If your little ones love big cats, then why not throw a lion-themed party this summer? This is a great idea for birthdays, special events, or summer sleepovers with friends. Everyone can put on a costume and enjoy some delicious treats and activities. You could read The Lion Inside by Rachel Bright, for example.  This is a beautiful tale of self-acceptance that every little one should experience. Remember, facing the lion book towards the children as you read means they’ll see the pictures. If you’re looking for food ideas for your party, we have some suggestions below. 
 

1. Lion Cupcakes 

Baking cupcakes is fun, and the little ones can get involved. Use brown and yellow frosting to create the face of a lion and edible eyes to bring them to life. Use sugar icing pens to add the nose, mouth and whiskers.

2. Lion Paw Cookies

Lion paw cookies are super easy to make and do not even require a cookie cutter. Simply bake round cookies of your choice and decorate by placing one large chocolate button in the centre and four smaller chocolate chips at the top to resemble a paw. 

3. Lion Sandwiches

Make the sandwiches of your choice and then cut them into a lion shape using a lion cookie cutter. Present the sandwiches on a bed of chopped cucumber, broccoli and lettuce to make it look like they’re in the jungle. 
 

4. Lion’s Mane Platter 

Place a bowl of hummus in the centre of a plate. You can decorate this with olives for the eyes and nose if you wish. Then, cut up strips of carrots and orange, red and yellow peppers and lay them around the bowl to look like a fiery mane. Everyone can then dip the veggies into the hummus and enjoy.

If your children aren’t keen on veggies, do the same thing with mango, oranges, strawberries, banana, and any other fruit that’ll create a beautifully coloured mane. 
 

5. Lion King Cake

If you’ve any Lion King figures or plastic lion toys, you can use these to decorate the top of a birthday cake. If you’re more talented in the baking department, then try using a variety of fondant icing colours to create a lion’s face and maybe pipe on a brightly coloured mane. 

6. Lion Pizzas

Make your own lion-themed pizzas. This is a hands-on activity that your children are sure to love. Once the base has been rolled out and the tomato sauce put on, arrange pepperoni, olives, cheese and vegetables of your choice to make the face of a lion. 
 

7. Jungle Punch

With so many delicious snacks, you’ll need a jungle-themed drink to wash them all down. Creating a jungle punch is easy. Simply mix your favourite juices together and serve in a yellow jug with a label that says JUNGLE PUNCH. You could even invest in lion or jungle cups and straws. 

There are many other things you can do to celebrate your children’s love of big cats such as reading The Lion Inside by Rachel Bright. This is a lion story with a moral that’s also touring UK theatres until September. It’s a lovely story for lion lovers, so book your tickets today.