Safari parties are great because they work for both boys and girls, and the theme can be adapted to fit any personality. Here are a few fun ideas that can be used when planning a party like this.

Get creative with Safari invitations.

Party invitations are the first impression that your guests will have, so have fun with them! If you plan on sending an e-card as your invite, incorporate jungle noises in the email and an assortment of animal photos into the card. For traditional paper invitations you make them to look like passports with a visa to the jungle of your choice. The most common pick is African jungles, but there are also South American jungles and others to choose from. You could also base your party on the fictional Jungle of Nool (Horton Hears a Who).

Make jungle masks.

At the beginning of the party, get all of the kids together and have them make animal masks for themselves. Give them paper plates, markers, paint, crayons and glitter, and let them design freely. When they are finished, staple some elastic bands to the masks, and let them wear these instead of party hats.

Decorating your Safari themed party:

To decorate, fill a whole bunch of green balloons with helium and tie brown streamers to them so that they look like trees; attach some paper monkeys to complete the look. Use green, yellow and brown streamers as ‘vines’ for the jungle. Make yourself and other party coordinators (like mom, dad, and siblings) part of the decorations by dressing up in cargo shorts, vests, and other safari attire. Place some stuffed animals around the party area, and have jungle themed music playing in the background. Confetti in animal shapes is a good idea too. Just toss it around the party, and cover the cake table with it.

Speaking of the cake table, be careful not to go overboard with the jungle themed prints. Use some matching solid colors so that it doesn’t get too overwhelming. As far as supplies go, make sure you have plates, cups, utensils for serving and eating, napkins, trays, platters, and pitchers. Think over the menu of the party very carefully and make a list of the things you need, and don’t forget the table settings (placemats, tablecloth, etc.)

Don’t forget the heart of the party: games!

Try some fun games like ‘Into the Waterhole,’ where the kids are separated into two teams to play the fun game of tug-o-war. The waterhole (a “kiddy” pool filled with water or blue balloons if water is out of the question) is placed between the two teams, and whichever team pulls the other team in first wins. Give animal charades, pin the tail on the lion, and scavenger hunting a shot too.

Ideas for your cake:

For the cake, simple rectangular with green frosting, trees and plastic animals is the easiest way to go. If you want to get more intricate, buy a cake pan in the shape of the birthday kid’s favorite jungle animal. Pans like this can be found at any party store.

Safari food ideas:

For food, do finger sandwiches cut into animal shapes with a cookie cutter. Also, animal crackers, pizza (because you can never go wrong with pizza), mud pies and monkey banana splits. For beverages, make a safari fruit punch using exotic, tropical fruits such as kiwi, mango, and passion fruit. Add some lemon lime soda for an extra zing.

Safari favors:

Now that it’s time for everyone to go home, have them leave with a little reminder of the amazing time they had. Send them off with great party favors. Give the children a mini safari kit that includes a safari hat, canteen, binoculars, and a jeep. These pieces can be purchased online for a really good price.