Safari Baby Shower Ideas: Planning a Safari-Themed Celebration

Planning a baby shower can be almost as exciting as the execution! There are many ideas, and when following a Safari Baby Shower theme, the number of animals and colors that can be included is nearly endless. From decorations to gifts, food, and activities, there are so many Safari Baby Shower ideas to choose from.

With many options available there are sure to be many opportunities to choose from alternatives for decorations, foods, and activities that will fit an elegant party, a kid or family-friendly party, or a lighthearted gathering. The expecting mother is sure to appreciate all of the efforts and will remember her Safari baby shower with fondness as they watch the child grow.

Safari Baby Shower Ideas – Decorations

Safari Baby Shower decorations really begin with what invitations you choose, as these will set the tone for the guests right from the start. For a safari themed Baby Shower choose invitations that are in green, tan, and natural colours. Safari invitations can be matched to balloons, banners, and much more.

Banners are a great way to share joy and greet people as they enter. Choose one that has baby animals on it, real or cartoon, and announce “congratulations”, or “welcome” or even that has the baby’s name and the month that they are due. Banners can be all one piece or they can be created with a string of flags, letters, or balloons.

Place settings add to the theme and help to create a cohesive appearance. Plates, napkins, and cups can all be themed. For a safari Baby Shower theme choose items that have images of animals on them, ideally baby animals for the baby shower. For added interest, cups can be located that are shaped like animals, for example, elephant cups with their trunk as the handle. These will please even the most serious party guests.

For easy and fun decorations, and even to use as a gift suggestion, use stuffed animals that are animals you would find on a safari, giraffes, elephants, lions, tigers, etc. They can be placed around the room and used as a game later, or they can be all piled in one space like a hammock or scene. Ask guests to bring a copy of their childhood favorites to add to the special occasion.

Small plastic toy animals are ideal for this theme and can be placed around the table or hidden as surprises around the entire space. They are also perfect for putting on top of cake or cupcakes.

Use a tablecloth that is in the colors that match, a dark green or light green, tan, brown, or in animal print for added fun. The tablecloth will not only protect the surface of your table but add to the overall appeal of the space.

A safari theme backdrop can be used to make a great photography space. These can be as large or small as you want and can be hung on a wall inside or outside. Set up some props including animal masks, balloons, stuffed animals, and a camera to allow your guests to pose in front of it for both decoration and a fun activity to memorialize the event.

Click here to read about How to make a Baby Shower backdrop.

Safari gear, such as helmets, all-terrain vehicles, boots, and clothing can all be used to place around the room or even dress a scarecrow for added interest.

Balloons in the themed colors can be grouped near areas of interest such as the gift table, the snack table, and a guestbook to help guide visitors to all the areas that they should be sure to visit and can even mark the way to the bathroom for those guests who are not familiar with the home.

Click here to read about Best Free Places To Host A Baby Shower – Free Venues For Your Baby Shower

Leaves, palm trees, and sand are all associated with safari and can be added to the theme. Stand some fake palm trees around the space, and add some other large-leafed trees, real or artificial, to create a full safari immersion feeling. Bringing in elements of the environment can help people to settle into the theme and enjoy it even more. 

A safari themed balloon arch is a great way to create a focus in the room and when made with dark green light green, browns, and other neutral and calm tones will fit the theme and feel of your Safari baby shower. Place it around the space for gift opening or where the guest of honor will sit, or use it to frame a space for photographs, surround a framed picture of the sonogram, or bring attention to any other part of the experience.

Check out our post here for easy instructions for How to make a DIY balloon arch.

More Safari Baby Shower Ideas

Print and hang pictures of animals on safari. These can be blown up for larger spaces, or printed smaller to put on place cards, or labelled food. Choose images that are cute, funny, silly, or include baby animals to match the theme the best.

Balloon animals are ideal for decorating a safari baby shower. These can be placed strategically around the room or along with other balloon arrangements to add visual interest, and people are certain to remember the baby shower with the balloon animals.

Goodie bags, or baby shower favors, are another way to tie the theme together and show your guests that you appreciate their attendance. Animal keychains, safari animal stickers to seal bags of candy or animal cracker treats, books about someone who went on safari, and the bags or boxes themselves being animal prints or having an image of animals on them are all a great fit for this theme.

Use wooden blocks with animals painted on them to create staggered presentations for snacks, drinks, and other decorations.

Add animal prints around the space. A zebra print throw blanket, cheetah print throw pillows, fake fur rugs, and even curtains and tablecloths can all be sourced in assorted animal prints.

Add streamers to the doorways, link balloons, and drape the tables to add additional color and detail.

Confetti can be spread around the table to add fun to the decorations and add a pop of color to any space.

Safari Baby Shower Food Ideas

Desserts are always a focus when food is involved, and sand can be a great starting point. Use ground graham crackers to create a sand base and add gummy animals to the “sand” all over a pudding for a great snack that everyone is sure to enjoy regardless of age.

Make your drinks exotic by using flavors related to a safari experience. Sparkling water is easy to flavor and safe for all ages, even the guest of honor, and can be created in pineapple, coconut pineapple, grapefruit, and many other varieties. Serve in champagne glasses for an elegant feel or place out small bottles of flavored water.

Serve cupcakes with green icing to mimic the plains and add a small plastic safari animal on top. Alternatively, an image of an animal placed as a flag on the top is easily added to either homemade or store-bought cupcakes.

Read about how to make an amazing Baby Shower dessert table here.

Have a Safari themed cake made that has a dessert or oasis theme and use it as a centerpiece for the dessert or food table. This will delight the guests and create a lasting memory of the event.

Donuts can be lined up, standing against each other, and topped with green paper or toppers to look like pineapples. A matching taste profile adds to the appeal.

Fruit salads can add a light and flavorful option for a snack table.

Choose cupcake toppers, either from fondant, modeling chocolate, or printed images to place on top of plain cupcakes for easy dessert.

A punch with fruit floating on top can be used to create a watering hole, allowing people to stop by and pour a drink.

Cake pops covered with animal prints are sure to delight.

A veggie tray can mimic the food choices of the herbivores on safari and can be arranged to look like animals with a carrot mane, raisins for eyes, or bread as an elephant’s trunk. There are many creative ways to organize vegetables and other foods to look like animals.

Kebabs are a fun and easy way to enjoy snacks during a baby shower or other gathering. Chicken or other meats can be used along with vegetables or other savory items, while fruit kebabs with pineapple, grapes, berries, and more can add a pop of color to the table and let people snack as they socialize.

Animal Crackers can be placed in ground graham cracker base to appear as though they are walking across the sand, or in pudding for a mixture of textures.

What to bring to a Safari Baby Shower?

• Request stuffed animals as a gift, and you can create your own safari experience for the baby as it grows.
• Clothes that are safari themed or have animals on them can fit the theme well.
• Decoration or images, pictures, framed posters, and other decorative items are wonderful gifts for building a nursery.
• Gifts for guests can also be safari themed including small bags of candies with safari anima stickers holding them closed.
• Plastic or even robotic animals are great gifts for a safari-themed baby shower and can help the baby to learn about animals as they grow.
• Books on animals, safaris, and baby animals are all great gifts for any shower.

Safari Themed Baby Shower Games

• Create an animal safari by setting up stuffed animals around the room and putting up cards with basic information on each animal.
• Build a photo booth with a cut-out where the face would be, allowing guests to take pictures of themselves as those animals.
• Create a scavenger hunt with stuffed or plastic animals around the room and have guests find them all and check them off.
• Play a trivia game based on basic facts about the animals you see on safari.
• Fill a jar with small plastic elephants or giraffes and have people guess how many are in the jar.
• Create a bingo card using safari animals and plants.
• Rent animal costumes and have a race to see who can get dressed as an animal the fastest.
• Face painters can paint all the guest faces as different animals to bring some whimsy and light fun to the event.
• Pin the tail on the tiger.
• Fill a tub with sand and place toys within, then blindfold participants and have them search through the sand to find the animal toys. The first to find a certain number can win.
• Enjoy a wordplay game taking characteristics of safari animals and applying them to children. For example how they walk when they are first learning, how joeys ride with their mother, lions roar when they want something, and see who can come up with the best comparisons or puns.
• Play animal sounds and see who can name the animal the fastest.

Safari Themed Baby Shower Final Note

When planning a baby shower there are many things to consider. Once the theme is determined it can be easier to piece together the event and choose food, activities, and decorations that will match. A safari is full of new foliage, expansive views, and animals that some may never see in zoos. By incorporating each of these aspects into the planning a fun and whimsical experience that will bring joy to all those in attendance.

Many of the decorations and games are easy to find and the food can be made in ways that are budget-friendly and easy to execute. A safari-themed baby shower is sure to impress all of the guests and can even help them to choose what gifts to choose or how to wrap them. Be sure to take plenty of photos, or have everyone send the pictures they take to one online photo album to share the memories and keep them for years to come. 

About Author

Jane Sheriff is the founder, creative director, party planner and mom of three. She started Darling Celebrations back in 2012 to share easy and beautiful ideas for celebrating the special events in life.