Auds & Allie: Allie's Dora the Explorer Party

15 December 2012

Allie's Dora the Explorer Party

Allie turns 3! This is her Dora the Explorer friend party. We had a Mexican Fiesta right afterward for family.

I thought we were nuts having a birthday party on a Saturday night in December, but we lucked out and had a good turn out at both parties, despite the worst cold and flu season EVER. For the friend party we went on an adventure (like Dora does on her show) and we used "Map" and 'Backpack" to help us know where to go and for any tools we might need once we got there. We had cupcakes, opened presents and just had some time to play before the next party started.

It was hard to do an explorer party inside--without turning my stairway into a mountain and without elaborate props and a lot of time. And when Allie found out it was inside she wasn't too happy--because Dora does all of her exploring outside. Well, Dora doesn't live where it gets cold in December either my dear.

We set up little areas in our house where the kids traveled using their maps. First we went to Puzzle Island where the kids had to use their backpacks to complete the missing pieces to the Dora puzzle. Then we went to Star Valley where we searched for chocolate stars. Upon completing that we went to Painters Place (I should really hire someone to make more creative names for these things...) where the girls painted a little treasure box. 1. Because Allie loves to paint. It's her thing. And it was her party so I wanted to incorporate something she really liked to do. 2. Dora is always finding treasure per sea so they painted a box they could put their treasure in. Since we've painted before at parties Next we had a Dora piñata that was supposed to be outside on the Pergola but instead got moved to the garage due to rainy weather. Inside the piñata was candy and little jeweled dress up rings--that the girls could also put in their treasure box. After the piñata it was time to open gifts, have cupcakes and sing to Allie.

When the girls arrived they picked a spot at the table where a party hat and coloring packet were waiting for them.

I don't sew. I've talked about this before. And since I'd just overworked my MIL with aprons from Audrey's party, I had to make something that resembled Backpack, like what Dora wears in the show. I didn't like the foam pattern I found on the internet because although it was cute, you couldn't put anything in it, and I wanted to fill it with things they needed on their adventure. So I came up with purple gift bags, purple ribbon to put it on their backs, and got the pattern for eyes, mouth and eye brows from Nick Jr. It did the trick. I just wanted it to last for the duration of the party.