Seeking Moms in ALL AREAS

I don't make goodie bags anymore. I just buy one thing and pass them out. Here are a few of the different things I've given instead. Those balloon punching bags. You know the ones with a rubber band handle and then you hold it and punch it back and forth? I used an air machine from our blow up air mattress to blow up the balloons. One year at my daughter's luau birthday party, I gave away those very nice Hawaiian lays, the ones with shells on them. This year, we bought kites at Walmart and gave those. I think most parents like that better. I just started doing it because I hate getting those goodie bags with all that stuff and then it just ends up scattered in the car and around the house and they never play with it. So I thought I'd start buying things they would play with. The kites were only $1.00 each. I hope this helps some. Plus, it relieves some stress off you, having to stuff the bags and everything.

The music idea sounds good that others have suggested, and so does the adventure with the map. You can do like Dora and make each road a color, red, green and blue. Just remember, they are three, so the attention span isn't going to be very long for anything really structured. I say go to a playground and let them play!

Most 3 year olds love to dance, and there's all sorts of Dora music CD's. Get a good Dora CD and play it for the kids to sing and dance to. That should occupy them for a good 10-20mins (depending on the kids, some could go an hour lol). You could also do a little Dora adventure and have a box with their goody bags or just lead them to the room with the cake by pulling out a "map" (rolled up sheet of paper with as little a few "roads" and an X drawn on it). Then tell them where the map says to go (ex: back yard, living room, Ms. Q.'s Kitchen...or whatever/wherever). You can have a different activity for them to do in each room and they can't leave that room until everyone's finished with the activity or you're ready to move them on. You could have the dancing in one room, coloring pages somewhere, pin the boot on boots (print off pictures -or copy out of a coloring book page - of boots and cut out a boot for every kid and put tape on the back and let them play like pin the tail on the donkey), nickjr.com usually has a lot of Dora printables and activities. http://www.dltk-kids.com/crafts/cartoons/dora.htm also has some good Dora stuff.
Also, Walmart's had Dixie brand Dora plates and cups for pretty much regular Dixie prices, and they're with the regular paper cups and paper plates, so that's a SUPER cheap for plates with a party theme. You can also find Dora themed packaged fruit snacks or other food/snack items to use if you see them. It'd come out cheaper than actual party favors, especially Dora themed.

I hope this helps at all. Good Luck!

Check out Party City. They have a section with a Dora theme and you can find some ideas for goodie bags there.

i really dont have any advice. My daughter is 5 and one of her birhdays was dora. we just bought like bubbles and things to lay around the table. My daughters name is trinity by the way.

You can spend as much or as little as you want on the gift bags. Children just love to receive a gift, period. We recently went to a party and the mother had a gift basket and the kids got to pick one thing out. She had books, candy necklaces, bracklets, fake makeup, trucks, and tools. I recommend cupcakes and individual ice cream cups. They are easy to pass out. Good luck and remember to have a great time.

get some age approiate toys and candy and put in the bags. You can also have a special gift, like a book or something to give away. Put a sticker on the bottom of one of the plates or draw a picture (only on one) and tell the children when they get done eating to turn the plate over and see if there is something special on it. The one with the special thing on the bottom of the plate - gets the gift. It is alot of fun. You can do some special games, like pin the tail on the donkey, or see if you can find something like that with dora.

i just got a big bag of mixed candy, some pencils, noise makers, and little toys in my daughters goody bags. all the kids got a kick out of everything...jsut let there the parents know to watch the kids with the stuff to make sure it's ok for them to have it.