Here’s a new twist: a curly themed slumber party.
As a curly parent, thinking back on your slumber party days may bring up mixed emotions.
The gossip and giggles carried on through most of the night—and then your friends suggest mission impossible as they try to straighten your textured tresses.
You were excited to join in the fun, but trying to fit into a straight world can crush a curly girl’s confidence.
So when you’re young curly pleads for a slumber party of her own (and she will!”>, why not help her host an event that celebrates her natural curls, waves and kinks?
Here, are five must-try ideas to help you plan the big evening in curly style.
1. Decorate and serve refreshments with a twist.
Try…attaching curly ribbons to balloons that are placed throughout the home. Serve curly fries and drinks with curly straws.
Risa Barash, founder of Fairy Tales hair-care for children, also recommends baking a creative batch of cookies.
“You can twist the cookie dough into funky little curly shapes,” she explains. Or, you can bake a cake, draw a face with frosting on top and then twist shoestring licorice into curls that can frame the frosted face.
2. Rent a movie.
Try… “Curly Sue,” a funny and heartwarming film featuring curly actress Alisan Porter.
Or, introduce the kids to “Curly Top,” a family friendly, classic movie. It features Shirley Temple, who’s the original curly-haired cutie, says Cozy Friedman, owner of Cozy’s Cuts for Kids, a children’s hair salon in New York that also hosts birthday parties.
3. Play charades.
Try… adding a new curly rule to this fun-filled, silent game. This time, tell players they can only act out curl-related words or movie titles featuring curly-haired actors and actresses.
4. Go glam with curly makeovers.
Try… bringing in sponge or rag rollers and have the partygoers set each others’ hair in curly styles. Experiment with hair gels and twist the tresses in rollers for an overnight makeover.
In the morning, remove the rollers to reveal the cute curly do—and then encourage a photo session with a digital camera. Each child can print out their own picture to see what they look like with curly hair. The host of the party supplies each guest with a small picture frame so they can take home their framed party favor.
5. Spark creativity with an art project.
Try… creating a curly collage. You’ll need a stack of magazines, scissors, glue and poster board. The kids can go through the magazines and pick out their favorite pictures of curly hair (and anything related to curls”> to paste onto their collage.
Keeping a box of colored pencils handy is always great for those artistically blessed youngsters who want to draw their own curl-themed pictures on the poster board.
Whatever idea you choose, the focus on curls will encourage your child to embrace her natural texture, and so will her young friends.
“Let everyone see what it’s like to have curly hair, the work that goes into it and how glamorous it can be,” Barash says. “It’s nice to be different, and it’s wonderful to celebrate that!”
Slumber Party Basics
1. Keep the group small enough so you can easily keep an eye on all the young guests.
2. Make sure you specify what the children should bring, such as a sleeping bag.
3. Tell parents what you have planned and keep their contact information handy.
4. Ask in advance about food allergies or other critical information you need to know about your child’s guests.
5. Explain the house rules, including when the group should expect to turn the lights out!
