Entertain children, from preschool through primary school age with games and crafts focused on animals. If the birthday child has a favorite ecosystem of animals (polar, desert, forest) then focusing on those critters gives the party an even sharper focus.
Animal Birthday Party Supplies
Look for plates and napkins with the child’s favorite animals. Can’t find them? Look for stickers or rubber stamps to decorate plain plates and napkins. (This is a great way to focus the birthday child’s excess energy before a party.)
For the activities described below, find pictures from magazines or print pictures from online. Keep the pictures the same size to avoid potential arguments. Plan to have a few more pictures than party attendees. Duplicate images are okay.
Who Am I? Game
Hand one child an animal picture, telling them to keep the image hidden from the other children. The child then describes the animal, without saying its name, while the other children guess the identity. How many clues does the group need before someone guesses correctly? If the group is large and the children will be bothered if everyone doesn’t get a turn, then break the children into small groups.
Animal Charades
One at a time, the children go before the group, pull a picture, and then try to act like that animal. They should avoid speaking or making any sounds. If the animal theme for the party is polar animals or barnyard animals, let the group know this so they can focus their guesses.
Animal Puzzles
Set an animal picture face down on the table. Apply white glue to craft sticks (narrow sticks for older children; wide, tongue depressor-like craft sticks for younger children) and then have the children glue the sticks to the back of the animal picture so the sticks are side-by-side. When dry, an adult can use a craft knife to cut apart the animal puzzles.
Crazy Critters
Fold sheets of white drawing paper or construction paper in thirds. On the top third of his or her sheet of paper, each child draws the head of an animal. The child extends the neck just a bit onto the second third of the folded paper. Fold the paper to hide the drawn image. Pass the paper around the group (do this to music or while the group sings “Happy Birthday”).
The child who gets the paper then draws the body of the animal, starting from the neck. The key here is that the child does not look at the image of the head. The child extends the image just a bit onto the final third of the folded paper.
Fold the paper and encourage the children to avoid peeking at the images drawn at the top of the sheet. Pass the paper around the group. The child who gets the paper then finishes the drawing with feet, tail, etc. Unfold to reveal the crazy critters.
Decorate Animal Cupcakes
Provide party-goers with unfrosted cupcakes. Ask the children to think of a favorite animal and then decorate their cupcake to represent the critter’s face. Provide white and brown frosting and then a variety of treats, from pretzels to licorice whips, to candy-coated chocolates to create facial details.
If the birthday child loves insects, kids can decorate the cupcakes by using the supplies to create the body of their favorite insect perched atop the cupcake. Take a picture of each child with his or her cupcake before the children eat their creations.
Throw an animal lover a birthday party with themed crafts and games focused on their favorite animals.
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