbie Birthday Party Menu & Food Ideas

Each station or activity gives me a chance to emphasize or expand on the party’s theme. The food was a big part of the theme–our menu reflected the kind of food you’d find at the beach or the pool (hotdogs, nachos, pretzels–served on a DIYed Barbie-fied pink display stand, and churros).

Of course, we still included the traditional cake and cookies, but thanks to the amazing work done by Sugar Shaker Bakery, both included colors, symbols, and overall ~vibes~ featured on our pitch deck. Can you believe the details on the waves?! All we had to do is add a cute little sunbathing Barbie to the top.

The staging of food is extremely important. We used yards of silky fabric that coordinated to our color scheme to cover crates we used as risers. We also included vibrant flowers and created some DIY customized food station signs with our Cricut machine.

Party Favors & Fun Stations for the Barbie Party

The Barbie Boutique was my favorite station at the party. Guests were able to pick out their own Barbie and fill a customized bag up with goodies. Some of the Barbies and fashion packs were gifted from Mattel, but the rest of the goodies (bags, sunglasses, hair clips, etc.) were purchased online or in-store. We also bought decorations and materials from stores like the Dollar Tree, Walmart, Target, and Joannes. 

And then there was the Barbie Beauty Station where guests could get their faces painted, get temporary tattoos and do their makeup and nails–it was a total hit!

The party was an absolute blast. The kids couldn’t get enough of the bounce house, and the line for the face painter was so long it filled my entire living room! Ziya had a great time too. She loved taking pictures with her friends in the Barbie Box (created by Austin Balloon Co.) This was definitely the most elaborate birthday party I’ve thrown for Ziya yet. I think all of the hard work planning, even if it seemed over the top, really did pay off. Our team just gets better every year. I can’t wait to see what this next year brings! 

My Best Party Planning Tips

• Start with Pinterest. This is where we found inspiration for our color scheme, decorations, food, and overall staging of the party
• Assemble a “pitch deck” to send out to potential vendors for the party. This includes your color scheme, inspirational pics, decoration ideas–really anything that could accurately convey your vision
• Plan, plan, plan — lots of lists, menus, schedules & timelines make sure that everything goes off without a hitch!