Kids love monkeys, from stories about Curious George to real live monkeys at the zoo. A monkey-themed birthday party can feature jungle decorations, a monkey cake and one or more monkey crafts. Craft ideas range from monkey pinatas and party favors to monkey binoculars. Does this Spark an idea?
Simple Monkey Faces
Give each child a pair of scissors, a glue stick and brown, tan and black construction paper. Trace a large circle on to the brown paper using a cereal bowl. On the same sheet of paper, trace two small circles using a drinking glass. Trace a medium-sized circle on the tan paper using a mug, and trace two tiny circles on the black paper using coins. Cut out all of the circles. Cut the tan circle in half. Glue the two pieces of the tan circle -- slightly separated -- to the middle of the large brown circle to make the monkey's mouth and nose. Add the eyes and ears.
Monkey Head Pinatas
Give each child a balloon, and help him cover it in papier-mâch . Play a few games while the balloons dry. Once dry, help the children paint the balloons brown. As the paint dries, have each child cut the following circles out of construction paper: one large tan, two smaller brown and two very small black. Cut the large tan circle in half, and paste the two pieces, with a slight gap between them, on to the pinata to form the monkey's mouth and nose. Add eyes and ears. Make a small hole in the bottom to add candy.
Monkey Party Favors
Give each child a brown paper cup, a black pipe cleaner, a glue stick and tan and black construction paper. On the tan paper, trace a small circle using a drinking glass and two smaller circles using a quarter. Trace two small circles on the black paper using dimes. Cut out all the circles. Cut the large tan circle in half, and paste the two pieces to the front of the cup, leaving a small gap. Paste on eyes and ears. Attach the pipe cleaner, and fill with candy.
Monkey Binoculars
Before the party begins, hide several pictures of monkeys around your home or yard. Give each child two empty toilet paper rolls, a glue stick and a piece of yarn. Glue toilet paper rolls together side by side to form binoculars. Punch a hole at the end of each tube, and connect the yarn. Have each child put her binoculars in preparation for a "safari." Take children around the house or yard, and have them look for the monkey pictures.
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