Monkey Business Party
By Shelly Radic

Invitations
Cut a banana shape out of two pieces of yellow cardstock. Glue together at stem. On the inside of the back banana write: Go bananas at Tyler’s Monkey Business Party and give party information.

Decorations
Green streamers hung like vines, bunches of bananas, monkey balloons or inflatables, Palm tree inflatable or houseplants and stuffed monkeys.

Food
Spaghetti (Curious George’s favorite), banana muffins and banana splits

Costumes

Monkey ears made by gluing round, brown craft foam ears to a headband, monkey tail made from a long strip of brown felt, and brown face paint on nose, cheeks, and chin.

Crafts

• Jungle Mural - Place a long piece of white butcher paper or an old white sheet across one wall. As guests arrive, encourage them to create a jungle scene with fat washable markers.
• Monkey Puppet - Give each guest a brown paper lunch bag, a large oval face cut out of light brown paper, two black eyes, two brown ears, and a long brown yarn tail. Have guests glue the face to the bottom half of the bag flap, adding eyes, ears and tail.

Activities

• Monkey in a Barrel - Place a barrel (trashcan covered with brown paper) three-four feet from guests and see how many monkey bean bags they can toss into barrel.
• Stick the Banana on the Monkey - Place a large picture of a monkey on the wall. Have guests take turns trying to place a banana sticker in the monkey’s mouth.
• Hot Banana - Play jungle music as guests toss around a banana. Whoever has the banana when the music stops has to jump around and make monkey sounds.
• Ballroom Monkeys - Clear a room or play area and fill it with all types of balls, including at least one large beach ball for each child. Invite guests to toss, bounce, roll, and throw to their heart’s content.
• Pass the Banana - Create two teams and challenge children to pass the banana from neck to neck without using their hands.
• Monkey See, Monkey Do - Have children take turns being the chief monkey. Whatever the chief monkey does, the other monkeys have to copy.
• Ten Little Monkeys Finger play - “Ten little monkeys jumping on the bed (ten fingers jumping around), one fell off and bumped her head (one finger folds down). Mama called the doctor and the doctor said, ‘No more monkeys jumping on the bed (One finger pointing and shaking no). Nine little monkeys jumping on the bed….”
• Read Curious George.

Party Favors

Barrel of Monkeys, monkey stickers, monkey bean bag, monkey puppet, banana.

And don't forget the key elements to making any party

As Much Fun as a Barrel of Monkeys!