Tales of the Ocean
“A Mom’s Guide to a Magical Moana Party”
If you’re anything like me, planning your little one’s birthday feels just as epic as sailing across the ocean in search of Te Fiti. My daughter Amanda (our very own mini Moana) just turned one, and we knew right away her birthday had to be as bold, bright, and beautiful as she is. Let’s be honest – she probably doesn’t remember much, but mama sure does! Why Moana, you ask? Well, have you seen her? She’s brave, adventurous, and honestly has better hair than me on any given day. There’s something magical about Moana that just clicks with kids—and moms too!
Credit: Spot of Tea Designs
Plus, the vibrant tropical vibe? Total party gold. I’d seen celebrities like Chrissy Teigen host beachy, themed birthdays for their kids, and I thought—“Hey! We can Moana-fy our backyard, too!” Minus the yacht, of course. Budget-friendly, remember? And let me tell you, once the theme was locked in, everything else felt like a smooth sail. Kinda. Because, you know, I still had to clean the house. But from there, the real fun began. But before we jump into coconuts and confections…
Crafting the Invitations
“FREE Disney Moana Canva Birthday Invitations”
This was hands-down my favorite part (after cake, obviously). Designing the invites for Amanda’s Moana-themed bash was like my creative mama spirit shouting, “I’ve got this!” But then, reality hit—I looked at the prices of custom invitations online and my jaw hit the sand. We’re talking $5 per card, minimum! Not to mention design fees if you want it to look like something off Pinterest.
So I rolled up my sleeves and made my own using free editable Canva templates—yup, the very same kind we now offer on our site. And let me tell you, these Moana birthday invitations? They’re not just “okay”—they’re frame-it-and-hang-it-on-the-wall cute!
We included three different design styles for variety. One has Moana wielding her paddle, standing strong like the fierce voyager she is. Another features Maui (yes, the demigod!) giving that classic smirk with his fish hook, ready to party. And of course, Amanda’s name in bold letters front and center—because it’s HER day, after all.
It’s all editable in Canva, which means you can tweak the fonts, colors, and even add cute lines like “The Ocean is Calling…” or “Amanda is turning ONE!” You just need an email, internet, and maybe a coconut-scented candle to set the mood while you design. Trust me, these invites scream ALOHA VIBES and save serious dollars. And the best part? It looks like you spent a fortune—when really, it was a latte and a nap’s worth of effort. Your inbox will be full of “Omg where’d you get that!?” in no time.
And once the invites were out…
CUSTOMIZE AND DOWNLOAD NOW ON CANVA!
Beginner’s Guides
Before you get too wrapped up in planning the rest of your party magic, let’s talk about invitations! Our free invitation templates are not only adorable, but they’re super easy to customize too. Whether you’re adding in party details like the date, time, and location or even a special note, you can personalize everything to fit your theme perfectly.
A. Download Instruction
Want to know how? Read this step-by-step guide to help you download and customize our free editable invitation templates:
- Scroll up the page until you see the “Download Free Editable … Here” button.
- A new page will be shown in seconds, and you will be able to see the preview of our template designs.
- Choose/click the “Edit Template” button (blue button).
- Now you can personalize our templates, like putting your son or daughter’s name, changing the font-size and color.
- Once you finished with the editing, you can download the final draft (Go to File > Download > Select the File Type (PNG is the best option) > Download.
B. How to Print the file?
“Steps for printing our templates”
- Save the image you want to print to the computer or to a flash drive if it is not saved already. (Step 5 of Download Instruction).
- Go to the file explorer and find the file. Double click the image.
- The file will open in Windows Photo Viewer
- Go to print at the top and then go to the print option
- Select the color printer if you want the photo to print in color
- Select the print size you want
- You may want to play around with the “Fit picture to frame” option. Sometimes that option will allow the photo to print closer to the border, but sometimes it will cut off the edges of the photo.
- Hit print and Voila!!!
Looking for more ideas? We also have these for you, Need other ideas? Please show some love to these template designs, Moana 2, Moana Tropical Theme and Greenery Moana birthday invitation templates.
Decor Galore
“Let’s Turn Our Home into a Mini Motunui”
Okay, here’s where the real mom magic comes in. Turning our living room (because yup, it rained that weekend) into a tropical oasis felt like a DIY mission from Moana herself. But if there’s one thing I’ve learned from countless Pinterest fails, it’s this: less can be more when you plan it well.
I went to the dollar store, grabbed green streamers (for the jungle-y feel), paper flowers, and some raffia table skirts. Combined with our free Moana-themed party kit, it looked straight-up luau fabulous. The kit includes editable signage like a “Welcome to the Island!” sign, a thank you tag with baby Moana holding a shell, and even a printable backdrop you can customize in Canva. Yes—printable! You can send it to your local printer or display it on a screen if you’re extra tech-savvy.
(Use this template and print it on 6 ft. x 3 ft. polyester fabrics)
Credit: Dakota’s Moana 5th Birthday via Catch My Party
We even printed palm leaves and stuck them to the walls using painter’s tape. Instant jungle. Add in a Bluetooth speaker playing Moana’s soundtrack (because “How Far I’ll Go” is a whole mood), and we were transported from suburban chaos to oceanic charm. Of course, the kids loved it. But secretly, I think the moms had more fun taking selfies with the Maui cut-out. With the space transformed…
Don’t Skip The Maui’s Masterpiece
“One Layer to Rule Them All”
This was the centerpiece. The edible showstopper. I could have ordered a $100 bakery cake, but instead, I called my cousin (who watches one baking show and now thinks she’s a pro), and we made our own. We did a two-tier cake—top was the island-themed fondant with brown/green sugar “sand & grass,” and the bottom was ocean blue with Moana standing tall, her hair flowing gloriously (yes, I used an action figure).
Credit: Moana Te Fiti 2 Tiered Cake by Classy Girl Cupcakes
I added a sparkly number “1” topper, and voila! Pinterest-worthy? Maybe not. But it was sweet, delicious, and full of love—and really, that’s the secret recipe. The kids were mesmerized. Amanda smashed her piece like a true island queen. It was the moment of the party. But the sugar high meant only one thing: time to play.
Now It’s Time for Moana Missions
We kept the activities sweet and simple. The biggest hit? Our free printable Moana coloring pages. You know how little kids can’t sit still unless they’ve got crayons and characters they recognize? Yeah. That. I laid out a table with seashell-shaped crayons, printed Moana, Maui, Pua, and Hei Hei coloring sheets (all available for free, of course), and boom—instant quiet time.
Credit: 52 Moana Coloring Pages by Monday Mandala
Parents sipped coffee, kids got artsy, and Amanda sat there gnawing on a blue crayon. Bliss. We also did a little “Heart of Te Fiti” scavenger hunt using green painted rocks (which the kids thought were actual treasure). Add a limbo stick between two broomsticks and you’ve got yourself an island party. But once the cake was gone and the treasure hunted…
Wrapping Up This Island Adventure
Planning Amanda’s first Moana birthday party was more than just a celebration—it was a reminder that with a bit of heart, creativity, and maybe a hot glue gun burn or two, you can throw a party your kids will remember (and you’ll remember fondly). It didn’t cost a fortune. It didn’t need a rented yacht or a Hollywood event planner.
It just needed love, effort, and a few good templates (shameless plug—but seriously, use our free editable Moana invitation and party kits!). So to every mom out there scrolling through themes and thinking, How do I even start?—take a breath. You’ve got this. Moana crossed the ocean, girl—you can definitely handle a backyard birthday bash.
