Add a true sense of adventure to your child's next birthday party by decking it out with Dora the Explorer®-inspired party ideas and decorations.
PARTY SUPPLIES
For easy party planning, order Dora the Explorer® party supplies from our party partner Birthday In a Box.Then use this complete birthday party guide to plan your party games, crafts and fun decorations. Don't forget to enjoy the day!
- Dora the Explorer® Birthday Box:
INVITATIONS
Mail invitations 2-3 weeks before you party. Make your own unique invitations using card stock paper. Fashion a Dora style map to your home with all of the party information.
PARTY DECORATIONS
Your festive atmosphere will begin with balloons, streamers, table cover, posters and Dora toys. Create the "Spooky Forest" with green streamers hanging from the ceiling. Enlist an artistic teenager or friend to cut trees, shrubs etc. from butcher paper and paint a large appliance box resembling Dora's Casa.
The children can play in the Casa during the party! Add a Puzzle Bridge made with stones cut from felt. Later in the party you'll use your Puzzle Bridge to play a bridge walk game.
Tip: Your local learning store will have Spanish/English posters you may choose to add to the decor.
Welcome Time
Dora loves to dress-up and pretend. When the guests arrive, provide plenty of brightly colored hats, scarves, vests etc. for the children to wear at the party!
Dora's Bracelet Craft
Use yellow "pony" beads and elastic string, to make Dora's bracelet. Add a blue flower bead to the center.
Here are some other fabulous party decorations you can buy from Birthday in a Box:
- Dora the Explorer® Centerpiece:
- Dora Pinata:
PARTY GAMES & ACTIVITIES
Select 3-4 games that best suit your party needs.
Words you'll need to know:
- Backpack - Mochilla
- Map - Mapa
- Let's go! - Vamanos!
Dora Puzzler
- Before the party print out Dora the Explorer® pictures or use a coloring book. Use a glue stick to affix each picture onto some construction paper.
- Cut the pictures into 2, 3, or 4 puzzle pieces.
- Hide the pieces around the party area.
- The children will each find one puzzle piece and then find the the players with the matching piece/s.
Walk the Puzzle Bridge
- Before the party, make a "Puzzle Bridge" using stone shapes cut from felt.
- Write large numbers or shapes on each stone with a permanent marker.
- At game time, form a circle using the stones.
- The children will walk from stone to stone while music is playing.
- When the music stops, call out a number.
- Whoever is standing on the stone with the corresponding number, will receive a small prize (sticker or candy).
- Repeat this game until all of the children have received at least one treat.
Tip: play Spanish music to keep with your theme.
What's In Mochilla (Backpack)
- Before the party, place a few more objects than there are children, inside a purple backpack. Use items with interesting shapes and textures that can also be prizes, like a ball, bubbles, headbands, crayons and small plastic animals.
- Sit the children in a circle.
- Pass the back pack around one child at a time.
- The players feel for an object inside the backpack, guess what it is without looking and then keep their object as a prize.
Tip: You can sing the "backpack song" while you pass the back pack around the circle.
Noisemakers with the Fiesta Trio
- Make and decorate noisemakers with empty film containers filled with rice or two paper plates filled with beans and stapled together.
- Decorated with stickers, markers, fabric scraps, etc...(I like to apply masking tape around the edges of the paper plates for extra security and to cover sharp staples.)
- When the noise makers are complete, the children will pretend to be the Fiesta Trio - play some lively Spanish music for the kids to play and dance along.
Hide and Seek
- Swiper the Fox has hidden some cards can you find them?
- Hide Spanish Flash cards (educational store)around the party area.
- When you say..."Vamanos!" the kids each try to find the cards.
- Everyone gets a small treat!
- Send the cards home in their party bags.
Coloring Sheets
For younger party goers, it's always a good idea to provide a quiet coloring space. Set out coloring sheets and crayons on a table or mat for the children to enjoy.
Pinata
This traditional Mexican party activity is appropriate for this party theme. Fill a pinata with small toys and treats then hang your pinata in the party room, or use it as a centerpiece on your party table, until it's time to start swinging. We recommend using a pull-string pinata for younger children as it provides a safer, gentler party activity.
DORA FOOD & GOODIES
If you need to serve lunch or a snack, try out cheese quesadillas, chips, fruit kabobs and mango juice or pineapple punch. It will make a perfect menu.
Cupcake Treasure Hunt
Combine you party treats with a fun activity.
- Make frosted yellow cupcakes topped with Dora the Explorer® rings.
- Before the party draw some simple pictures on 3x5 cards of items around your house or yard. Dog bowl, swing set etc.
- The children play as a group.
- Give them the first card -- dog bowl--at the dog bowl they'll find their next clue -- swing set--there they'll find the next card and so on. The last card will have a picture of you. When they find you....you'll have cupcakes and juice for them to eat at the table.
- Don't forget to say "We did it" Dora style-- Lo hicimos!
Spanish "Happy Birthday"
Sing "Happy Birthday" just like Dora!
Feliz cumpleaños a ti,
Feliz cumpleaños a ti,
Feliz cumpleaños a (child's name),
Feliz cumpleaños a ti!
The tune is the same as "Happy Birthday."
Dora the Explorer® Party Favors
You can go all out by creating small felt backpacks to fill with party favors or simply fill fill small Chinese food to-go containers (craft store) with fruit snacks a Dora trinket and some crayons.
