Animal Themed Party, Everything You Need to Know
Everything you need to know to throw a super fun animal themed party! From animal themed activities, to cake & table design, we got you covered!
When planning a kid’s birthday party, I always have a handy checklist so I don’t forget something important! Here are the main areas:
- Food
- Dishes and Utensils
- Beverages
- Activities
- Decor: Table and Front Door
- Outfits
- Trash Can
- Party Favors
- First Aid and Other Essentials Basket
Keep on reading to get all the details and see some inspirational animal party fun in action!
The Party in Action!
Before I get into all of the details, watch this video for a glimpse of our animal themed party in action!
From creepy crawlers to wild animals, my son loves to explore all kinds of living things! Instead of focusing on a specific type of animal theme party like jungle, safari, woodland, or otherwise, we stayed broad allowing the flexibility to include any and all animal types!
All activities should be supervised by an adult. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. This post may contain affiliate links.
The Party in Action!
Before I get into all of the details, watch this video for a glimpse of our animal themed party in action!
From creepy crawlers to wild animals, my son loves to explore all kinds of living things! Instead of focusing on a specific type of animal theme party like jungle, safari, woodland, or otherwise, we stayed broad allowing the flexibility to include any and all animal types!
All activities should be supervised by an adult. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. This post may contain affiliate links.
Animal Themed Party: Activities!
Whenever I plan my kid’s birthday parties, activities are always one of the most important things to figure out!
We opt for hands on, often sensory-based and arts and crafts experiences over bounce houses and other more costly alternatives. Read on below for the main activities we decided to do for the animal themed party!
Age and interests will also help determine what types of activities you’ll want to set up. For toddlers, and young preschoolers a simple coloring station will provide lots of entertainment! On the other hand, if you have the budget, older kids might enjoy some entertainment like a wildlife show!
Be sure to check out our recent dinosaur themed party too for more activity ideas!
Animal Lego Building
These eggs are filled with building blocks that create wild animals. I set the eggs up on a wood slice cupcake stand where kids had the freedom to select an egg and build what was inside!
Animal Paint Station
On our other kid-sized folding table, I set up an arts and crafts activity! These animals, paints, and brushes were all part of a kit. So much fun transforming the plain animals into colorful ones!
Play Dough Tray
This invitation to play dough is all about using loose parts to create an animal habitat! I included blue glass beads, moss, rocks, and animal figurines in addition to lots of colorful play dough!
Wildlife Show
Seeing and engaging with real animals was lots of fun for the kids! Research your local area to see if anyone offers a wildlife show like this where they bring animals and teach kids all about them!
What to Eat at an Animal Themed Party!
We went all out when it came to food for this party – from a beautifully crafted buttercream cake with animal figurines and a cascading waterfall, to cake pops, snacks, and a mobile pizza maker.
I always love to give the cake table extra attention because that tends to be where our best photo opportunities take place!
I was also able to find some fun animal-themed snacks for the snack table. Read about them below!
Animal Themed Cake!
We go all out with our cakes whenever we have a themed party and this wildlife themed cake didn’t disappoint! No fondant here – just buttercream and realistic figurines create a beautiful edible scene!
Cake Pops
We chose 3 animals to make into cake pops, including a fox, parrot, and alligator! But feel free to mix that up! We also got some wooden cake pop holder trays that had a natural look that worked well with the party’s theme!
Snack Center
I got my hands on some fun animal cracker boxes, plus some no-sugar added bear gummies! We wanted to keep snacks in individual packs to prevent the spread of germs and to make access easy for the children to do independently.
Mobile Pizza Maker
We splurged on our main food option and had a mobile pizza maker come to our house to make kids and parents custom pizzas. It was a big hit – not only delicious, but also a great non-buffet option during these times!
What to Eat at an Animal Themed Party!
We went all out when it came to food for this party – from a beautifully crafted buttercream cake with animal figurines and a cascading waterfall, to cake pops, snacks, and a mobile pizza maker.
I always love to give the cake table extra attention because that tends to be where our best photo opportunities take place!
I was also able to find some fun animal-themed snacks for the snack table. Read about them below!
Animal Themed Cake!
We go all out with our cakes whenever we have a themed party and this wildlife themed cake didn’t disappoint! No fondant here – just buttercream and realistic figurines create a beautiful edible scene!
Cake Pops
We chose 3 animals to make into cake pops, including a fox, parrot, and alligator! But feel free to mix that up! We also got some wooden cake pop holder trays that had a natural look that worked well with the party’s theme!
Snack Center
I got my hands on some fun animal cracker boxes, plus some no-sugar added bear gummies! We wanted to keep snacks in individual packs to prevent the spread of germs and to make access easy for the children to do independently.
Mobile Pizza Maker
We splurged on our main food option and had a mobile pizza maker come to our house to make kids and parents custom pizzas. It was a big hit – not only delicious, but also a great non-buffet option during these times!
Animal Party Decor
What are we left with once the party is over? The pictures! So setting up a great photo op dessert table is always a priority for us!
I used a leopard print table cloth with a burlap runner that I bought in bulk. I was able to have enough material to make the kids arts & crafts tables in the same style!
I snagged some succulent plants from Trader Joes and a few other leafy plants from Home Depot and dispersed them across the various spaces to integrate living greenery.
Add some green vines, a happy birthday garland, wooden cake pop holder, and balloons (number and cheetah), and everything came together so well!
Wood Slice Cake Platters
We’ve used these rustic cake platters in the past for holding cupcakes, but since we didn’t have cupcakes this time, they were great for holding the prize eggs at our building-block station!
Animal Shaped Planter
We scattered various planters throughout the tables at the party, filling them up with soil and succulents! We found these cute giraffes as well as a pack of other fun wildlife animals!
Burlap Runner
I love that this high quality burlap runner comes in a bulk roll! I was able to use it on 3 different tables and I have more to spare for our next party! It gave the tables such a great texture!
Animal and Leaf Print Table Cloth Pack
This pack of 4 table clothes came with a leaf print and the following animal prints: cheetah, zebra, and tiger!
Animal Themed Balloons
This cheetah balloon went on the wall where our dessert table was located. We also got an alligator and a tiger for the front door area for people to see when entering our home.
Greenery Vines
These greenery vines are a great touch to an animal-themed party backdrop! It comes with 12 different pieces, and we had plenty to spare for our next party!
Animal and Leaf Themed Plates and Napkins
In addition to animal themed plates and napkins, I also included some leaf shaped plates and wooden utensils.
More Party Ideas!
Looking for more fun details for your Animal Party? Here are some more ways to have a great time with this theme!
Party Favors
We always opt to spend a little extra budget on a high quality party favor that kids will actually use more than once! Kid’s got to take home an animal-print bag with a bug catching kit, sunglasses, and a felt animal mask!
Animal-Themed Outfit
The boys got dressed up in a fun animal themed shirt, and my daughter wore an adorable dress with cheetah print. She even matches the table cloth!
Animal Costume
Instead of hiring someone to come dressed up as a mascot, have a family member do it instead! And this fox costume is so much fun, cute, and not scary! Also great to hold on for Halloween!
Parrot Piñata
Piñatas are such a fun way to add entertainment to a birthday party. This parrot shaped piñata isn’t huge, so keep that in mind depending on your party size! We put squishy animals toys and animal themed bubbles inside!
Number Balloons
Number balloons are a fun way to shine a light on your little one’s new age! Make sure to use a very strong double sided tape to make sure it stays up on the wall throughout the party!
Happy Birthday Garland
This happy birthday garland comes pre-strung, which is such a time saver when you are already so busy setting up for a party!
Garland
This tassel garland is the perfect color scheme for a wildlife-themed party! The tassels have wooden beads in between adding for a natural jungle and woodland look!
Explorer Vest
This adorable vest and hat set is a fun addition to have the birthday kid wear during their animal themed party! It is made of durable plastic and comes with lots of pockets!
What’s Next?
The Best Bath Toys for Kids in 2024
Explore the best bath toys for kids! Discover the ultimate guide to bath time fun with these top picks that will make every splash memorable.
How to Layer a Raised Garden Bed and Make a Trellis
Learn how to layer a raised bed and create affordable trellises for thriving gardens. Explore our guide for expert tips & easy instructions!
Number Recognition for Toddlers – The Best Activity to Start Learning
Kickstart number recognition for toddlers with this beginner’s activity! Fill bubble outlines with pom poms for engaging hands-on learning.