Top row, left to right: safari animal balloons, $7 for 12 || animal cupcake toppers, $10 for 24 || safari party hats, $15 for 24 || Second row, left to right: animal print cupcake liners, $11.50 for 36 || custom print safari birthday banner, $28 || safari party lanterns, $18 for 12 || Third row, left to right: kraft paper takeout favor boxes, $14 for 50 || inflatable zoo animals, $23 for 6 || jungle leaves, $12 for 48 || Bottom row, left to right: safari cups, $11 for 24 || safari friends paperless post invitation (price varies) || safari paper straws, $15 for 75

When our son turned two, we threw him a safari birthday party. Our kid is obsessed with animals, so it was the perfect opportunity to combine everything he loves about them into one fun-filled, water-soaked day.  Click through to see how to make your own safari birthday party!

Clockwise, from top left: “monkey snacks,” or bananas dipped in chocolate, rest on a banana-leaf platter; his aunt rearranges her artfully decorated animal cupcakes; sandwiches with various fillings are made of pumpernickel and farmer’s bread to resemble “zebra” stripes; a “tiger” fruit platter with oranges and blueberries and a closeup of his aunt and uncle’s beautiful animal cupcakes

“Tiger fruit” made of stripes of blueberries and orange slices

Safari animal cupcakes

monkey sticks — bananas dipped in chocolate

Our little guy has been very clear in the months leading up to our family and friend-filled shindig that he wanted animals at a safari birthday party.  Lots of ’em.  We went with a jungle safari theme, since his favorite animals are in the “lions-and-tigers-and-bears-oh-my” genre.  Even though we’d had a blast at last year’s birthday pig roast, his party last year happened right in the middle of moving into our new house, and I always felt a touch guilty that we’d not had other kids there or more of a to-do for him.  I wanted to make up for last year’s “hey, happy birthday, buddy, here’s a roast pig now leave us to unpack the rest of the house” chaos by giving him a big ol’ bash he’d (hopefully) never forget.

Above: a homemade bunting spelling out well wishes for the birthday boy

What that translated to, of course, was that by the afternoon of the safari birthday party, our house looked like a safari threw up in it.  Our families arrived early to help us set up, which meant that the entire day became one giant series of parties — decorating while eating grilled Omaha steaks (thanks to his auntie); my dad steaming trout for the little guy’s birthday lunch while others focused on creating his outdoor water wonderland; and eating dinner as a family after all our friends left. 

The playground set outside also got a healthy sprinkling of safari

Since we had nine kids and around 30 adults coming in and out of the house all day, the hubby and I decided that backyard fun would be a good way to keep the kids entertained while avoiding traffic jams in the house.  All week I crossed my fingers for cool but sunny weather, since we’d had a flood and some unseasonably cloudy days in the wake of Hurricane Isaac.  By the day of the party, the clouds parted and I sang silent thank yous to the forces that be.  Unfortunately, I may have been to vocal in my praise, because it turned out to be a scorcher of a day.

Party favors were finger puppets from IKEA tucked into kraft paper takeout boxes and decorated with a “thank you” stamp

Luckily, we’d planned for that and had all sorts of water activities outside, including a sprinkler (because what kid doesn’t love a good dousing with a sprinkler) and a baby pool “lagoon” filled with animal beach balls.  Our birthday was a water table, so the kids could also crowd around it for a little cool respite.

All you need to make these adorable safari party favors are: thank you stickers to place on each box // IKEA Titta Djur finger puppets // lime green tissue paper // mini kraft paper takeout boxes

By the end of the day, our little guy was muddy, hopped up on sugar from his first taste of real birthday cake (we’d declined to give him some last year in favor of sticking to limiting refined sugar until after his second birthday) and could not stop squealing. I’m pretty sure it was one of his best days ever.

It was up there for me, too.

After the party, we set the party table again for dinner with the family

How can you recreate this amazing safari birthday party? Check out the supplies I used below!

Top row, left to right: safari animal balloons, $7 for 12 || animal cupcake toppers, $10 for 24 || safari party hats, $15 for 24 || Second row, left to right: animal print cupcake liners, $11.50 for 36 || custom print safari birthday banner, $28 || safari party lanterns, $18 for 12 || Third row, left to right: kraft paper takeout favor boxes, $14 for 50 || inflatable zoo animals, $23 for 6 || jungle leaves, $12 for 48 || Bottom row, left to right: safari cups, $11 for 24 || safari friends paperless post invitation (price varies) || safari paper straws, $15 for 75