What is an ARK Adventure Party?

Reptile birthday parties by A.R.K. are fun and educational. We will come to your birthday or party location, and share our absolute love of reptiles, why they are important for our environment, and what to do when you spot one in its natural habitat.

As age groups are different, each show is adjusted (time and information) to fit the appropriate age of your child. We help both the children and the parents with their fears and apprehensions about Reptiles, and most of the time, people who thought they'd never touch a Reptile touch, hold, and enjoy learning about our scaly friends!

We bring non-venomous and non-aggressive Reptiles. We also provide waterless hand sanitizer before and after any contact with our Reptiles. The goal is to excite the children and have fun, so they can laugh and understand that Reptiles are animals like most others.

How does a A.R.K. Party work?

We are not a petting zoo—we are a wildlife education program. Our A.R.K. Adventure Program is a quiet, sit-down part for your birthday or theme party, designed for children who are turning 4 years old or older. Your party guests will all be seated in a large semicircle shape and the birthday child gets to be the guest of honor as the Reptile guide’s assistant. We bring out one Reptile at a time to teach you about. We adjust the curriculum for the age of the audience, but we usually cover where the animal comes from, what they eat, interesting behaviors, how they defend themselves, etc. We then offer the birthday child the opportunity to hold the animal with our assistance, so you can get some special party pictures! Next, we walk the reptile around the circle and, as long as your guests are following our safety rules, they may gently touch the Reptile. We do this with all 4-7 reptiles that you have selected. Our programs always end with an out-loud audience quiz—to reinforce the information delivered and to provide the children with a sense of accomplishment. The kids learn a lot, but more importantly, have fun and make memories to last a lifetime!

What are the A.R.K. safety rules?

As you know, animal programs generate great enthusiasm, but they also generate some unique challenges regarding party management. We understand a child’s natural curiosity and love of animals, but that must be balanced with the needs of the Reptiles and the safety of the guests. For the safety of the guest and the Reptiles it is critical that your guests follow some simple rules:

   1. Remain seated

   2. Avoid loud or sudden noises

   3. Must follow the presenter’s instructions at all times.

The party hosts are required to stay and assist with guest management and will be expected to assist in handling disruptions, so the reptile guide can concentrate on the presentation and safe reptile handling. We reserve the right to eliminate the touch portion or to not show the reptiles if the guests are disruptive or fail to follow the safety rules.

Do I get to choose the animals I want at my party?

Yes, you may choose each reptile for your party by selecting your favorite 4-7 Reptiles from the A.R.K Pets Pages. Four (4) are included in the standard fee we have 7 total to choose from and each additional reptile is an additional $20 or we can also provide Special reptiles (LARGE Reptiles) for additional Fees (will require 2 reptile handlers in attendance) Contact us or call (214) 228-4966 to get a current list of available special reptiles

Is it safe to touch the Reptiles?

We teach and enforce a strict set of safety rules and we maintain control of the reptiles at all times—so everyone is perfectly safe. No guest is forced to touch a reptile, it is their choice. All participants are required to use an FDA-approved hand sanitizer that we provide at the start and end of the program to keep the guest and the reptiles safe. In addition, we always recommend that the guests wash their hands with soap and water following the program.

What’s the set-up for the party?

We normally conduct the program indoors. The presentation room must be a contained indoor space, a patio or outdoor room is not a safe, controllable environment. Most party parents simply use their family room or living room and push back the tables and couches. Please select a climate-controlled, ground floor location (we cannot climb stairs safely with crates, but elevators are acceptable). For obvious reasons, children may not have food or drink in the presentation area. If there are household pets, please be sure they are secured and out of view and earshot of the presentation area.

Note: If you want to have your party outdoors, the temperatures must be comfortable to humans (not too hot or too cold), as Reptiles are cold-blooded and become the temperatures of their surroundings. Temperatures will need to be between 68-78 degrees outside for us to consider an outdoor party.

How much space do you need?

We just need a floor space big enough for the entire group to sit in a big semicircle shape, either on the floor or in chairs. Most parents simply push back tables and couches and clear some floor space—you do not need to cover your carpets, we don’t make a mess! If you happen to have a neighboring room (bedroom, den, laundry room, etc.) where we can store the Reptiles, this will greatly help in keeping them calm and quiet before show time—and keep them away from prying eyes! Please provide two hard-back, adult-size chairs for the presenter and the birthday child as a center staging area.

How does the time scheduling work?

We suggest that you book your party at least 2 weeks in advance, as our calendar fills up quickly. However, if you have waited until the last minute to plan your birthday party entertainment (or you found us at the last minute!), give us a call anyway! We just might have an opening for your birthday surprise!!

Suggestion: Schedule the A.R.K. Adventure 15-30 minutes after your party begins to give the guests plenty of time to arrive (Example: if your invitations say 1:00, schedule the A.R.K. Adventure for 1:15 or 1:30).Be sure to book us at the time you want us to START the educational party program. Please understand that we must stay on schedule, as we have other client commitments.

What is the maximum number of guests?

All guests must be 3 years old or older to participate in the party circle. The maximum number of guests for 4 and 5 year old parties is 15 children. For 6 years old and older, the maximum is 25 children. More guests makes it difficult for us to maintain a safe, yet fun, party.

The A.R.K. Adventure Program strictly enforces audience size limits. Should you unexpectedly exceed the maximum number of children, you will be charged an additional $10/head overage fee.

Can children younger than 3 years old participate?

A.R.K. Adventure programs are designed for children older than 3 years of age. Children younger than 3 years are not recommended in the reptile area as their sudden movements and shrill sounds can scare the reptiles, However if the child is calm and still and a parent with them at all times they may be allowed to participate. If party guests younger than 3 years old can not meet the above requirements, please provide them with a alternate activity or play area away from the presentation space and inform the parents before our arrival.

What about special needs guests?

Your special needs guests are welcome to attend, provided that they too can follow the safety rules, can stay seated, and can avoid making sudden movements or sounds. We suggest that you seat your special needs guests toward the rear of the semicircle seating, in case they need to leave the presentation area. We request that you privately inform the presenter of their seating location, so we can politely assist them if needed.

What about older kids,teens and even adults that think they are too old for a birthday party?

Older kids and teens and adults love The A.R.K. Program - they think it's 'really cool'!  We adjust the show for the older kids/teens/adults, and they all have a blast!

 Suggestion: Book one or more of our (Special Reptiles) for your teen’s party. Ask us what we have available at the time they are BIG 6 to 12+ feet long in most cases and the teens think they are WAY cool!

Can parents and other adults stay and watch?

Parents and other adults are always welcome to stay and watch, but they too must follow the same safety rules. They should be seated; not coming-and-going or opening and closing doors that can startle the reptiles. Please inform your adult guests that they are welcome to watch, but that chatting should be kept to a minimum.

What about Photos?

Make sure you have plenty of film/disk space for your camera! There will be lots of great photo opportunities!

As an additional service, we offer a very special photo sitting for your guests. We’ll pose each guest holding one of our tame and gentle education animals—you take the pictures. These make great take-home party favors or special additions to your thank you notes ($15 for up to 15 guests; 25 for up to $25 guests). If you add this service, please be sure to include the bearded dragon as one of your reptile selections, as they are experts at posing for the camera! This additional service must be ordered when you make your reservation.

When will you arrive and will you need any help?

We will arrive 15-minutes before start time to set-up for the program. Also, We would greatly appreciate a reserved parking space near the presentation space for the Reptile handler on the date of the party – they will be carrying 30-40+ pounds of critters! And, if you live in a gated community, please let us know in advance and give us the code or other instructions for getting in.

When the reptiles arrive, it is exciting for everyone! We understand that the children will want to rush over to take a peek, but we ask that an adult occupy the children elsewhere while we unload and set-up, perhaps with a craft or activity away from the presentation area. After the reptiles are safely situated, we’ll be ready to start with a smile!

What is your payment process?

A non-refundable deposit of $50 (cash check or pay-pal ) is required to be sent no later than 24 hours after making your reservation. There is a minimum of 2 weeks in advance notice to hold a party reservation. The balance will be due on the day of the party (cash, check or money order). Gratuities for the presenter are not required, but are gratefully accepted if you feel your presenter did an outstanding job or exceeded your expectations. We do not accept credit cards at this time.