Creating childhood magic is one of my favorite parts of being a mommy to my three little ones! Over the years I have found that all it takes is a little imagination and love to create the most magically memorable moments. Recently, I surprised my 7-year-old, Harper, with a fun-filled slumber party. The sweetest dreams are made of these memories!
Special delivery!
For me, the magic is in the details. Little things like an invitation and a new pair of pajamas can make an experience extra special. Ivy the Bloom Bright Unicorn™ and the Glitter Me Kitten™, two magical new robotic friends from VTech®, arrived at our home to invite Harper to a slumber party that night- right in our family room! These two cuddly, colorful, and interactive friends joined our slumber party to make the night even more magical!
Here are some more creative ideas to throw your own magical slumber party; sweet dreams, guaranteed!
Decorate
Set the scene for a magical evening by transforming a space in your house especially for the occasion! I set up our slumber party in the family room; you can choose anywhere- but believe me, your kids will get extra joy out of “camping” in a room that is not typically used for sleep!
Get the look by hanging a variety of sheets or blankets (even curtain panels or tablecloths will work!) between furniture to create a tent. To create the high-pitched “circus tent” look that I envisioned for our slumber party, I tied sheets so that they would hang down from our ceiling fan! By draping and layering several pieces you can make a really dreamy little space!
Add a layer of comfort to the floor using couch cushions, a blowup mattress, or even an outgrown crib mattress! Now, fill it with cozy pillows and fluffy blankets; it is the perfect spot to cuddle up with the Glitter Me Kitten™️ and listen to her purr.
Turn up the sparkle by hanging twinkle lights and shimmering star garlands. Wave the wand over Ivy the Bloom Bright Unicorn™️ to add an even more colorful glow to the room!
Plan Activities
From dance parties to spa time to crafts, put on your jammies and get ready for a night of memory making with your little one!
Let’s get the (dance) party started! Turn on your favorite playlist and dance along with Ivy the Bloom Bright Unicorn™️! Harper loved watching Ivy flap her wings and glow along to the music. Keep the party going by asking Ivy to lead a catchy sing-a-long with eight of her own tunes!
Then set up a pretend salon & spa. First, take turns trying out new hairstyles! Harper requested an Ivy-inspired unicorn mane braid, complete with rainbow rubber bands and a colorful faux hair strand woven in.
While I was working on her hair, she was changing the color of Ivy’s eyes, horn, and wings with her magic wand and adding pretty hair clip accessories to her own braid.
Next, choose a fun color to paint your child’s nails. The Glitter Me Kitten™️ would love to place a glittery stamp on your child’s hand to help show off their new mini mani!
Arts & Crafts
Prepare your little one for a purr-fect night’s sleep by making an adorable kitty cat sleep mask together!
For this project you will need: felt, a hot glue gun, a piece of sewing elastic to fit around your child’s head, and any other embellishments that you desire (sequins, puffy paint, etc!).
On a piece of felt, draw a peanut shape approximately the width of your little one’s face. Add two triangle cat ears to the outline. Cut out the entire cat shape x 2. Decorate a side of one of the pieces of felt. I cut various shapes like eyelashes, a nose, ears, and whiskers out of felt to make it look like a sleepy Glitter Me Kitten™️!
Once it has dried, use the hot glue to attach a piece of elastic to the back sides of your decorated mask. Create an “elastic sandwich” by adhering the second, undecorated felt mask to the backside of the first. Hot glue around the perimeter, lining up the edges as you go.
Make a Snack
No slumber party is complete without snacks! Stovetop popcorn is one of my kids’ favorite snacks - I love to listen as they squeal in delight watching the popcorn magically dance around the pot! For our slumber party, we made it even more magical by turning our favorite snack into Unicorn Popcorn!
Ingredients:
- Popcorn Kernels (2 tablespoons per color)
- Gel Food Coloring
- Sugar (2 tablespoons per color)
- Coconut oil (1/2 tablespoon per color)
Step 1: For each desired color, mix 2 tablespoons of sugar and 1-2 drops of gel food coloring in separate small bowls. Set aside.
Step 2: Melt ½ tablespoon of coconut oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add a kernel or two and wait for it to pop - this means your oil is hot enough!
Step 3: Add 2 tablespoons of kernels and give them a quick stir to make sure they are coated in the oil.
Step 4: This next step is a bit tricky (but deliciously worth it!). As the kernels begin to heat up, sprinkle them with the colored sugar and place a lid on the pot. Move and shake the pot as the kernels pop to coat the popcorn in a colorful candy coating!
Step 5: Pour the popcorn onto a baking sheet or a piece of parchment paper to cool. Top with salt if desired and/or our favorite - sprinkles!
Step 6: Clean your pot and repeat with each color.
Once the popcorn has cooled, you can break apart any clusters that are stuck together. Mix all the colors together in a large mixing bowl. Eat it right from the bowl or serve in novelty popcorn boxes or decorative baking cups.
Sweet Dreams!
When it is time to finally go to sleep, find a cozy spot under the twinkling lights of the blanket fort. Tuck Ivy’s legs forward and transition her to cuddle mode. I listened to my daughter and Ivy sweetly chat about their dreams and sing lullabies as she also rubbed her kitten’s back until they all fell asleep!
I hope these tips inspire you to enjoy a special night of making memories with your children at your own magical slumber party!
Jessica Grant highlights a joyful and creative childhood, motherhood, and home through her social media and blog, JessicaEtCetera.com. With a background in preschool education and now a mom to 3 young kids, Jessica enjoys sharing all kinds of fun including crafts, DIY, and learning through play with the goal of creating a magical and memorable childhood!