DIY Bar Monkey Coolers

A dressed-up drink cooler can help get your party swinging.

When it comes to being a party animal, some people really monkey around. Though most people refrain from swinging from the rafters, alcohol can play a part in some pretty rowdy behavior. It would therefore make sense to have a monkey cooler at a bar or party to cater to the animal in your guests. Though Budweiser has Clydesdales and Grey Goose is named after a bird, monkeys are not yet popular in world of alcohol, so you will likely have to make your own cooler to house your 99 Bananas. Does this Spark an idea?

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1-inch-thick Styrofoam sheet
Utility knife
Flexible plastic tub, at least as tall as your drink containers
Large trash bag
Scissors
Dark green felt
Light green felt
Crayons or colored pencils
Coloring pages of jungle animals, including monkeys
Clear tape

Instructions

- 1
  
  Cut the Styrofoam sheet down to four pieces that will fit in your tub. Use the utility knife to cut two pieces that will fit the width of the tub. Put rubber cement on the back of each piece and affix it to the side of the tub. Repeat cutting and affixing Styrofoam for the length of the tub.
- 2
  
  Put rubber cement on the face of the Styrofoam that now faces the inside of the tub and about 1 inch over the edges of the tub onto the outside. Place your trash bag in the tub and push the sides against the Styrofoam, smoothing it out quickly before the rubber cement hardens. Be sure to smooth trash bag over the outside of the tub where the rubber cement is, then cut off the excess trash bag that is not glued.
- 3
  
  Cover the outside of the tub with rubber cement, then affix the dark green felt to the tub and trim the felt to be flush with the top of the tub.
- 4
  
  Many monkeys spend much of their time in trees or swinging through leaves.
  
  Cut 12 leaf shapes from the light green felt in a variety of sizes, then put rubber cement on the back of the pieces and affix three pieces to each side of the tub.
- 5
  
  Color one of the monkey coloring pages, then cut it out and tape it to the outside of the tub. Place the tub at one end of the bar and fill it with drinks and ice.
- 6
  
  Set the coloring pages and crayons or colored pencils on the bar or a table. As patrons or party-goers color pictures and turn them in, cut them out and tape the monkeys to the cooler and the rest of the animals around the establishment.

Tips & Warnings

If you need to make multiple coolers, complete the step for all coolers at the same time, i.e. cut all of the foam before moving on to the next step.
If you opt to use markers instead of crayons or colored pencils, make sure the markers are waterproof, as drinks will often get spilled in bars.
If you choose to use an alternative to Styrofoam, make sure it will not dissolve if it gets wet, as your lining may spring a leak after repeated or rough use.