It somehow doesn't seem fair that my kids get colds the first week of school, when they are just getting used to it.
What we did do that seemed to help my four year old's transition a lot - and which, I think, had nothing to do with her getting a cold two days later - was to throw her a birthday party on the first Sunday after school began, or you know, two days ago.
I was quite nervous about this princess party. I am infinitely more comfortable with making a lego or dinosaur or baseball* birthday party. This whole princess thing still feels new to me even
though my older daughter is already four years old.
To start with, we handed out princess themed invitations at school, complete with a line about coming to the party "dressed in your best princess costume for some non-messy fun". Which is the
best kind of fun when you're wearing your good clothes.
After all my worry, bordering on anxiety (Josh thinks I might need to see someone about this), the party turned out to be quite adorable.
We began with the same activity all my birthday parties begin with - a bunch of crayons and themed coloring pages. We went with a Hello Kitty Princess coloring page from some free printable website. Google and you shall find.
And that's what I did.
There are many many sites devoted to princess parties, and funnily enough, each one seemed to have the same ideas. But none really went into the details of how to make the princess hats or how to make your own pin the kiss on the frog game. And that's why I'm here, for the excruciating
details. And also so when it's your turn to make the princess party, you won't have to think.
You're welcome.
So today we're gonna learn how to make Real Princess Hats.
Or how to successfully attach tulle to paper party hats.
And after much trial and error, I can tell you that this does not involve glue, even though I was quite sure it would. I just wasn't sure what kind. I tried Elmer's glue, Mod Podge, and a glue stick. None worked. I even, very briefly, considered a glue gun, but there was no way to get the glue gun inside the pointy part of the hat without needing medical intervention.
In the end, it's just going to be you and the tulle. And maybe, if you're neurotic, some Scotch tape.
Also, go buy a small roll of tulle, which is a type of netted sheer material, kind of what you might find a bride's veil made of. Except we bought pink instead of white. You can use whatever color you like.
Cut pieces of tulle that are about 14 inches long and 2 inches wide from your roll of tulle.
Now, if you look carefully at the very top of the party hats, you will see there is a small hole. This hole is way to small to accommodate the tulle, so using a pencil, widen the hole by gently sticking it through the bottom of the hat, all the way through to the top, opening the hole just a little.
Once you've that done, you're good. Roll one of the short edges of tulle in your hand to form a point and stick the point through the hole on the top of the hat, letting about four inches of tulle come through the hole to the inside of the hat.
Why four inches? Because that's enough material so that when the point you made with the tulle unfurls inside the hat, the tulle will get stuck. And stuck tulle is what you want because then it won't fall out. I wasn't so sure about the whole sticking the tulle in the hole thing as I was not at all convinced that the tulle would stay put, so I added a small piece of clear Scotch tape to top of the party hat to keep things in place, but I'm not really sure it was necessary.
Just as an aside, I made twenty princess party hats and it took about an hour. But I also had a two year old helper, so it may just take you a much shorter time to complete this project.
I had big plans for these hats. I thought we'd glue jewels and foam flowers to the hats at the party, but on party day, we merely stuck princess stickers onto the hats. Much neater, much more controlled. And the girls were so busy with the hats, you would have thought they were taking
the SATs. Either this is quietest group of four year olds ever or they were really into their hats.
Next up: Let's play Pin the Kiss on the Frog!
*That's this Sunday. Call me crazy but I like to bunch the parties together, get them over with all at once.