Nora turned two earlier this month, which is wild to think about! It feels like her first birthday was last week. I planned a safari themed birthday party for her and it ended up being so much fun. I spent a lot of time scrolling Google and Pinterest while planning, so I thought I’d share the parts of her party I loved most for anyone who’s interested!
Before Nora was even born, I knew I’d have to use “Nora the Explorer” for at least one party. She’s in a phase where she loves all animals, so a safari party was perfect. I wanted to host something fun without going *too* over the top, and I think we pulled it off!
Safari Themed Birthday Party Outfits
The most important part of any party theme is the outfits! I put Nora in the cutest khaki romper from Amazon and matching binoculars (which she, of course, refused to hold for any pictures). Draper James gifted me the most gorgeous palm print dress, and I saved it for this. We didn’t ask anyone else to come dressed according to the theme, but I loved putting together our looks.
Safari Themed Birthday Party Activities
Funny story: the week before Nora’s party, we went to one of my friend’s parties with a petting zoo hosted by a mutual friend. Nora seemed to enjoy it, but I was torn whether I should spring for it. It ended up being the most popular part of her party, so I’m glad we did! I know that some petting zoos unfortunately don’t treat their animals well, but Petronus Petting Zoo is incredible. I know the owner personally and can vouch that she loves her animals like pets.
We rented a bounce house from Bounce Party of Tampa, and it was a great experience. Nora refused to go inside it until the very end when it was just her and Vagner and everyone else cleared out, but the older kids at the party loved it. I’d probably wait a couple years to make sure Nora fully enjoyed it before renting it again, but it was a hit with everyone else.
Safari Themed Birthday Party Decor and Favors
I am admittedly not a DIY mom, so I knew I wanted to keep it simple for decor. (I’m extremely jealous of all of you pros, but it’s just not me.) A balloon garland was perfect for the space, and I love how Sunshine Balloons tied in animal print balloons to keep it on theme. I didn’t get any good pictures during the party, but this is what it looked like after the fun ended.
This isn’t as aesthetically pleasing as the birthday parties on Pinterest, but you get the gist! The kids loved getting to pick out a stuffed animal and a box of animal crackers, and it was super low effort to put together. I bought the animals in bulk on Amazon and the boxed crackers from Target, although you could get them anywhere. Funny story: I planned to buy an “adopt me” sign but completely forgot, and this last minute addition worked fine.
I loved this sign welcoming our guests and think this would be super fun for a wedding or adult birthday party, too. We borrowed an easel stand from my mom and ordered an 18 x 24 inch foam board sign from Staples for $24. I found an Etsy template for the design, but you could always mock something up yourself if you have the time.
All things considered, the party was a success! I’ve accepted that I’ll probably always be *that* mom and overdo it a bit, but you only turn 2 once!
