Here are some creative ideas for your next girls’ slumber party.
Slumber parties are a great chance to get kids crafting! Not only is it a fun way to ensure everyone leaves with something unique they have created themselves, it also makes for an effective icebreaker and chance to get kids working together.
Pick a theme, choose one or two arts and crafts activities, and watch their creativity flow.
Have an Art Party
Like those wine-and-painting studios they have for adults, adopt this theme by doing a cider-and-painting or cocoa-and-painting party. If you are a bit of an artist yourself, pick an image to have everyone paint and guide them through the process (pick something fairly simple with bold lines for beginners). If you love the idea but aren’t confident in your instructional skills, get enough paint-by-number kits, enough for each guest to have one, and get to painting!
If painting isn’t your speed, have the kids make collages. Get several big sheets of cardboard for the guests to use. You can either have each guest make one small collage, or you can gather them into teams to work on bigger projects. Collages with a message or theme are always fun, and can help them make memories they will keep forever.
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Jewelry is Always in Style
Jewelry making is always a hit, because everyone can create something they love. Get enough supplies to have a beading station, one for making friendship bracelets out of embroidery floss, another for wire wrapping (this is better for older girls, middle school and up) and semi-precious stones. Have a few basic how-to books around and let everyone create a piece they can take home and wear forever.
Knitting and Crochet
Knitting and crochet are at the height of their renaissance, and everyone wants to learn how. Pick up your needles, pick something simple like scarves or beanies, and get the girls creating a wearable piece all their own. Be sure to have an assortment of yarns in different colors and textures to entice even the most reluctant would-be knitter.
Commemorate the Moment with Scrapbooking
A scrapbooking party can be loads of fun for everyone! Have the kids decorate pages and take pictures that can be downloaded and printed on your color printer. They can add these images to their scrapbooks like a special memory of this special night. This is a great project for lock-ins or sleepovers where the girls will have some time to assemble or finalize their books in the morning, after gathering all their memories the night before.
Shop for Craft Kits
When in doubt, peruse the craft store’s aisles of kits. There you’ll find starter kits for everything from decoupaged jewelry boxes to beaded picture frames to hand-painted holiday ornaments. You can either get an assortment and let kids pick what they’d like to make, or get several matching kits so everyone has the same stuff. If you have time to plan in advance, watch sales and get kits in the off-season or when the store has them marked down at deep discounts.
Whatever arts and crafts you choose, remember the goal is to get the kids talking, relating, and creating! So keep it simple so you don’t overwhelm non-artsy types with a project that’s too complicated, and keep it interesting so everyone will want to participate.