Five Tips for Hosting a Spa Birthday Party

Cheryl Najafi, author of "You’re So Invited: Panic Less, Play More, and Get Your Party On!," shares tip for decorating for a spa birthday party for your little princess, as well as fun spa party activities, including manicures, hair stations, spin the nail polish, and decorating flip-flops.

Turn your backyard (or living room!) into a serene spa retreat with these easy and fun tips.

Spin the nail polish.

I love this game—and the girls will love it too. Put all the nail polish in a pail or big bowl and have the girls sit in a circle on the ground. Instruct the birthday girl to pick a nail polish color, put it in the middle of the circle, and spin. Whoever it lands on has to paint one toe that color; then she picks a different color and spins. At the end of the game, you’ll have a wacky array of feet walking around, let me tell you!

Manicure Mania

On a side table, set out a variety of nail polish colors, and have tools like cotton swabs and cotton balls on hand, plus nail polish remover, files, buffers, and nail stickers for customization. If there are more girls than moms able to give manicures, put out a clipboard and sign-up sheet so the guests can secure a time slot.

Hair Station

Set up a table with curling iron, blow dryers, and flat irons (if you’re hosting the party outside, you’ll need an extension cord or outdoor outlet for these), mousse, hair spray, brushes, and a variety of barrettes, clips, and hair ties. Let the girls go wild by giving each other fun new hairdos. Have a few disposable cameras on hand so the girls can take pictures.

Blinged-Out Flip-Flops

What tween doesn’t want some bling? Have the girls create one-of-a-kind, super cool footwear they can show off. Buy an array of rhinestones and plastic gems in various colors and set them in bowls. Put out craft glue (or low-heat glue guns with supervision) and cotton swabs. After the masterpieces are done, let sit for at least 20 minutes so the bling can set. This is best on a low table with throw pillows around it so the girls can sit or kneel.

Embrace Your Best, Resource The Rest

Rather than cooking, you can always buy a veggie platter and set out various store-bought dips like hummus, onion dip, and yogurt with dill. Order in turkey wraps from a local deli, and server strawberries on skewers—decadence!

Check out our list of party resources for spas in your area that offer birthday party services.

Cheryl Najafi is a mom of three, an entertaining expert on The Today Show, and the New York Times bestselling author of You’re So Invited: Panic Less, Play More and Get Your Party On! ($29.99; available at major booksellers) from which this article is excerpted. Learn more about Najafi and her work at cherylstyle.com, facebook.com/cherylstyle, or twitter.com/cherylstyle.

Also see:

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Three Swashbuckling Inspired Recipes for Pirate Party Grub