Pajama Party Favors and Craft?

[rachelh]

Ugh! I am so last minute even though I had this theme planned for a couple of months!

I need some favor ideas for 5-6 year old girls for a pancakes and pajamas party. I am trying to stay away from nail polish and that stuff and of course am trying not to spend too much money. Any ideas? I am coming up with nothing!

Also, I have the party planned for 2 1/2 hours and was going to have them eat pancakes and other yummy stuff, play some games, read a book, and then serve cake. Was planning on playing freeze dance, musical chairs, pass the pillow around (?). Do you think I will need a craft also to fill those 2 1/2 hours? Any good ideas? I was originally going to have them decorate their own pillowcases but I think they might be a little young for that.

TIA!

[baymom]

Sounds like a really fun party!!! I don't think 5-6 year olds would be too young to decorate their own pillow cases at all. You could just buy solid light colored cases and a couple packs of fabric markers and it would be an easy (not messy!) project that could easily take half and hour and also be their favor. Another idea was to buy yards of fleece and cut them into squares or rectangles and fringe all of them. Let each child choose two and have them make the knotted pillow covers. Also super cute, easy and inexpensive. I do think for that age girls, they could really get into a craft project...and it could double as your favor, too. Still, even without one, it sounds like you have really fun activities planned!

[MamaKath]

Originally Posted by baymom

Sounds like a really fun party!!! I don't think 5-6 year olds would be too young to decorate their own pillow cases at all. You could just buy solid light colored cases and a couple packs of fabric markers and it would be an easy (not messy!) project that could easily take half and hour and also be their favor. Another idea was to buy yards of fleece and cut them into squares or rectangles and fringe all of them. Let each child choose two and have them make the knotted pillow covers. Also super cute, easy and inexpensive. I do think for that age girls, they could really get into a craft project...and it could double as your favor, too. Still, even without one, it sounds like you have really fun activities planned!

I also think they would enjoy a simple craft like decorating a pillowcase or sleep shirt (white undershirt). I think that the knotting might be hard for some (coming as a k/1st teacher who deals with a range of abilities). Otherwise, no need for craft in that time frame. A little bag of pancake mix with a small whisk or spatula might be a fun favor. Or some kind of squirt bottle for making pancake letters at home. Fun theme!

[misshollygolightly]

Another activity could be an adult reading a fun bedtime book aloud. Bedtime books might make nice favors, as would fun flashlights, glow-in-the-dark bracelets, or inexpensive stuffed bears.

[vonfirmath]

Originally Posted by baymom

Sounds like a really fun party!!! I don't think 5-6 year olds would be too young to decorate their own pillow cases at all. You could just buy solid light colored cases and a couple packs of fabric markers and it would be an easy (not messy!) project that could easily take half and hour and also be their favor. Another idea was to buy yards of fleece and cut them into squares or rectangles and fringe all of them. Let each child choose two and have them make the knotted pillow covers. Also super cute, easy and inexpensive. I do think for that age girls, they could really get into a craft project...and it could double as your favor, too. Still, even without one, it sounds like you have really fun activities planned!

My son's Sunday School class did a "decorate your own" shirt thing at the end of his 3rd year. And he STILL wears that thing! (they did XS kids shirts)

[rachelh]

So I decided to do a pillow craft but being I am so last minute I can't find cheap enough pillowcases anywhere! And fabric markers seem to cost so much money!! Any good ideas on where to find cheap white pillowcases. At this point ordering online is out of the question.

[misshollygolightly]

You should be able to get cheap white pillowcases at Big Lots, Kmart, Walmart, etc. You can usually get a pack of 2 for under $4 at those kinds of places, I believe (so maybe $2/pillowcase). No need to buy them from a specialty craft store or anything. For that matter, they don't even all have to be white, just light enough for the marker to show up, I would think. I haven't done a project like this in a while so ask someone else, but I *think* you'll probably want to wash the pillowcases first in case they shrink. Have fun!

[baymom]

Michaels and Joann's both carry Craoyla fabric markers with their other crayola products and you could use the 40% off coupon to buy it there.

[Jen841]

If so, you could make pillowcases that are printed on one side and solid on the other.

If you think the kids could make knots, you could make fleece pillows.

Other favor ideas:
Bubblebath
Flashlights

Other activity ideas:
Freeze dance
Learn to make shadow/finger puppets
Make your own bedtime story (sit the kids in a circle and let them each say a sentence)
Create your own cereal - let them mix up cereals

I have ways wanted to do a breakfast time party and make a donut cake.

You are going to have fun!

[Melbel]

We did a "faux" sleepover for DD1's 6th birthday that was a huge hit with all of the girls. We had four stations with facials (including cut cucumbers for their eyes), decorate your own cupcake (instead of cake), manicures and a craft (decorate flip flops with jewels). The girls also loved playing freeze dance, limbo and jump the creek. We had a room set up with disco and black lights for the dance party. At the end of the party, we had some wind down time with part of a movie or show. My daughter loved it so much that she repeated the theme with a real sleep over for her 10th birthday.

As for pillow cases, both DS and DD1 made well loved pillow cases in pre-K, so I think it is age appropriate. Marshalls/TJ Max/Home Goods may be another option for brick and mortar stores.

For party favors, we included popcorn, pedicure kits (not polish; Dollar Tree), the flip flops they made, glow sticks and other items that I cannot recall.

For food, I would be careful not to over sugar up the girls (i.e. pancakes with syrup then cake may be too much; I think we did pizza for the dinner part). After the cupcakes, the girls had a whole new level of energy!

It is a great theme, and I hope that your daughter has a fabulous time.