Ideas for Planning a Dora Party

Dora the Explorer has become a popular TV show with both kids and their parents. Between the interesting characters, songs, and adventure, Dora has turned into a great learning tool for kids to pick up Spanish words and phrases and learn the importance of helping others. If your child has a birthday coming up, a Dora party is a great idea for a fun birthday celebration!

• Invitations: Send out invitations that say “You’re invited to [Kid’s Name] the Explorer’s Birthday Fiesta!” Typically 2-4 weeks before the event is an appropriate time to send out the invitations to your Dora birthday party.

• Decorations: Decorate using balloons and streamers to create a festive Dora atmosphere. Hang up posters and set up Dora toys throughout the room. Many stores sell a variety of Dora party stuff so keep a look out for Dora tablecloths, napkins, plates, and whatever else you can find. You can also be creative with your decorations! Set up a “Spooky Forest” using green streamers and cut outs of trees and bushes. Incorporate Spanish words and phrases into your decorations like labeling table as “La Mesa.”

• Food: If the guests at the birthday party are going to be a little bit older, you could do a Spanish menu to go along with the Spanish theme of the Dora the Explorer TV show. Set up a sign that says “Dora’s Taco Stand” and have the kids make their own tacos. Include both ground chicken and beef and other taco fixings like tomatoes, lettuce, cheese, and salsa. A Dora party with younger children should have a menu with food that picky eaters will eat like chicken nuggets, peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, and carrot sticks.

• Activity #1 - Dora Scavenger Hunt: Set up a scavenger hunt in your backyard or around your house. Hide items like Dora’s purple backpack, The Map, Benny the Bull, Isa the Iguana, and other Dora the Explorer characters. If the kids run into Swiper the Fox along the way, then they must say “Swiper, no swiping!” three times before he steals one of the items that they have found in their scavenger hunt. Also try to incorporate Spanish words where you can in the hunt!

• Activity #2 - Dress Up: Dora loves to play dress up and pretend, so a great Dora party idea is to have the kids dress up too! Set up a large trunk full of brightly colored scarves, hats, jackets, and more for the kids to dress up and play around in. Be sure to have your camera ready to take lots of pictures!

• Party Favors: Friendship bracelets make great party favors for your child’s Dora birthday party! Use yellow pony beads and blue flower beads to make these bracelets so that they look like the one that Dora wears. These materials can easily be found at a local craft store or online. Personalized water bottles that say “[Name]’s Agua” also make great Dora party favors!