Beach Jell-O Cups for Kids (Pool Party or BBQ Idea!)

These beach Jell-O cups are ridiculously cute and so easy to make! With blue gelatin, crushed graham crackers, and teddy grahams lounging on candy towels, they’re perfect for summer BBQs, pool parties, or a beach-themed birthday.

Clear plastic cups filled with blue gelatin, topped with cookie crumbs, a candy strip, a bear-shaped cookie, and a small paper umbrella to resemble a beach scene.

Why We Love Beach Gelatin Cups

Easy To Make And Decorate – No need for fancy skills, these Jell-O cups will look adorable even if you don’t decorate desserts all the time.
Fun For Summer Parties And BBQS – A few extra minutes usually will bring a lot of smiles. Kids (and adults!) love a fun themed dessert. These are great for pool parties or a backyard BBQ.
Only Need A Few Ingredients – Only a couple ingredients mean you can have a little fun without a ton of extra shopping. These use similar ingredients to my gelatin fish tank cups,, you could even make both!

Planning a whole BBQ spread? These mini fruit pizza cups or the strawberry fruit pizza are both great backyard BBQ treats for kids and adults, or these red white and blue M&M cookies always hit right for summer. If no bake dessert is more your style, try the strawberry cream cheese icebox cake.

Ingredients For Beach Gelatin Cups

Find the full printable recipe with specific measurements and directions below in the recipe card.

For The Gelatin Cups

blue gelatin – I used berry blue, the powdered boxed kind.
water – amount per Jell-O package directions

For The Beach Decorations

graham crackers – crushed
Teddy Graham crackers
peach rings candy – peach rings are the most common flavor, but any chewy and gummy candy ring shaped candy works.
rainbow sour candy strips – cut into 1 ½ inch rectangles

You’ll also need cups, and you can optionally use mini umbrellas to decorate if you choose.

How To Make Beach Gelatin Cups

Making The Gelatin Cups

Prepare the Jell-O as directed on its packaging.
Place the plastic cups onto a baking sheet to catch any spills and make them easier to chill. Pour even amounts of liquid gelatin into each cup. 6 ounces of Jell-O mix will fill about 10 cups that are 5 ounce cups.

A metal saucepan filled with a bright blue liquid jello.

A baking sheet holds twelve plastic cups, 11 filled with blue jello from above.

Place the baking sheet with the Jell-O cups into the fridge. Let the Jell-O chill and set for at least two hours or overnight.

Decorating The Gelatin Cups To Look Like The Beach

To add the bear who is sunbathing on a towel, pour some of the crushed graham cracker onto half of the Jell-O cup. Place a piece of the sour candy strip on top for a beach towel. Then place a teddy graham on top to look like the bear is laying on a beach towel.

View from above of a bear cookie laying on a candy beach towel over cookie crumb sand on top of blue jello water in a cup.

To make the bears on a float, place a teddy graham into the middle of a peach ring. Stick it into the top of the gelatin cup to look like it’s floating in an inner tube floatie in the water.

A clear cup filled with blue jello decorated with a teddy graham and a candy ring to look like the bear is floating in water.

Will These Jell-O Cups Melt In The Heat?

If the heat is climbing the Jell-O could get a little melty. Try putting the cups in a tray of ice to keep them fresh on a hot day, or for a party or BBQ.

Variation Ideas For Beach Jell-O Cups?

Add Whipped Cream “Surf” – A dollop of whipped cream (or cool whip) on top of the Jell-O can make a pretty cute “surf” on top of the water. I would only add whipped cream right before I serve though, as it doesn’t always hold well if you add it ahead of time.

Try Other Flavors Of Teddy Grahams – Teddy Grahams come in lots of other flavors like chocolate and chocolate chip. I don’t recommend cinnamon as it won’t taste as great with the Jell-O. You can also try one of their limited edition flavors, I’ve seen strawberry and sprinkle!

Or Use Gummy Bears – No Teddy Grahams? Gummy bears are a great substitute.

Try Other Cookies – Goldfish has graham cracker fish which might look fun hanging out on the Jell-O water. I’ve also seen graham cracker mini cookies shaped like Paw Patrol characters and Minions for a limited run. Keep an eye out for any other fun limited run shaped graham crackers or small cookies, you can get creative!

Use Any Flavor Ring Candies – Peach rings are the most common flavor, but you can also sometimes find green apple, blue raspberry or cherry flavored cady rings.

Add Other Ocean Gummies – Swedish fish are a fun addition, like I have in my fish tank Jell-O cups. They also sometimes have “Swedish fish and friends” that have other ocean animal shapes. I have also sometimes seen beach themed gummies at Trader Joes, and they also sometimes seasonally have a pack of lobster shaped gummy candies that would be a fun addition. Gummy sharks or star fish are also fun additions.

I love making cute mini desserts for the kids, they are always so easy and great for a party. Try my classic dirt cups. I also have an Easter dirt cup and a Halloween tombstone dirt cup version!

FAQ About Beach Jell-O Cups

Can I make these Jell-O cups ahead of time?

Yes! You can prep the gelatin the day before. Add the decorations just before serving so the cookies and cookie crumbs don’t get soggy.

What’s the best Jell-O flavor to use for the water?

I like the berry blue flavor. There is a fun Sonic Ocean Water gelatin that’s a fun twist (and a pretty blue color) if you like coconut.

How do I keep the graham cracker crumbs from getting soggy?

Decorate the Jell-O just before serving. Or keep the “sand” and toppings in a sealed container and let guests add them at the party themselves! Just make one as an example.

Can I use premade Jell-O cups?

You can if you can find blue ones! Just peel the lid and decorate. Premade cups are a little smaller, so you may have to go easy on the toppings. I prefer a bigger cup, so I have room to decorate.

What happens if I can’t find blue Jell-O?

You can use an unflavored gelatin mixed with white grape juice that you dye blue with food color. Make sure to dye the white grape juice and follow the package instructions.

Can this be made in a big dish instead of individual cups?

Yes, you can make a decorated bowl full of blue gelatin instead of making individual cups.

How Long Will These Beach Gelatin Cups Last?

I recommend enjoying these cups within 2-3 days as they will taste best.

Once made Jell-O will last for 7-10 days if covered and placed in the refrigerator. However, the graham cracker bears and crumbs may start to absorb some of the liquid from the Jell-O which can make them soggy.

If storing them for more than a day or two, I recommend decorating the Jell-O right before serving. I’ve also dumped the graham cracker crumbs and bears off of the Jell-O and then put them back on top before serving so they don’t end up soggy. The candy pieces typically last just fine.

Close up of a jello beach cup full of blue jello and a graham cracker bear laying on a candy towel in on the graham cracker crumb sand with more cups nearby.

Beach Gelatin Cups

Author Kristy Richardson

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Prep Time 10

Chill Time 2

Total Time 2 10

These beach Jell-O cups are a fun and easy summer dessert that totally brings the wow factor! Kids love the candy bears and “beach” scene, and they’re perfect for pool parties, BBQs, or anytime you want to bring the fun.

Equipment

10 mini umbrellas optional

Ingredients

For The Gelatin Cups

▢ 6 ounces blue gelatin 6-8 ounces of blue gelatin, I used berry blue
▢ 2 cups water or amount per package directions

For The Beach Decorations

▢ 3 pieces graham crackers crushed
▢ 10 pieces Teddy Graham crackers
▢ 10 pieces peach rings candy
▢ 10 pieces rainbow sour candy strips cut into 1 ½ inch rectangles

Instructions

Making The Gelatin

Prepare the Jell-O as directed on its packaging.
6 ounces blue gelatin, 2 cups water
Place the plastic cups onto a baking sheet to catch any spills and make them easier to chill. Pour even amounts of liquid gelatin into each cup. 6 ounces of Jell-O mix will fill about 10 cups that are 5 ounce cups.
Place the baking sheet with the Jell-O cups into the fridge. Let the Jell-O chill and set for at least two hours or overnight.

Decorating The Gelatin To Look Like The Beach

To add the bear who is sunbathing on a towel, pour some of the crushed graham cracker onto half of the Jell-O cup. Place a piece of the sour candy strip on top for a beach towel. Then place a teddy graham on top to look like the bear is laying on a beach towel.
3 pieces graham crackers, 10 pieces Teddy Graham crackers, 10 pieces rainbow sour candy strips
To make the bears on a float, place a teddy graham into the middle of a peach ring. Stick it into the top of the gelatin cup to look like it's floating in an inner tube floatie in the water.
10 pieces peach rings candy

Notes

This recipe will fill about 10 5 ounce cups or about 6 9 ounce cups. I like to use disposable cups for parties, but small clear mason jars or small juice glasses also work great.

You can use any blue gelatin. I’ve seen berry flavored, blue raspberry, and even Sonic Ocean water (which is a citrus coconut flavor).

Graham crackers can be crushed in a strong zip top bag with a rolling pin or with a heavy canned item.

You can use premade individual gelatin cups that are blue, the kind that are meant for lunchboxes. Just peel the top and decorate. I do find it’s a little harder to fit the decorations on top of premade gelatin cups, as the cup are a little smaller.