My little girl is the ultimate Dora the Explorer fan. At 2 1/2, she literally eats, sleeps and lives Dora, Boots, Swiper and all the gang. She has Dora tracksuits, Dora plates, Dora cups, Dora shampoo, Dora hair clips and Dora posters on her wall. I was lucky enough to pick up some hard-to-find Dora the Explorer miniature figures in LA when I was last in the States, so she even has some keep-sake figurines to remind her of this obsession when she is older.

Given that she and all of her pre-school aged mates adore Dora so much, it is only fitting that we organise a Dora the Explorer party. Dora is a great theme for a party. Yes, there is all the gorgeous licensed party gear to decorate the venue (and the Dora range is particularly cool), but its the party games and theming where you can really have some fun! Here are some of our Dora the Explorer party ideas:

Doras Adventure Party Game

Dora is a real adventurer, so it is only fitting that Dora and all of her friends participate in a fun treasure hunt around your back yard. You could look for Islas flowers, hunt for Swiper (cut-outs of Swiper and other characters are readily available from the Nick Jr website), or go on a blueberry hunt like Dora and Boots in the show! Try a Backpack guessing game too where the kids can try and guess what is in the backpack to win a prize, to really tie into the theme.

Doras Fun Fiesta Party

The Fiesta Trio are one of the coolest parts of Dora the Explorer. They pop up and play a fun, festive tune whenever Dora and Boots find what theyre looking for. Take a leaf out of their book and set up a Mexican themed fiesta party in your backyard. Fun streamers in every colour of the rainbow and hundreds of helium-filled balloons can be your cheap but very effective decorations. Hang them from trees, tie them from the balcony rails and generally create a riot of colour. Pink Frosting has a gorgeous range of pinatas which you can hang from the ceiling which are must-haves for this theme. Play fun Mexican music and ensure that all the kids have fun sombreros to wear and maracas to shake. Games are easy - pinata, pin the tail on the donkey and a colourful version of Mexican chairs!

Dora Princess Party

Doras Fairytale Adventure is one of my little girls favourite Dora stories. It is very easy to create a Dora Princess Party - simply take all of the fairytale and princess ideas (there are heaps at http://www.AustraliaEntertains.com.au) and combine with some Dora party gear. There are gorgeous Dora tiaras, Dora wands and Dora party purses which work beautifully for this theme.

There are so many ways to create a fun Dora party! Happy celebrating!