Party Animal Birthday Party
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When throwing a birthday party for a toddler mid-pandemic, there are two priorities. First, make it as fun and festive as possible. And second, keep it on budget.
Last November, I was able to achieve both of these when throwing a party animal themed party for my 3 year old son. This is such a great theme for any free spirited kid who loves animals.
My little guy is a true animal lover. Everything from dinosaurs to mice are on his radar. In a more normal year, I would have loved to have taken him to an immersive zoo experience with some friends, but that wasn’t realistic. So it was my job to bring that same joy with a distanced at home party with just family.
Here’s how I did it:
Get Outdoors
Setting the scene is important. This is a great party theme if you want to (or have to) party in the great outdoors. Greenery and nature are your best friend and also free, so use that if you have it.
Balloon Arch
Nothing says party like a balloon arch. I grabbed this green safari balloon arch off Amazon. If you want to grab a balloon arch, grab some sort of balloon pump to blow up the balloons and start early. You can’t start too early as the balloons could deflate, but doing it all the night before will take some time. (Hi, been there!)
PRO TIP: The balloon arch that you purchase will likely have instructions. But remember to blow the balloons up at different sizes to achieve the best aesthetic.
Side note - My arch was set up on one of the windiest days. We ended up having to attach the arch to a wall of sliding glass window with A LOT of tape. If you’re installing a balloon arch somewhere other than your home, pack a few different methods to install like tape, zip ties, and Command Hooks + string.
Budget Friendly Party Animals
My son already had an ample supply of toy animals. I knew I wanted to include some of his favorite toys are decor to personalize the party even more. The night before, I grabbed his favorite animals and made small party hats for them using this tutorial and template and tiny pom poms. I then hot glued those to his animals.
Party Animal Party Games
If you’re hosting kids, having activities is key to keeping the party from crashing too soon. We went with an easy Safari Scavenger Hunt. Before the party, I hid a few stuffed animals in the yard. I gave the boys a checklist on a clipboard, safari hats, binoculars, and popped them in a wagon. We pulled them around the house to find all the hidden creatures.
This theme also lends itself to a version of pin the tail on the [insert animal], an arts and crafts activity where you make your own binoculars out of tp rolls, and decorate your own printable animal masks.
Party Animal Birthday Food
I am not usually big on overly themed food. Honestly, getting my kids to consume a whole meal takes all my mental bandwidth. And the kids can’t read yet, so they don’t see that I cleverly called the Cheetos tiger tails. They just want the cheesy, salty snack.
However, we did try a confetti cake batter dip paired with animal crackers. It was delicious. Plus if you’re looking to up your kids’ protein intake, swap vanilla creek yogurt for the regular yogurt. It works just the same!
Party Animal Birthday Gift Ideas
I love to have at least a few themed gifts. For a party animal theme, I love the idea of gifting Hungry Hungry Hippos and these animal letter magnets. My kids play with these all the time on the fridge while I make dinner.
Going the Extra Mile
The little touches that make a party special to your child can vary. Here are some great additional items that you could grab to complete your theme. Don’t forget that nothing compares to you spending a little more time with your child. If budget becomes a concern, find a fun Spotify playlist and throw a dance contest or have all the kids eat cupcakes with their hands behind their backs.
