Mini Safari


This is more of decoration than a full blown party activity. If you have a lot of large African animal decorations or your child has a lot of African stuffed animals, then this activity will work well. It will take about 45 minutes to an hour to complete the project. This project will cost about $4 to set up if you have most of the materials already described.

Materials Needed:

  1. 4-5 different animals
  2. tables to set the animals on
  3. wrapping paper such as a cloud wallpaper to use as a backdrop


Start the kids on one side of the safari zone. Have them go slowly through and pretend that they’re on safari. If you need to buy extra time, have the kids “parade” down the safari later on in the party.

Savannah Games – Birthday Party Game


This series of games was inspired by Disney’s show “The Lion Guard.” It’s kind of like the Savannah meets the Olympics. The kids can play the games without giving away prizes to the winner of the activity, which would be best for toddlers. Older kids would appreciate having someone win a prize of some sort for each game. It may entertain the kids for 45 minutes. You can use materials around the house for most of the activities.

Materials Needed:

  1. A stopwatch or a phone with a stop watch.
  2. A table with each child’s name as a row and a column for the winner of Fiercest competition, 2 slots for the Fastest competition, and 1-3 slots for the winner of the keenest of sight competition.
  3. A cone or cones made out of construction paper
  4. tape
  5. 2 step stools
  6. a broom or swiffer
  7. a set of cones to dodge around
  8. a limbo set or something like a limbo set
  9. something to droop down like a party streamers or cut wrapping paper
  10. An object (or 3) that would be out of place in Africa
  11. Optional: 5 different awards


Each activity should have its own labeled space. The games should be held outside. Hand out the prizes at the end.

The Fiercest

No one can be fierce without a good roar. Use either a cone or a cone made out of construction paper to amplify the roar. The kids should clap after each roar. Each child gets two tries. The kid that gets the most applause should win the fiercest event. Record that child’s name down on a table.

The Fastest

A simple sprinting contest should be held to determine who the fastest is. Label a yard or use a yard stick to make a space for sprinting. This is the minimum distance. Have the kids line up and run the distance one at a time. Each kid should run twice and you should mark down each run of each kid on a table.

The Strongest

The strength test requires a wagon (real, toy, or a creative wagon such as a toddler ride on toy). You should put some things in the wagon to make it appear heavy. Use the area in reverse of the fastest test to see who can push the wagon to the end the fastest. Don’t make the wagon too heavy! Mark down who pushed the cart over faster on the table.

The Bravest

The bravery test requires the most set up and creativity. It is a mini obstacle course with 3 main obstacles. You can switch up the order in which you want to put the 3 mini challenges or substitute your own. These are merely suggestions. Only let one child go at a time.

Obstacle 1 is a jump consisting of 2 step stools and a long stick or a cleaning appliance with a long handle such as a broom or a Swiffer. Tell the kids that its a log that they have to jump over.

Obstacle 2 is a series of cones that the kids have to weave in between. The cones represent a zebra herd. You cannot disturb a single zebra.

The last obstacle takes some setting up. You’ll need a limbo stick set-like structure, tape, and either wrapping paper shredded into long, thin strands that hang down, party streamers,or something similar. The idea is that a child is walking under the vines and snakes to get to the other side. The kid with the shortest time should be the winner of the activity.

The Keenest of Sight

This is a real-life what’s wrong with this picture game. Hidden amongst your African-themed decorations you should hide a medium or small object that is out of place. If you play another two or three rounds of it, you should change the out of place object and the location each time. Mark down the winner each time.

To give out awards or not…

If you’re not going to give out awards, then you should still make the final announcement of the games: everyone, I showed the Lion Guard the numbers and they made all of you honorary members of the Lion Guard today.

If you are going to give out awards, then you should can give the kids any prize you want to. You can give them mini, stuffed versions of the characters, give them certificates, or a ribbon.