Crocodile Hunter -6yr- Reptile Round-up Game

For my son's 6th birthday, we selected a Crocodile Hunter Australian Outback Party. 

Invitations were in the shape of a kangaroo crossing sign:  a yellow diamond w/a kangaroo silhouette attatched to a craft stick.  On the back,I printed party details.  To capture the spirit of Steve Irwin, I included some of his phrases written along the edges:  "Woo hoo. Have a look at this.  Andrew is 6.  Khakis optional.  Outback games and crafts.  See you there, mate!  RSVP to Andrew's Mum." 

The party took place in the "Outback," literally, out back in our yard.  I also included a large kangaroo crossing sign on out gate, letting the guests know they were approaching the Outback. 

As the guests arrived, they were given a bandanna, a la Survivor. I took their pictures as they posed near inflatable pool crocodiles, over 5 feet long. I included these photos with the thank you cards.

After they took their pictures, they decorated brown paper lunch back with reptile stickers.  These bags became their goody bags. 

We worked on the craft:  a Crocodile Magnet.  This was simply a spring-type clothespin, which the children painted green, attached wiggly eyes and paper teeth.  Previously I had hot glued the magnets to the back. 

As the crafts were drying, we began our games.  The children played Reptile Roundup, which was inspired by Family Fun.  We hid plastic snakes and lizards in the grass.  Each child had to find 4 snakes and 4 lizards.  These were added to their goody bags.

We broke for lunch.

Next we played Rescue the Crocodile Egg race, which is just a take on egg and spoon race.  Like Steve Irwin, they had to carefully transport the eggs to the Mother Crocodile's nest. 

After that they played Reunite the Joey with the Mother Kangaroo.  I had drawn a large kangaroo on a piece of posterboard.  Each child had a Joey with his or her name on it.  The game was like Pin the Tail on the Donkey. 

Next they gathered in a circle on the grass to play Pass the Poisonous Spider (Hot Potato w/ a spider beanie baby).  The music we used was Elton John's "Crocodile Rock."

The piece de resistance was the Crocile Cake.  It was inspired by an idea in a Disney Party book.  The teeth were mini marshmallows cut on a diagnal, eyes were large marshmallows with licorice pupils, the mouth was created from black licorice,  the claws were candy corns and the spines on the back were green gundrops.  The cake was covered in green tinted frosting and was almost 30" long.

Previously, Andrew and I created a home-made paper-mache sun pinata, which we hung from a tree. The kids could not wait to break the pinata. Once broken, their loot was added to their goody bags. The remaining party favors were: granola bars, gummy worms and boomerangs.

Andrew's thank you was a card which had a picture of a Crocodile on it, "Thanks Mate."