Jungle Theme Party: Kathryn's Jungle Jam Birthday

Explore your wild side with a jungle theme party!  This post features tons of great party ideas for a jungle birthday party, from food to activities.

So excited finally to share Kathryn's Jungle Jam birthday party with you guys!

Kathryn is my friend's daughter, and when she came up with the idea for a south American jungle themed party, I was hooked.  I helped with this party, but I can't take all the credit.  Kathryn's mom, Beth, took the lead, and I just helped out and had fun brainstorming (and hanging out, and crafting together...and there may have been some wine involved.)

Beth and her husband Brien transformed the backyard into a mysterious jungle full of wild animals and exciting challenges.  I love the vines they made and hung all over the patio to greet guests as they arrived.

There were some furry monkey friends hanging out around the patio and yard, too.  It's amazing what a little construction paper and a few bought props can turn into!  

A kid's extensive stuffed-animal collection can come in handy from time to time!

The backyard was set up with a number of different fun challenges, designed to test the strength and mettle of our intrepid adventurers.  

Like a rope bridge, over piranha infested waters.

Quick sand..

...watch out for the snakes!

Balance and skill was required to traverse Falling Boulder Bridge.  (The boulders were beach balls lobbed by the parents.)

And of course, the snake pit!  

The snake pit was the bouncy house, filled with stuffed snakes from Oriental Trading.  

The snakes also doubled as the take-home favor.  

Also, they were plain old AWESOME.

Beth made paper parrots to perch in the trees around the yard.

Brien made all the signs with a wood-burner tool.  I absolutely love the little touch he addedwith the wood-burner to this old radio flyer wooden wagon.  

The family dog was kept out of the way, but still part of the party!  Happy girl got lots of treats.

Want to know what I contributed?  Well, I'm very proud of the monkey poo flinging game.  ;-)  (Brown play-dough).

And I love that when I suggested such an off-the-wall idea, Beth and Kathryn loved it.  I have such great friends.  

I also made the dessert table for the party.  Kathryn doesn't like cake and icing, but she loves brownies.  

Brownies and snickerdoodle blondies were the perfect alternative to cake.

Jungle tree frogs and snakes decorated the treats, to make them fit the festive theme.

Kathryn may not like icing, but she does like gumpaste tree frogs!

I also made a selection of sugar cookies decorated as south American jungle animals.  Crocodies, tree frogs, and monkeys.

And some fun K cookies, too, iced with chocolate instead of royal icing!  I'll have a tutorial coming up on this technique.

Little chocolate crocodiles and fancy animal print chocolate covered Oreos were a huge hit.

Gummy worms, of course.

I love how the table runner made from real leaves turned out!  I'll have that super-easy tutorial coming up soon, too.

All in all, a spectacularly fun and fabulous Jungle Jam birthday party.  Well done, Beth and Brien!  Kathryn is a lucky kiddo.