Polka Dot Party -3yr- Everyone In Dots!

My 3 yr old daughter loves polka dots.  So, we went all out with polka dots for her birthday party.  It turned out so cute, and we had lots of fun.  Some ideas I got off of this site, and then I added a lot of my own ideas too.   

First, for INVITATIONS we cut out cardstock paper to fold and fit inside of different colored paper cd holders.  My daughter helped me punch out different size polka dots and she glued them however she wanted on the front.  When put inside the cd holder, the polka dots showed through, and it was very cute.  On the inside we typed up Lexy is turning three a polka dot party it will be." And we filled in the rest of the information about the party.  We also made a note to tell the guests to come wearing polka dots. 

For DECORATIONS this was a fairly cheap party but it did take a lot of work and planning ahead.  About a month ahead of time I started punching/cutting out all sizes and colors of polka dots using scrapbook punchers/cutters.  I filled a 41 quart tub up with them.  Then I took pink string and cut it to fit in the doorways and stairway from the ceiling to the floor.  I hot glued polka dots down the strings so that it made a curtain to walk through the doorways.  We put polka dots all over the wall. 

I also found polka dot platters pitcher etc very cheap at the dollar store.  I didn't find plates and cups that I liked that much so we took plain round pink and purple plates and used bright colored dot stickers to put on them.  My daughter put them on however she wanted.  She loved this job because she loves to do stickers. They turned out adorable!  I also borrowed a disco ball from my cousin that shined circles all over in the room that we did our activities. 

We also took the old-fashioned dot candy and stapled it into rings.  I intertwined the rings and used it as you would crepe paper.  There were lots of comments on this.  We also used 2 twister boards one to cover a table in the game room and one on the floor to play on.  There were also helium balloons everywhere that added color and looked like more polka dots.  I wish I could send pictures because it looked like a polka dot palace! 

COSTUMES:  Everyone came wearing polka dots.  My daughter wore a cute spring polka dot dress.  Those that didn't have polka dots (mainly just some of the mommies) the girls got to stick dot stickers on them.  My husband was covered with dot stickers! 

GAMES/ACTIVITIES:  I did a party in the morning for 4 of my daughters friends.  We did the family party that evening.  When her friends arrived they were each given a color.  They went around the house searching for their color craft pom pom.  By the time they finished that most everyone had arrived.  We went upstairs where they created polka dot pictures.  I had bought each of them a canvas and written "Name's polka creation" on it.  They glued polka dots used dot markers used circle sponges with paint and went to town making their own creation. 

While they were working on those we took each one one at a time to a separate table and painted their nails with polka dots.  They all loved this.  As they finished up I had the huge 41 qt. tub full of polka dots and they loved playing in this.  We also played Put the dot on the dog like pin the tail on the donkey.  After this it was time to go downstairs to make pepporoni pizzas! 

PARTY SNACKS/More Activites:  We had a station set up for the girls to each make their own pepporoni pizza.  They loved this.  As the pizzas were cooking I read them "Put me in the zoo" about the animal that can do all kinds of tricks with his spots.  Then they went back to their table where they each had their own place setting to eat their pizzas.  There were really cute felt polka dot party hats at their spot with their initials on them to keep. 

They ate pizza and other round foods cheese balls grapes etc.  At the family party in the evening we also served meatballs cheeseball crackers etc.  At the food table there were lots of round candies in different bowls.  I also had huge circle lollipops in polka dot flower pots that looked like polka dot flowers.  Each of the guests got to take one home with them. 

After they ate their pizza they decorated their own cupcakes with pink icing and m&ms. For icecream I really wanted Dots but apparently they don't sell it in the stores anymore so I found a party cake icecream that looks like polka dots.  For the family party I made a round CAKE iced it pink and decorated it with dot candies. For my first cake I think it turned out pretty well  Then we played a game kinda like cake walk.  We had large polka dots in a circle on the ground.  They walked in a circle around them as the music played.  When it stopped we drew out a dot and the one on that color got to pick a sticker.   

PARTY FAVORS:  We had cute little gift bags that we decorated with round sequence polka dot ribbon etc.  We filled it with everything round that we could think of.  They had bubbles round candies rings polka dot notepads etc.  The guests opened these as my daughter opened her presents.  They were able to have fun at the same time.   

The party lasted exactly 2 hrs and everyone had a great time.  One mom even said not to be surprised if her daughter had a polka dot party next year!  It was a fairly cheap but very cute party.  It was worth the effort!"