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Coolest Kid Party Games for a Dora the Explorer Birthday
(Click here for the BIG List of kid birthday party games) Below you'll find some cool party game ideas for your kid's next Dora the Explorer theme birthday. A preplanned and well-organized games program is essential to your party's success. So before you scroll down any further (make sure you do this...), take a look at these survival tips to help you entertain the throng without losing your sanity. *Boot the Monkey See, Boot the Monkey Do: This game is similar to one of the classic party games - "Simon says", only with a Dora the Explorer twist. Give the kids commands to make animal sounds or move like animals. For example: Boots says, "Swing your trunk like an elephant." Boots says, "Run like a Cheetah." "Squeal like a monkey!" and so on. A variation of this is "Dora Dice" (pronounced dee-say) which is the word for "says" in Spanish. As in the classic game of Simon Says, the children take turns being "Dora" and direct the other guests to pretend to do Dora-like activities, such as hopping like a frog, swimming across a lake, climbing a rope and jumping over crocodiles, etc. -- Coolest Kid Party Games -- *Musical Sombreros: This game is just like musical chairs, using one less Sombrero hat than there are children for each round. Place a pile of Sombreros on a table that the kids walk around while the music is playing. Once the music is turned off, the kids must scramble to put on a Sombrero hat. The kid left without a hat leaves the game, and the game continues with one less hat until there is one kid remaining who is the winner. -- Coolest Kid Party Games -- *Picture-Card Exploration Treasure Hunt: If the kids love Dora, they'll definitely love exploring like her (and of course to find a treasure!). This is a simple version that is excellent for pre-schoolers who may not read yet. Before the party, make 8-12 clue cards on individual 3x5 cards, and on each one draw or glue on a picture of something in your house or yard. Write the clue number in the top left corner of each card and hide the clues before the kids arrive, making sure the treasure stash is well hidden. When it's time to play, gather all the kids around and hand out the first clue, telling them to find the object on the card (for example, if the first card shows a sandbox, then the kids will go there and find a second clue card with a cookie jar on it. Then, they'll go to the cookie jar and find a third clue card with another object on it, etc.). The hunt continues until the kids find the stash of Dora the Explorer theme-related treasures that you've hidden (if you prefer to make the cake or cupcakes the treasure, put a picture of yourself on the last clue card. When the kids come running back to you, they'll be ecstatic to see the treats that are waiting for them!! (For older children, write the name of each object in Spanish next to its picture for more fun). It can also be fun for the kids if every clue or every other clue they find a special favor like stickers or other small, theme-related favors. -- Coolest Kid Party Games -- *What's in the Mochilla (Backpack)?: Inside a backpack, place a few more objects than there are kids (use items with interesting shapes and textures that can also be prizes, like bubbles, yo-yo's, bean bags, a ball, bracelets, crayons and small plastic animals). Sit all the kids in a circle and pass the backpack around one kid at a time. The kids then feel for an object inside the backpack, and need to guess what it is without looking (they get to keep their object as a prize). A variation of this game is to place one object inside the backpack and the kids have to guess what's inside based on hints given by you. -- Coolest Kid Party Games -- *Animal Charades: Cut out many animal pictures and put each one on a separate card. Each kid gets a turn to pick a card. Then they must act out their creature (no words are allowed, but animal noises are encouraged) until the others shout out the animal and then everyone has to act out the same animal together. Get the adults to play this one. This is one of those party games that usually produces lots of laughs (and other interesting noises…) -- Coolest Kid Party Games -- *Dora and Boots Obstacle Course: Help Dora and Boots get through the forest! Use objects from around your house, such as chairs for the slippery rock, cardboard boxes with sandpaper for icky-sticky sand. For the Crocodile Lake, each kid has to throw bouncy balls into squares on a big whiteboard (like beanbag toss) - and the amount of balls they make in is the amount of rocks they receive to try to make it across the lake. Make the rocks out of gray construction paper and use a blue sheet for the lake (it can be hilarious when some only get one rock to jump on!! - make sure the kids cheer each other on!). Then there's the Puzzle Bridge. Tape a bunch of brown construction paper together and draw a 3-foot bridge before the party and then cut it into puzzle pieces. Have the kids put the puzzle together helping one another. Then for Spooky Forest, put up plants that they need to zigzag through and for Rainbow Road have blocks to jump over, etc. This is the sort of party games you can really get creative with. When the kids complete the obstacle course, compliment them with Dora's line, "Lo Hicimos!!" ("We did it!"). Looking for more ideas for party games? Here's a complete page with lots of Dora the Explorer party ideas. I've also put together this additional page with a bunch of Dora party supplies available on the Internet. Take a look - it'll save you lots of time. Copyright © 2003-2005, coolest-kid-birthday-parties.com |