Teach Kids To Think About Giving In Every Aspect of their Lives

Jungle Party Theme Cake

Children’s Jungle Party

(a short play or podcast)

Julie: I’m looking for a way to teach my kids to think about giving in every aspect of their lives.

Nichole: Weren’t you planning a birthday party for your son Howie?

Julie: Yes…

Nichole: You should add a charitable element to your celebration.

Julie: Intriguing, how do I do that?

Nichole: I’ve heard that some people, rather than accept more junky toys to clutter their houses, are asking friends and family to adopt an endangered animal in honor or the birthday boy or girl.

Julie: Wow! That’s a good idea.

Nichole: Of course. It’s a brilliant idea, if I may say so myself.

Nichole and Julie giggle

Nichole: And you know most of these charities give adoption gifts, like stuffed snow leopards and baby gorillas. Have the kids bring the adoption gifts and then use them as party decor. Then, donate the stuffed animals to the children’s hospital.

Julie: I like that. So.  Hmmm…it would mean, a jungle theme for decor too. That would be easy…a few coconuts, a bunch or two of bananas, plastic safari hats, and colorful plastic monkeys for the centerpiece.

Nichole: Yeah, now you’ve got your creative jungle juices flowing.

Julie: For more color, we can throw around safari balloons.

Nichole: That’s it. Keep it simple.

Julie: What do I do if the kids get hyper?

Nichole: If you bring hula hoops and beach balls you can keep the kids moving. Have them dance to music from movies like Jungle Book and Lion King.

Julie: I can also bring in musical instruments and have them make their own jungle music.

Nichole: Or have them bring their own instruments.

Julie: You’re right, some take lessons and have their own. I’ll bring extra…

Nichole:…like percussion?

Julie: Yeah…for the ones who don’t have any. You know, I saw a recipe for making a jungle themed cake on a cooking show.

Nichole: Cool. And for after the cake, if you bring old national geographic magazines and butcher block paper along with paper crayons, washable markers, and glue stick “creative kit bags,” they can walk away with their own creative designs and with the kits.

Julie: This is all such a great idea. Just one thing I don’t know if I can get ready.

Nichole: What’s that?

Julie: Get Howie ready for a party with no presents…

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This was posted for http://bluebellbooks.blogspot.com/2011/08/thursday-short-story-slam-week-7.html  for:

Thursday Short Story Slam Week 7

You were supposed to write a story or poem based on the picture above. So I wrote a little play. Hope they don’t mind.

Since the Animal Rights community liked my previous poem, I wrote this with an AR theme.

Picture from:

http://familyfun.go.com/recipes/its-a-jungle-cake-687408/