Party Animal Invitation Ideas

Creating invitations for an event for which you've chosen the theme "party animal" allows you to use animal-related visual components in your design; it also gives you the excuse to indulge in a little word play using variations on the party's theme. You can combine the graphic and textual elements of this theme in a number of ways to make invitations that work well for both kid and adult get-togethers.

Animal Crackers

Send an edible invitation to the kids coming to your child's next birthday. A box of animal crackers, some animal stickers, a bit of animal stationery and clear tape will help you put this party animal invitation together. Start by buying boxes of animal crackers. Get enough so that you can send invitations out to everyone who's invited to the party. Cut out rectangle-shaped pieces from your animal stationery; these should be the same size as one of the larger walls of the animal cracker box. Write the information about the party and the where and when on the paper. Tape it to one of the sides of the animal cracker box. Have your child decorate the taped areas with animal stickers. Help her deliver the invitations to her friends in the neighborhood and at school.

Animal Prints

The invitations you make for grown-up party animals will look much different from those you make for kids. Allow these differences to inspire your creative leanings as you make your "party animal" invitations, including using animal prints to decorate your invitations. Make the invitations from animal-print material you get at a fabric or craft store. Glue it onto inexpensive 10-picture photo albums that you find at the local discount store. Write the party information on animal-print stationery. Slide these pieces of paper into the picture slots. Stuff into a padded envelope. Or, to save on mailing costs, create a less pricey version of these books by printing the party information onto animal-print stationery and folding it into little booklets that you staple together. Seal them with an animal-print sticker so that they become self-mailers and pop in the mail.

Masks

Parties involving dress-up appeal to kids and adults alike. Use the "party animal" theme to create a masked ball party. To get into the spirit of the party, make masks shaped like animals' faces. Choose the animal based upon the kind of party you'd like have. For example, a lion or elephant belongs to a safari party, whereas a dog or a cow goes with a barnyard theme. Make the masks from cardstock. Cut out the eyes and write the information about the party on the back. Support the theme by writing phrases like "Come join us for a wild time" or "Be a wild thing. Join our wild rumpus." Decorate the masks with markers, glitter or decoupage. Deliver them to party invitees the next time you see them.

Zoo Days

Many local zoos open their doors to the public for "zoo days." These special events allow people to visit the zoo at discounted prices and feature many activities and games. Take advantage of these specially planned events to bring your "party animal" theme to life. Cut out invitations in the shape of zoo animals; make these from craft foam. Tell people where and when to meet. You may want to meet somewhere outside the zoo if you're planning on paying for everyone's entrance into the activities.