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Calling all party animals! Can you think of a better theme for a zoo of wild kids running around? I certainly can’t, and I was super excited about this theme when my daughter decided she wanted a “jungle animal” party this past year. The possibilities were endless and it was definitely hard to rein it in and not want to do all the critter-themed things! In the end, we struck up a pretty good balance of fun ideas to practical party must-haves.
My husband and I decided to throw her party at a local indoor playground to save us some sanity! 15+ 7-year-olds in our small house did NOT sound like fun for anyone so we decided to plan her party somewhere they could all be wild. The bonus of parties outside of your home is a guaranteed start and stop time. Parents know they have to pick up their kiddos on time, but that time can sometimes get blurred when it is hosted at your home.
Since we were having the party from 10 am-12 pm on a Saturday morning we did not need to provide much food. We opted for a large bowl of fruit, yogurt pouches, chips, granola bars, fruit snacks, and juice boxes. Instead of a cake, she opted for brownies (If you have someone you know that doesn’t like cake check out my other blog post with non-cake ideas for birthdays)
So with location and food determined we were left to plan the fun details- decorations and party favors! The first stop was Party City. We picked up a few cute animal balloon kits, tablecloths, and jungle-themed banner. Our next stop was online with Daydream Society where we were able to pull all sorts of details together.
Daydream Society is my go-to for most paper goods for our parties. I can always find colored plates, cups, silverware, and napkins that tie in with our theme. At this party, I chose a variety of greens to go with the tropical foliage on our invitations. Our daughter also found some animal-printed napkins in the baby shower section- and while the pastel colors didn’t match I still agreed to use them. After all, it is her party and not worth the battle with this little strong-willed child!
Our party favors were a lot of fun to put together. We made small grab bags with a couple of toys, snacks, and candies. The 3 pack of small bubbles from Dollar Tree is another party go-to for us. We wrapped these adorable custom labels around them and they are always a crowd favorite with the little kids.
We also found a couple of tube containers of mini animal figures. Opening and dividing them among the grab bags added a cute touch costing pennies a piece. I would have loved to have spray painted them all a shiny gold, but I ran out of time. Lastly what animal-themed party would be complete with animal crackers?! A custom label glued to the bag completed these fun party favors. I really do love how they turned out!
I think my favorite thing that we found at the dollar store was these adorable felt animal masks. Her birthday is near Halloween so we were able to score these from the costume section. Though they were a seasonal item I know Party City had cute cardboard masks as an option too. We decided to lay these on the table separate from the goodie bags so they doubled as a decoration and each child could pick what animal they liked best.
My next favorite touch we did were these balloon stands. We constructed these non-helium tabletop balloon centerpieces very quickly using Dollar tree’s balloon yard stakes, and the best part is they are completely reusable! They are a perfect alternative to running around to get helium balloons blown up the day before a party and having to transport the bunches with them blowing all over your car.
When planning a themed party on a budget I do recommend focusing your look on one or two areas. If you spread the details out too thin throughout your home or venue the idea gets lost. I like to center the main party of our decor around our food buffet area and then a few other smaller focal points in areas where people will congregate such as a centerpiece on the dining room table and wall decor in the living room. For this party it was easy we only had two tables at the venue so placing everything in the central area definitely showcased the theme of the party perfectly!
If you are interested in throwing your own party animal-themed party be sure to check out my shop for some of the adorable printables I created including customizable invitations.
In the end, our little one had a perfect party with her entire zoo of friends! I had a great time putting together the details and hope it inspires you to host your own wild party animal gathering!
