10 Ways to Transform Your Literati Book Fair with a Safari Theme

This Spring, take your elementary school book fair to new heights by transforming your space into a captivating story safari with Literati Book Fairs. Their safari-themed book fair not only brings an element of excitement and adventure but also ignites the imaginations of students, making them eager to embark on a literary journey through the pages of their favorite books.

Here are my top ten tips to transform your school library into a story safari!

1. Animal Prints

To kickstart your safari transformation, focus on wild and vibrant decorations that instantly transport students to the heart of the jungle. Utilize animal prints, such as zebra and leopard, throughout your space. You can find safari print tablecloths online, and those big, bold prints will make a big impact in your decorations.

2. Safari Photo Background

Buy a safari backdrop from Oriental Trading and create a photo background for family night at your book fair. Add a banner with your school name and the year as a helpful reminder for future photo albums. Families love to take photos together at school events, and your library will be part of their happy memories for years!

3. Butcher Paper Vines

Hang lush green vines (you can make these by twisting butcher paper), like these shown from PBS’ Wild Kratts. Place life-sized safari animal cutouts (you can find these on Oriental Trading) throughout your event.

4. Bulletin Board and Doors

Carry the Story Safari theme on to your library doors and bulletin boards. You can buy animal print letters at your local school supply store, or buy a font to print your own. You can find many online tutorials for how to make tropical leaves from colorful paper.

A Wild About Reading bulletin board can motivate your readers before, during, and after your book fair. You could create a library center where students write their book recommendations on leaves or animal tracks that you’ll add to the bulletin board.

5. Safari Reading Nooks

Create reading nooks adorned with plush animal pillows and faux fur rugs, where students can comfortably dive into their chosen books, like this one from Eberhart’s Explorers. You can set up these reading nooks a few weeks ahead of time, as you’re starting to build the excitement for your book fair.

6. Safari Jeep Checkout Station

Arrange your checkout station to resemble safari jeeps, like Mrs. Hall’s class did with their desks in this photo. Can you see how easily you can make this look happen with butcher paper and paper plates for headlights?

Provide a “watering hole” with some refreshments for your volunteers. We so appreciate the parents who take time from their busy schedules to help us with our book fairs. Be sure to have small water bottles and snacks to help them keep up their strength during your busy Literati Book Fair!

7. Safari Video with Nature Sounds

While students are shopping at the book fair, play a safari video with nature sounds on your projection screen. This will help them to feel like their library has been transformed into an entirely different destination and will help the book fair feel like an extra special occasion.

8. Flashlight Safari

Build anticipation before the book fair with a flashlight safari in your library using mini flashlights from Amazon or Dollar General. During a library lesson, students could search for stuffed animals, animal photos, or for laminated letters to spell out the word safari.

You might pair your flashlight safari with a jungle picture book read-aloud. My favorite is Oh No! by Candace Fleming. I’ve found that students love to join in on a dramatic, tragic chorus of “Oh, no!” throughout the story.

9. Safari and Wild Animal Costumes

To fully immerse students in the safari experience, encourage them to come dressed like safari explorers or their favorite wild animals. This not only adds a fun and interactive element, but also fosters a sense of community and excitement leading up to the event. Consider organizing a costume parade or a best-dressed competition, offering small incentives or prizes to fuel the enthusiasm.

10. Guess How Many Contest

Host a contest in the library before and during the book fair to generate excitement. An easy contest for you to put together would be to guess the number of animal crackers in a large container, and the closest guess gets to take them home! Here’s a helpful hint: you can use the nutrition facts to calculate how many animal crackers are in the jar. You don’t have to count them yourself!

Literati Book Fair Story Safari

Want to bring a Literati Story Safari Book Fair to your school this spring? Contact their sales team at [email protected], call (833) 758-0217, or visit literati.com/bookfairs to learn more. 

Thank you to Literati for sponsoring this blog post and inspiring kids to develop a lifelong love of reading!

Happy reading!