Table of contents

• Introduction
• Zoo Party Invitations
• Zoo Design
• Zoo E-Invite
• Zoo T-Shirt
• Zoo Party Dress Code
• Zoo Party Decorations
• Zoo Party Guest Arrival & Announcement
• Zoo Party Favors
• Zoo Party Activities
• Zoo Visit
• Quiz
• Fashion Show
• Zoo Makeup
• Food & Drink

Introduction

So what's the hottest themed party doing the rounds? It's a zoo party of course! This party brings out the animal in all who attend and, if it's your choice for themed party, then it is sure to be one people will talk about for ages and ages. So here with a bit of information to help you organize your party, we've put together some of the best ideas in terms of invitations, party activities and much, much more. But first, let's get a little background info on that place we all know... the zoo.

Did you know that the word "zoo" is the shortened form of the word "zoological garden"? Well, many people don't. In addition, zoos are not a modern phenomenon. Ancient civilizations including the Chinese and Mesopotamians were among those who kept zoos in their cities. It was, however, the Egyptians who were exceedingly adept at the keeping of these zoological gardens as remains from their ancient zoos date back to 2500BC - more than 4000 years ago! Of course, in those times zoos were kept by the wealthy as a symbol of their status. While these formed evidence of some of the first zoos, the practice of keeping wild animals confined for pleasure or as a symbol of status continued throughout the ages and were more commonly known as "menageries".

The first version of the zoo we know today - one that was created for scientific and educational purposes - was the Ménagerie du Jardin des Plantes which was part of the Muséum national d'histoire naturelle in Paris. This zoo was created in 1793. After this zoo, many others followed including the London Zoo as well as the Berlin zoo, the latter said to house the most extensive range of animal species on the planet.

And that naturally brings us to our party, where you’ll be able to use your imagination in creating the ultimate wildlife party for you and your friends.

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Zoo Party Invitations

Below you will find some useful ideas for Zoo Party invitations. Should you require any of the materials or items necessary, just ask your parents to help by purchasing them from a retail store in your area or from the internet. And remember, including the following information in your invitation will ensure that your guests will have all the information they need.

• Party Name: Give your party an appropriate name in line with the theme of your party. Ideas here include “Zack’s Wild Animal Fandango

• Salutation

• Date & Time

• Venue/Location

• Dress Code

• Contact Details

• Additional information…
  

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Zoo Design

By far the easiest and most cost effective invitation to make is of course the Zoo Design. This invitation will simply require a computer loaded with the appropriate software as well as a printer. If you don't have either, then you might have to consider asking a friend or an acquaintance if you could use theirs.

Now, the first thing you'd want to do is to decide on an image for the front of your Zoo design. This can be anything, but we'd recommend a bit of creativity. An idea is to take a class photo of all the friends you wish to invite or just use individuals photos and blend the faces of your friends with animals. Be sure to add the name of your party in the appropriate font to the top of your card. Once your front page is designed, it's time to pay attention to the rest of the card.

On the flip side or inside of your card you will obviously need to add the details of the party. In addition, also consider adding some secondary decorations to avoid having too much blank space. For those having trouble with the layout of the design, use a template which you will be able to find in most word processors as well as on the internet.

That being said, all that's left is to print out a test to see if you are satisfied and, if there aren't any further adjustments to be made, the rest of the invitations.

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Zoo E-Invite

We all know animals can be pretty amusing sometimes, and luckily those moments are often caught on camera and posted on popular Internet video sites.

For this invitation you will need a computer loaded with some video editing software as well as an internet connection.

Now first off you would have to go on the internet and look for clips that you would be able to use for your invitation. Do keep in mind that you will need the permission from the authors of the clips before you can use them, so be sure to ask. Once you have the necessary authorization, it's time assemble the climbs into a funny compilation. The effectiveness of this will naturally depend on your creativity and skill, so be sure to use as many sources of information as possible to make this a successful invitation.

And finally, don't forget to add the necessary party details to the clip to ensure that your friends have all the information they need.

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Zoo T-Shirt

There are many different kinds of invitations that you can give your friends. Most of these are often only usable until the day of the party and then get discarded. But what if you gave an invitation that could be used even afterwards?

The Zoo T-shirt invitation is one that will be valid until the day of your party as well as long afterwards. The added benefit is that your friends will think back to your party every time they wear it (so be sure to organize a killer zoo party).

For this invitation you will need to purchase a blank t-shirt for each of your friends (so be sure to get their size before the time). In addition, you will need to think of a design for the t-shirt. Typically, this will consist of an image on the front and the party details on the back. If you're having trouble with the layout, just get your hands on the appropriate software to ensure that the process goes a bit more smoothly. Finally, when you are happy with the design, send it along with the t-shirts to someone who would be able to print the t-shirts for you (but be sure to request a sample first and also remember that you will have to make a separate design for each invitee name).

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Zoo Party Dress Code

The dress code for a Zoo party is… “Zoo”! But of course this can mean anything. As such, be a little more specific. No doubt you and your friends would rather want to dress up as the animals instead of the game keepers. Be sure to mention this under the “Dress Code” section of your invitations.

Zoo Party Decorations

Below you will find a couple of ideas for Zoo party decorations. These can either be bought online or in the appropriate stores in your area.

• Plants

• Banners

• Stuffed animals (ask someone who has them if you can borrow them for the event)

• Posters

• Explorer hats

• Fruits (such as water melon, papaya, etc.) to be used as edible centerpieces.

• Jungle sounds

• Cages (if you can get some) littered with straw
  

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Zoo Party Guest Arrival & Announcement

If you and your friends are dressing up as Zoo animals, ask someone you know to dress up as Zoo keepers and escort your friends inside (in a very formal/English butler kind of way) the venue.

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Zoo Party Favors

Party favors are those items you use to thank your guests for coming, but also to ensure that they remember your party for days, weeks, months and possibly years to come. Below you will find a couple of our ideas, all of which you will be able to find at the appropriate retailer in your area or on the internet.

• Safari hats

• Crocodile teeth necklaces

• Posters

• Mugs

• T-shirts

• African art

• Zoo jewellery

• Stationary

• Calendars

• Key rings

• Toys
  

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Zoo Party Activities

Zoo Visit

With every Zoo party there must be the obligatory Zoo visit. As such, make the arrangements before the day of the party and be sure to inform your friends that you will be making an outing (just so they know to bring something incase it rains, snows, etc.).

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Quiz

Given that you are hosting a Zoo party, we though it safe to assume that you have an interest in animals. As such it would only be fitting to have your very own zoo quiz! For this you will naturally need some questions and answers. To meet these requirements you can either compose your own using the Internet as a source of information or you can pop down to the appropriate store in your area or have a look on the Internet for the appropriate quiz set.

Alternatively, you and your friends can watch number of documentaries on various animals and have a competition afterwards to see who remembers the best!

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Fashion Show

For this activity you and your friends will need a couple of newspapers and/or magazines suited to the zoo theme (so think in terms of zebra stripes, leopard spots, etc). In addition, some duct tape and a some wire could come in useful (as well as something to cut the wire with).

Before there can be a fashion show, you need some fashion. As such, all participants have to be split into a couple of groups. These groups then have to make a number of outfits using only the materials mentioned. This can be achieved by using the wire to make a frame for a dress or a hat and then using the duct tape to stick the paper to the frame.

Now as soon as all the groups have finished their designs, it’s time for a fashion show, so be sure to set up a runway area where the models will be able to model their group’s creation.

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Zoo Makeup

This is a very simple activity to organize and will simply require enough makeup for all the participants. And, as you can guess, the object of this activity will be for everyone to try their hand at animal makeup/face painting.

For the best results, divide into two groups – those who will be made up and those who will be the makeup artists. When everyone has been made up, it’s time to switch so the models will have an opportunity to try their hand at being the makeup artists.

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Food & Drink

Even though you and your friends might be dressing as animals, we’re sure you’d still enjoy the wonderful foods that humans do. As such, be sure to stack up before the party. Here are a couple of things you and your friends might enjoy:

• Chicken wings

• Crackers

• Salads.

• Hamburgers

• Pizzas

• Pies

• Roast Beef

• Pasta

• Spanish Rice

For drinks, consider non-alcoholic cocktails or your normal type of drinks such as lemonade, punch, sodas, sports drinks, milkshakes, etc.

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