My daughter is turning 8 this year and we are allowing her to have a sleepover with her two BFFs for her party.
Pretty easy for me except I am clueless when it comes to activities. I was thinking something crafty but it needs to be girly (something I have little experience with).
Anyone have some good activities to do?
My nine-year-old neighbour decorated flip-flops at her bday sleepover - just a bunch of cheap flip-flops, stick on gems, and glitter glue. They had fun.
Speaking from experience: yes.
It would take too long by hand and I wouldn’t be ok to use machine and that age.
Also, soft material tends to be harder to sew.
I would suggest buying premade clothes and embellishes. Believe it or not, it would probably end up loads cheaper.
Go to a crafty store and pick up a few of those flocked-velvet coloring posters. The outlines on the picture are black and velvety, making the color you add really stand out. (You can find them by the markers, I think.) Buy a few packs of good markers as well, because the ones that come with the posters are sucky.
My kids–at every age so far–would do these things for HOURS. They’re perfect–not too messy, easy to do, they always look good even if you have a non-crafty, clumsy kid, and designs range from really basic to really complicated. Get one for yourself while you’re at it; I always find I can’t keep away from them.
I always kept several stashed away for bad weather or when we had unexpected company.
It looks like homemade lip gloss is really simple and incredibly cheap. You could also turn this into a theme of sorts where they make their own lip gloss and then you provide them with a few sample sizes of blush and eye shadow and let them give each other makeovers.
Beads are a great idea. Get nice ones though, the dollar-store ones can end up looking like a preschool project, where some pretty ones will actually make nice, wearable jewellery.
I like the beads idea. Bedazzling or lip gloss would probably also be hits.
This isn’t crafty, but one year I helped my parents set up an elaborate fairy-oriented scavenger-hunt for my little sister’s birthday, based on a game she had where you had to find clues to advance the game’s plot. She and her friends freaking loved it.
So many good ideas, I don’t even know how to thank you guys.
Won’t be doing lip gloss. My daughter is not allowed to wear it (yes, I am THAT parent). However, I seem to be getting the idea that beads are good. Jewelry or something to wear (maybe a jewelry box to decorate).
Those colouring posters sound good too. It will give them something to do that they can talk at the same time (as opposed to a movie).
You could could have them do dress up party and dress like their mommies. Take their pictures and print them out for them so they can take them home. Take them all to the Dollar store, give them each $5 and let them go on a shopping spree.
We’ve done quite a few of these. Basic idea is to get some packages of paint pens, stickers and glitter glue, and you can pretty much decorate anything:
T-Shirts (oversized, so they can be used as nightgowns)
Sun visors
Cups
Headbands
The important thing when throwing a girl party is to protect your eardrums. Those squeals can be very high-pitched.
I regularly supervise my daughter and her pals make pizza. We mix and knead the dough from scratch, while it’s prooving we make the sauce and prepare the toppings. The kids roll and shape the bases, apply the sauce and toppings. Throw it in the oven and then finally munch the lot down. Kids seem to really enjoy it.
Pick up a few pumpkins and some paint, and have them decorate the pumpkins. It’s seasonal, crafty, easy and cheap. Girly, not so much, but they’ll have fun.
Have them tie-dye a plain white pillowcase. They won’t be able to use it that night- it has to be washed a few times first- but it’s fun and it will be their favorite pillowcase. My girls love theirs.
Get a bunch of different colored tissue paper and some green pipe cleaners and have them make bouquets of flowers.
Tie dye parties are GREAT! I used to have them for the older kids sometimes–everyone brings (or you supply) white shirts, socks, whatever, and you can set up dye vats outside and let them have at it. No matter how many white things you supply, it never gets boring to dye!
I’d recommend those official tie dye dyes though–I’ve used RIT and it’s not as fast and colors not as vivid. You can find the really good ones at the craft store.