My toddler is obsessed with Moana, so we threw her a Moana themed birthday party. We kept decorations simple and inexpensive, but still fun!
Over the weekend we celebrated my daughter’s 2nd birthday! I can’t believe that my baby girl is 2! She is currently obsessed with Moana, so naturally she had to have a Moana themed birthday party! I had so much fun decorating and setting up her little party. The best part is that she kept pointing and saying “Ooooo! Decorations!” I also managed to keep the cost for decor under $40, so I’m pretty proud of myself. 
A Moana Themed Birthday Party On A Budget
Moana Themed Decorations
My original plan was to buy some luau decorations from the Dollar Tree and then just buy a few Moana things. But there was ZERO luau stuff at the store! I guess because it’s not summer yet. Luckily, I did manage to find stuff at Party City and Walmart that wasn’t very expensive. I focused most of my efforts on decorating the dining room, since that’s where most of the birthday action usually happens. I used a large painting drop cloth folded in fourths as a table runner. Then, I sprinkled faux hibiscus flowers down it. In my head the drop cloth was kind of like sand since it was a sandy color. 
For the centerpiece I wrapped a few luau leis around a large vase and stuck Moana and Maui inside. Super cute, super simple. 
Save Money By Skipping Themed Plates
I saved money by buying plates and plastic utensils at the Dollar Tree. Then, I just bought Moana napkins. Plain purple cups with Moana stickers on them was a fun, inexpensive addition. 
Moana Themed Food
We had two parties, one for little friends in the morning and family in the afternoon. For the morning party, we served pigs in a blanket and had an area to make your own parfait. There were juice boxes for the kids and mimosas and coffee for the adults. In lieu of a cake at 10 am Jesse baked a bunch of muffins the night before and I topped them with some DIYed cupcake toppers. They were literally just toothpicks with Moana stickers on them, but they made the muffins seem a little more special. 
In the afternoon, we had more pigs in a blanket with chips and dip. We also had a Moana cake that I ordered from the grocery store. Since my daughter doesn’t really have a cake preference at this point in her life, I went with my favorite flavor: CHOCOLATE. There was about 1/4 of the cake leftover and this preggo totally ate it after the birthday girl went to bed. 
A Moana Themed Birthday Party Mantel
I kept things simple in the living room since all of my daughter’s friends were going to be running around and playing. The mantle and chandelier were decorated with a few Moana hanging swirl decorations. I also added some fresh flowers, a Moana book and an old gurgle pot on the mantle. Everything was so simple and still got the point across. I even got a giant poster for $4 at Walmart that I hung over her toy area. 
My daughter had an absolute blast with her Moana themed birthday party and I almost don’t want to put it all away. Almost. I think I may move a few things into her room, like the poster, so she can enjoy them for a few more months. 
So far, decorating for birthday parties is on my list for favorite things about having kids! I always have such a blast using my creative energy to do something special for the people I love. Last year I did a one year party in pink and gold, like her nursery. I can’t wait to do a birthday party for Baby Girl #2 next year and to let my oldest really pick her own theme for her 3rd birthday!
I love the Moana centerpiece and DIY cupcake toppers!