To Be Young Again

Facials, hairstyles, desert, sparkly drinks in champagne glasses and a bridal gown…

Last weekend was the best weekend I’ve had in a while. No, I did not attend a wedding. I hosted an “End of School” Slumber Party for my niece and her friend from school. It began several weeks back with a really cute invitation and ended with a very fun photo shoot. I spent a few days prior to the party trying to decide how in the world I would entertain two tweens. I have no children of my own, so I don’t really keep up with what’s hot in the world of 11 year old girls.

I decided to look 3 places for ideas to fill up a night with entertainment and a morning with memories to last.

1.       The World Wide Web.
2.        By channeling my inner 11 year old.
3.       Sifting through my creative juices.

I would like to share with you what I came up with and hopefully it will inspire you to be young again and create the perfect Slumber Party for your daughter or niece and her friends.

Ice Cream Sundaes:

Can you ever go wrong with ice cream and kids?

Vanilla Ice Cream, sprinkles, cool whip, caramel coated peanuts, fudge topping, rainbow sherbet topping, and of course a cherry for the top are just a few of the items I purchased. They grabbed a bowl and proceeded to make themselves a treat that would have them wired for hours.

Fruity drinks in a pretty glass:

Who doesn’t feel a little fancy when they drink from a petite little champagne glass? Why would tween girls be an exception? I found a pretty shade of pink lemonade and added a strawberry for that extra “ooh-la-la” effect.

Facials & Manicures:

When I asked the girls if they would be interested in a facial, they squealed with delight. They had so much fun experiencing this first. When the cool cream hit their face they giggled with surprise and laughed so hard that they cried when they saw their green reflections staring back at them in the mirror.

Afterwards, I took requests for manicures. I purchased nail glitter at the dollar store and grabbed my polish. The girls also brought their favorite polish to the party. We decided to paint each nail two different colors and apply glitter. It was a mess and it was exhausting, but it was all girly.

Truth or Dare:

When they asked me to give them dares, I couldn’t think of very many. I looked online to see if I could find some that were suitable for children. Surprisingly, the internet was full of clean and funny ideas for children. A few ideas:

Suck your toe for 10 seconds.

Put 5 marshmallows in your mouth and sing “Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star.”

Say “I’m cwaazy, I’m cwaazy, cause I’m, wooney!” 3 times in a row.

For the next 15 minutes, after each thing you say, you must finish your sentence with “Man, I’m good!” or “Hippity Hop.”

Carry another player on your back across the floor. 

Bride:

Being the center of attention, wearing a beautiful dress, putting on makeup, and holding a bouquet are only just a few things every little girl dreams of.

I pulled my wedding dress from the closet and grabbed some clips from the kitchen. After styling their hair, the girls and I slipped the “bride” into her dress and secured the back with clips. Their little faces lit up when they looked in the mirror. They examined the glittery shadow on their eyes, their new hairstyle, and twirled in the dress that made them feel like a princess. We spent a few minutes taking photos and throwing the “bouquet.”

Every slumber party needs Popcorn and a Movie:

I asked the girls to bring their favorite pajamas, pillows, blankets and movies to the slumber party. When we were ready to wind down for the night, they dressed cozy and grabbed their blankets as I prepared the popcorn. We settled in for a movie-marathon that ended in snoring.

Photo Shoot:

The next morning the girls woke me. I sat them down for painting as I prepared breakfast. They let their creative juices flow as the smell of bacon, cinnamon rolls, and strawberries filled the air. Afterwards, I asked the girls to get dressed and we went outside for a fun round of Hide & Seek. I grabbed my camera to document the fun. When all hiding options were exhausted we decided to end the fun with a photo shoot.

The party was a success! Both girls really enjoyed the time they spent together and the activities were endless. Sure, I was exhausted afterwards, but I wouldn't want it any other way. Not only do the girls have forever memories, but I was once again an 11 year old.

I am in the process of editing of all the photos I took that night and the next morning. I have decided that once I am done, each girl will receive a disc with the memories so they can look back on this party many years from now and laugh.

I hope you are now inspired to throw a Summer Slumber Party and rediscover the tween in you. 

P.S. I sent the girls home with nail polish, nail brushes, glitter accessories, polish remover and cotton balls all presented in a cute jar.

P. S. S. Don’t forget to have fun, relax, and grab a few cans of silly string spray for an all-out girly war!