This year will be the fifth 4th of July party the chimps will have had, but the first since Young’s Hill was opened! I’m excited to have another summer party with open air for the chimps. (The last one was Negra’s birthday a couple weeks ago). Check out these past blog posts with photos and video from previous 4th of July parties: 2008, 2009, 2010, and 2011.
As we were trying to come up with some ideas about what to do for this party, I thought it might be nice to hear some suggestions from our blog readers. Note: the restrictions on diet include no animal products, no added sugar, and limited added salt. They love fresh produce so we were thinking of including red, white, and blue produce items. Of course the traditional watermelon and corn on the cob will be included, plus we’ll make some Field Roast hot dogs for the chimps. Another idea might be cutting an orange in half and freezing juice in it to make a fun frozen treat. For enrichment we were thinking we might make some piñatas and of course red, white, and blue items. Any other ideas? Please comment here! And if you’re interested in helping sponsor the party, find out how you can contribute here.
Annie with a mouth full of corn:
Can you use Red White & Blue Blankets and make some Fort Walls for the Chimps? That might be hard to set up out of doors though?
Thanks for the idea, Doreen! It inspired me to make a canopy-style “firework” out of red, white, and blue blankets to hang below the bridge in the playroom. 🙂 It’s going to be a fun day!
How about blueberries and strawberries strung (on string) across trees or on the climbing structure, or at the top of bamboo stalks like little blue and red ornaments? (I guess stringing berries might be a bit time consuming…) How about berries in the bottom of blue and red icees.
Would they tear the heck out of pinwheels? I see red silver and blue pinwheels dotting Young Hills turning in the breeze…Firecracker poppers: nuts and popcorn stuffed into toilet paper tubes and wrapped in red and blue paper, tied at the ends to look like little firecrackers. 🙂 Wish I could be there to party with everyone!
Love the Firecracker Popper idea!! I just signed up to volunteer that day….can we do that for their night bags???
That is an excellent idea!
How about red, white & blue snow cones–white ice, with blueberries and strawberries inside.
Thanks for the ideas ladies! Keep ’em coming!
I just signed up to volunteer that afternoon. I’ll be calling on Tuesday to see what you need! Can’t wait!!!
Seems like a theme! I was going to suggest Flag cake with the flag made out of strawberries, blueberries and bananas 😀 Wrong season, but is it possible to find chimp-safe crackers to take the place of firecrackers?
Check these out. My sister and I made these last year for her little chimps (kids) and they devoured them. They were super easy to make, and wonderfully delicious. We cut up strawberries, raspberries, and blueberries and put them in the sections as they were freezing. We tried banana too, but those sort of came out mushy 🙂
http://www.myrecipes.com/recipe/red-white-blue-ice-pops-10000001875620/
Oh! Hey, when they are done eating the ice pop, they can use the sticks to file their nails again.
Those look great!
I just want to say that I love this photo of Annie! Sounds like you folks have great ideas.