If there’s one thing pretty much all kids love, it’s animals. From dogs and cats to hamsters and guinea pigs, kids love animals of all shapes and sizes.
If your child is a budding David Attenborough, you’ve probably considered an animal-themed celebration for their next birthday. A great way to get kids excited about a party and interested in Mother Nature, animal parties are perfect for young, curious kids.
In order for a children’s party with animals to be a real success, you need to put some serious thought into the planning and preparation. This is especially true if you’re thinking about having live creatures at the event. Keep reading to find out more.
Why animals at a party?
As most parents know, children are naturally drawn to animals. Whether they’re large or small, scaly, slimy or furry, kids love learning about animals of all kinds.
As children are so fascinated with the natural world, animals can make a fantastic entertainment option for kids’ parties. Children will love getting up close to their favourite creatures and live animals also make for great photo opportunities.
During an animal-themed party, the handler will generally give the party guests the chance to gather around and touch the creatures they’ve brought along. They’ll also tell the kids a little more about the habits, life cycle and unique characteristics of the animals in their care. This will help to make your child’s party educational as well as fun and ensure your party guests will remember the event for years to come.
Which animals are good at a children’s party?
Once you’ve decided on an animal-themed celebration, you’ll need to decide which creatures to invite along on the day. There is a huge choice of animal entertainers out there. You could have a selection of slithering snakes at your party, tortoises, lizards, armadillos, foxes, rabbits, horses or, if your kids are really brave, tarantulas.
Before you decide which animals are going to feature at your party, talk to your kids about their favourite species. If you’re going to opt for something potentially scary, like snakes or spiders, try to ensure that none of the party guests has a phobia of your chosen creatures, otherwise, things could go downhill fast.
Location
If you’re hiring small, or relatively clean, animals, like spiders, lizards, rabbits or snakes, you can easily hold your party at your home or at another indoor venue. These animals don’t need much space to run around and are fairly easy to clean up after, so any large room should be ok as your party base. Always check with your venue that animals are allowed before you book your live entertainment. Although most spaces will be happy to host creatures of all shapes and sizes, some may have a few restrictions, so make sure you ask before you book.
If you’ve decided to hire larger creatures, you might want to use a space that’s a little bigger. A lot of animals are more comfortable outside in the fresh air, so think about holding the party in your garden or another outdoor area. If you’re unsure how much space your chosen animals need, talk to the handlers before choosing your party venue.
Health and safety
Health and safety is an important consideration when planning a children’s party with animals. If you’re hiring professional handlers, they should be able to ensure a safe environment for both the animals and your party guests. Again, make sure you talk to the handlers about their requirements before booking your venue.
Before you confirm your animal entertainment, talk to other parents about your idea. Some kids might be allergic to fur or have a fear of creepy crawlies. Talking to parents before you start planning in earnest will help to ensure you don’t end up with entertainment that none of your guests will really enjoy.
Alternatives to animals at a kids party
If the idea of having live animals in your home or garden doesn’t really appeal – after all, our four-legged friends often come with a lot of mess – there are some great alternatives out there.
For example, instead of having live animals at your event, you could opt for balloon animals. A lot less messy and much easier to control, balloon animals can be fun for younger children. What’s more, entertainers who use balloon animals are often also good at magic tricks. This allows you to combine a few different entertainment options at your party and keep your guests happy from start to finish.
Another great idea for animal lovers out there is face painting. A talented face painter can transform a child into a wide variety of creatures in moments. Your kids could become lions, tigers, elephants, spiders, cats or any other animal under the sun. You could give your guests a few additional fancy dress items so they can complete their animal look. Alternatively, supply the kids with a selection of coloured card, fabric and art supplies and get them to create costumes of their own.
One of the main benefits of having a balloon animal or face painting party instead of a live animal party is that there’s less clearing up at the end of the day. Plus, if your child, or any of their friends, have an allergy to fur, you won’t have to worry about them having a reaction when their four-legged friends come out to play.
Perfect for any child with a love for the natural world, an animal theme could help your next party to go with a swing. To find out more, or to learn how an alternative animal party could make your life – and clear up – a lot easier, explore our site or get in touch with one of the expert members of our team today.