Drinks

Party Recap

When my son chose a Reptiles & Amphibians birthday party for his fifth birthday, I was a bit reluctant. Reptiles and amphibians are not exactly my favorite things! However, this ended up being one of the most fun birthday parties we’ve ever had. And it made for a very happy five year old!

Reptiles & Amphibians Party Decor

I pulled the party together using a lot of things I already had around the house, such as an old desk he loves, vintage crates, galvanized serving pieces, vintage books, some succulents for critter habitats, and a magnifying glass. Reptile and amphibian figures were squeezed in here and there, and I made a garland, a scholarly pull down chart, and loads of printables for a personal touch. I designed the invitation and all of the matching printables, which you can purchase in the shop. They are perfect for any little lady or gentleman who loves herpetology. There’s an invitation, mailing labels, fillable food labels, banner, napkin rings, party circles, favor tags, personalized “Junior Herpetologist” badges and so much more in the shop.

I DIY’d a frog anatomy pull down chart to add to the vintage charm. Total out of pocket was $14 vs. $200+ for the real thing on Etsy. And the bonus … party decor for now, room decor later. He loves his frog print!

I also made a felt ball garland by threading some gold twine through an assortment of felt balls from TaDaa Studio Felt. I selected Chocolate, Khaki, Wasabi, Lime, Sunflower, Mango, and Poppy. They complimented the colors of the printables, added some texture and extra color, and it was such an easy DIY.
Reptiles & Amphibians Party Food & Drinks

My son has a dairy allergy, so all of the treats in this party are vegan. Sourcing pretty treats that accommodate a food allergy is no easy feat, and I hit a lot of dead ends in my search both locally and online. Some things I could outsource, but some required a little homemade creativity.

Lucky for us, there is an amazing vegan bakery in Kansas City called Mud Pie Vegan Bakery & Coffeehouse. They have the best cupcakes, even if you aren’t vegan. The cookies ‘n cream cupcakes are his favorite, of course. If you ever find yourself in KC, stop by!

The vegan cake is from the bakery at Whole Foods Market. I threw a cake bunting from the collection on top along with his favorite frog, and then I surrounded the cake with chocolate rocks.

The cookies were, without a doubt, my favorite thing on the table. When I came across Jessica’s Etsy shop, Compassionate Cake, I was blown away by her designs. They are perfect little pieces of art. And even better, my little guy can eat them because they are vegan.

One of my brainstorming ideas from the very beginning was to have truffles that looked like turtle eggs and serve them up in a “turtle’s nest.” It was my first time making truffles, but I was happy with how they turned out after some trial and (lots of) error. I made a nest out of brown sugar and placed a few turtle figures in there like they were crawling out of the nest.

I used the same vegan white chocolate to make the lizard tales, though you could certainly use almond bark or real white chocolate if dairy isn’t an issue for you. I bought a bag of pretzel rods from the grocery store, and drizzled the same melted white chocolate chips over them. Zach is a pretzel addict and loved them.

Soda is a special treat around here, and Zevia is his favorite brand. Cream Soda is his favorite flavor. I used some jute twine to tie on some long paper straws with straw flags.

Reptiles & Amphibians Entertainment

So I could truly relax and I enjoy the party with my son, I decided to hire an entertainer. Animal Wonders brought in a collection of reptiles and amphibians for the kids to meet. Every time the handler opened one of the containers, the kids would ooooh and aaaah. It was so funny!

The kids met a box turtle named Speedy, a painted turtle named Stewie, a ball python, a kingsnake, a pair of leopard geckos (that’s what is on Zach’s shirt!), were kissed by a skink, and finally they met a really chill baby alligator.

Most of the animals were rescues, so the kids learned about their history, how to safely handle them, and the responsibility of taking care of an exotic pet. It was so educational and fun too.

Reptile & Amphibians Crafts

To help our little guests unwind from the reptile and amphibian show, the kids got to adopt their very own lizard and make a habitat for it. I bought some cute stretchy lizards at a toy shop and set them out on a tray with some washi tape, markers, and rectangle tins. The kids could decorate their tin with washi tape and then write their pet’s name on the tape. They got so creative with those habitats! The kids thought it was the best thing ever and named their lizards some pretty cute names, like Banana and Rocket.

I also set out some draw-a-frog activity sheets, which our older kiddos really enjoyed.
Reptiles & Amphibians Birthday Party Favors

As our guests left, inexpensive favor bags were handed out with some reptile-themed bouncy balls, grow reptiles, and a small magnifying glass inside.

Reptiles & Amphibians Vendor List

Invitation and Party Printables | Three Little Monkeys Studio
Cookies | Compassionate Cake
Cupcakes | Mud Pie Vegan Bakery & Coffeehouse
Joy’s Chocolate Cake | Whole Foods Market
Cream Soda & Ginger Ale | Zevia
Long Paper Straws | Cranky Cakes Shop
Green Napkins | IKEA
Utensils, Rectangle Tins, Washi Tape and Favor Bags | Daily deals from Pick Your Plum
Galvanized Metal Cake Stands, Cannister and Tray | Daily deals from Decor Steals
Wool Felt Balls, assorted colors | TaDaa Studio Felt
Chocolate Rocks and Eco Straw Fiber Plates | Amazon.com
Carter’s Lizard Graphic Tee | Bought at a local JCPenny, but available online
Reptiles & Amphibians Entertainment | Animal Wonders

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1 comment

  • Erin P

    Erin P wrote:

    Hi! Can you please tell me where you bought those tins from? Thank you!!