Play group birthday parties seem to be all the rage lately!  Whether weekly or monthly, you spend a lot of time with both the moms and kids - so it's no wonder you would want to celebrate your child's milestone birthdays with them! I recently helped create a fresh, modern playgroup party with a monkey theme.  The mom wanted to keep it simple, didn't want to go overboard - yet wanted something that made a statement.  Since the party was being held during their normal play group time at a local gym, we had a small space to work with. I created one table (in close proximity of where the kids were playing - easy access for the moms to enjoy treats!) that held everything from drinks, to sweets to party favors..... Pretty cute, right?!  I focused on a few key decorations and carried the monkey theme and image throughout the party to give it a cohesive feel.  A yellow seersucker fabric backdrop covered up the (not so pretty) gym walls.   A banner hung over the table, which pulled together our color palette, and brought in a polka dots and a check pattern to add a touch of whimsy.  The centerpieces were really cute and very kid-friendly!  I used paper lanterns as the "vase" and inserted a charming centerpiece stick - monkey on the front, polka dots on the back!  Totally inexpensive and easy to do!  I propped them up on a white, square cake plate ($10 at Home …