• A safari can be a great party theme for children.Hippopotamus in safari background image by patrimonio designs from <a href='http://www.fotolia.com'>Fotolia.com</a>
  
  Animals, adventure, sun--safari parties offer children a great way of exploring without leaving their own backyard. Because safaris require a lot of moving around in nature, it can be hard to figure out how to shrink down safari ideas to the size of your home. However, a few simple games provide a great way to work a safari party into even the smallest space while keeping the spirit of the great outdoors.
  
  

Photo Safari

• You can find pictures of most safari animals online. Try to find pictures of giraffes, zebras, water buffalo and elephants among others. Print them out in color and put them around the house and have children try to spot as many animals as possible. For older children, you can also get disposable cameras for them to take actual pictures on their photo safari, and send an adult to the photo store for one-hour developing. This way, children can take their photos home at the end of the party.
  
  

Scavenger Hunt

• Hide a variety of safari-related objects (binoculars, stuffed animals, small plastic Jeeps) around the house or your backyard, and give children a list of all of the items you have hidden. For younger children who may not be able to read, no list is necessary--the game can function more like an Easter egg hunt. Have children search for as many items as possible in pairs or teams. The group that finds the most safari-related items wins a prize.
  
  

Animal Identification

• Either using the photographs from your photo safari or a collection of new ones, gather a collection of exotic animal photos. The strangeness of the animals should depend on the children's age--don't show a picture of a water buffalo to a four-year-old, whereas an elephant will be too easy for an eight-year-old to identify. Children should take a look at each picture and write down (or whisper to you) the name of the animal. At the end of the game, reveal the answers. The child with the most correct animal names wins a prize.