One of our readers, Angela, contacted me asking for help with her daughter’s upcoming 2nd birthday party. She wanted to plan a pajama party around her daughter’s favorite book “Goodnight Gorilla”. For those who don’t know, in summary, this is a book about a gorilla and other zoo animals, including a giraffe, mouse, hyenna, elephant, armadillo, and lion who follow a zoo keeper home, into his room, and get cuddled up and ready to sleep. The main colours of the book are blue and green. Angela wanted to incorporate some of the colours from the book, but she also wanted to keep it girly, and possibly use animal prints. To sum it up, she was looking for ideas to help her pull together a cohesive and exciting theme. 

Here are the ideas I shared with Angela. I had a vision of a green, pink, brown and giraffe print colour scheme. I thought it would be nice to have pink, green and giraffe print paper lanterns hanging from the ceiling over the bed table, which Angela was thinking of having. She had no idea what colour sheets and pillow cases she would use for the table, so I suggested a pink and green combination, much like the ones Jamie used for her daughter’s fabulous Night Owl Pajama party. I also suggested setting the table with giraffe print plates, and using green plants as centerpieces. Angela was thinking of serving cookies and milk, and I thought a cookies and milk buffet, much like the one Anne set up at her daughter’s party would be perfect. I also found some great cookie jar labelling ideas from Most Likely Late. I suggested cupcakes decorated with zoo animal toppers, and favor bags filled with animal cookies /biscuits. For the favor bags, I suggested using brown paper bags, decorated with ribbon, and tags naming the various animals from the book.      

Some more cookie jar labelling ideas from Most Likely Late.

And of course the kiddie guests will need a place for fun and froilc, so I suggested setting up a cozy play area under a pink canopy, with lots of plush, pink, green and giraffe print cushions, and cuddly stuffed animals from the Goodnight Gorilla story. I can’t wait to see how this party turns out! 

Picture of the bed table used for the Night Owl Pajama Party.

Images: { giraffe print lantern, pink and green paper lanterns, cookie buffet, stuffed gorilla, cookie jars, green plants, zoo animal cupcakes, favor bags, favor bag labels, pink canopy, colourful cushions, giraffe print cushions   }