Mickey Mouse Party -3yr- in Bow On Minnie

For my daughter's 3rd birthday party, we decided to make it a Mickey Mouse Clubhouse (MMCH) theme. To set the tone, I purchased red & yellow table clothes, balloons, plates and napkins.  To contrast, I bought black forks, spoons and knives.  I rented a children's table and chairs from a local party rental store, so the kids would have an area especially for them.  I went to the Playhouse Disney website and printed free MMCH placemats and a Happy Birthday Banner, which I could personalize with her name.   When the kids arrived at the party, we gave them each a set of mouse ears I purchased at the party store.

While we waited for more guests to arrive, we kept the kids entertained by rubbing on temporary Mickey Mouse tattoos, which we also picked up at the party store as well. I also had on-hand some print-outs I found on the Playhouse Disney website of all the clubhouse characters.  These came in handy throughout the day. When ever there was a little downtime or any of the kids looked like they needed a low-key activity, I would hand them out.   

When the majority of guest were there, we served lunch. I served club sandwiches, hot dogs (tie-in to the Hot Dog! song from the TV show), and Mickey burgers. I found the burgers, which were shaped like the MM silhouette, in the freezer section of my local grocery store.  We made some side dishes too potato salad, garden salad, macaroni & cheese, and mini corn cobs. Because it was a crisp Fall day and the party was outdoors, I also made some chili that could be eaten alone or used to make chili dogs. I also purchased a MMCH Party Bouquet from Edible Arrangements, which made a nice centerpiece and was very delicious!   

After lunch, we started the games. First, we played pin the bow on Minnie.  We found an image of Minnie online and traced it on poster board. Then I purchased red & white polka dot ribbon and pre-made bows with double-sided tape for the kids to stick on her head.  The kids really enjoyed playing the game and also having their picture taken with the drawing. 

Next, I set the kids up with crayons and stickers, so they could decorate brown paper bags they would use later to collect candy from the pinata.    While they colored, my husband set up the MMCH pinata, which he made the weeks leading up to the party using a paper mache technique.  After the excitement of the pinata, we cut the birthday cake.  Our local bakery was able to decorate the cake with Mickey, Goofy and Toodles (Mickey's helper on the TV show).   As an additional treat, I made Jello jigglers, which I cut out with a MM silhouette cookie cutter.  This idea was very popular with everyone! 

Our final activity was a set of games using a play parachute, which I purchased on eBay.  The parachute was a great way to get the kids and parents involved.  As the party whined down, we played some Disney music including the theme music from the MMCH show.  We also setup a couple of bubble machines that I borrowed from other parents, so the kids could dance and try to catch bubbles.  

As the kids were leaving, they each received a goodie bag.  I purchased red paper bags at the party store and used black markers to write their names on the bag. Each bag contained a snack-size bag of Cheez-Its, MMCH stickers and MMCH snack container. To save on expenses, I purchased at the MM items at the Disney Store outlet.   

In the end, the party was a big hit and we were able to do it within a reasonable budget. More importantly, my daughter enjoyed it and has not stopped talking about the fun she had with all her family and friends!