There is a chance to celebrate literally everyday. Food is a natural celebration so it is easy for me to make little parties just around our normal meal times and snacks. If this isn’t your norm let me introduce you to the “Pop Up Party”.
A Pop Up Party combines something you were planning to do anyway with a creative and intentional twist. There are many variations of this and it ranges from crazy simple to just simple. But it always engages the imagination and creates conversation. A Pop Up Party makes the ordinary more special. This is fun and can be done by just filling a pineapple cup with water and pretending you are in Hawaii. Or making a coffee and imagining you are at a Paris cafe. You don’t even have to pretend. You can just enjoy. Usually there are a few more elements but the main purposes are fun and creating connection with your children.
Pop Up parties benefit you and your children by in two primary ways. One, make the day more fun and bond with you. And more importantly these activities teach your children how to have conversations that eventually lead to them being able to open up and share the issues on their hearts. Pop Ups that are sit down invite more conversation and I’ll cover that soon.
This activity adds some fluff to the day that can fill the time and make the day go by faster. I’ve heard the quote that “The days are long but the years are short.” I always found my days went fast. Probably because I was busy caring for three so close in age, but I also think, it was because we knew how to fill the day. Let me share some examples of what we do and how they have positively impacted my children.
For instance, breakfast becomes dinning at a cafe by telling Alexa to play us some “restaurant music” and serving what I was already planning on serving. It really is that simple. Cut up a peach and serve on top of frozen waffles with a drizzle of syrup. Yum! Easy!
I’ve asked Alexa Italian dinner music, mariachi music, luau music etc. There literally is a song named anything you can think of. My daughter said Alexa play me I love my mom. There was a song named that. Then one said, Play I love my sister, followed by play I love my dad, and play I love my whole family. Yep there was a song called that too.
My girls love this concept and I think it brings us closer together. If the party involves pretending we are at a cafe then I am usually am the server and we practice our manners at the same time. If we have more time then one of them can be the server and take turns serving each other. Even when they were in highchairs and just learning to talk I could set them up and serve them a “baby cappuccino” frothed almond milk. I would talk to them and they would eat their foam while I drank my coffee. Then I would give them some drawing toys or a Leap Frog computer and pull out my lap top and we would work together. It was a great way to have fun, pass time with baby and get some work done. And they felt connected to me instead if ignored.
I’ve used a left over birthday banner and let them host a party for their dolls. They found toys to wrap up and drew pictures to give to their dolls. You can keep this going and let them make a cake for the dolls. It’s natural for activities to build on whatever you plan to do. And yay! You’re halfway through the day. Better yet make that cake after nap time as an incentive to rest.
Target had an LOL scavenger hunt. My coincidence I was there without my girls and the lady started to chat with me and she gave me three key chains, stickers and chapsticks. I set up their table with a little table cloth and laid out the stickers and put the rest of the free swag in toilet paper tubes and wrapped them to look like poppers.
When my oldest wanted to start her own restaurant one evening I told her we had to wait and do it in the morning so we had time to prepare. She wrote out an adult menu and a children’s menu that included a picture for the kids to color. We also invited a quarantine life approved guest. I counted this as one of our home school lessons.
She set up tables, sat her guests as they arrived, took orders, delivered food and bussed the tables. I couldn’t believe what a great job she did balancing it all. No water glass was ever left empty.
I pick up cute party items that are on clearance or from the dollar section of the store and save them for a regular occasion to make it a little more fun. I bought a lemon-aid sign and banner in the dollar section of Target and we turned our play house into a lemonade stand. We learned about money and math. We practiced pouring, saying please and thank you and waiting for our turn to serve and be served.
Often our 4pm snack is a tea party. It’s nice to sit with them for a minute and take a break. Sometimes I look at a magazine during this time as a way for myself to slow down. We all know 4pm can be a harrowing time as the witching hour sets in. If I don’t take a break with tea at 4 I’m going to NEED wine by 5! And I benefit from the break by getting off my feet and savor this time with my girls. I feel like I am getting the most out of this phase in life instead of it slipping away.
I show them interesting articles with pictures of places that would be nice to visit, pretty recipes, or paraphrase a story, making it relevant to them. I try to use this time to broaden their horizons and bring out conversation. I try to inspire them through the things that others are doing and ignite their imaginations. I turn all this around and then use this as an opportunity to open up conversations. I ask them “Would like to go here?” Or “Does this look good to you?” What do you think inspired her to start her to start a line of baby products? Do you think it was easy or scary? It never lasts too long and as the’ve gotten older the conversations get a little deeper and become a natural seguway for meaningful conversation. I want to know what’s going on in their world and hopefully get to their hearts a little more regularly.
I’m setting them up so they know that we are a family that talks and shares. Of course I want to know what is happening with the Elsa and Olaf dolls now, but I am also interested in providing a space and creating a habit to keep our lines of communication open. Setting this up early is important for when they are older to keep them sharing. My daughter has opened up about problems at school during this time and it also prompts her imagination. Sometimes she shares stories that happened weeks ago that are bothering her. It breaks my heart to hear the burden she has been carrying alone at times. I wish she would tell as soon as something happens, but at least she doesn’t hold on to it forever. Other times for bonding like this are any quiet times for conversation throughout the day and before bed. We don’t have deep conversations all the time but we always provide the space to see what comes.
Little children are naturals when it comes to using their imaginations but it’s nice for adults to interact with them in this way too. Playing and imagining with them shows we are on a level playing field, at least for this time. They crave engagement. A little focused time to show that we care about what they have to say goes a long way in establishing trust so they will continue communicating with us when the stakes are higher and they are older. I’m providing my girls an opportunity to talk and it’s something we do regularly so they know they always have a place and time to be heard. 4pm is a time that I know we are going to have to have snack anyways. This is a reminder for me to stop and sit with them and step away from the never ending cycle of cleaning up the kitchen
Pop Ups are so fun and make daily life more special. They open up the lines of communication. Remember, it doesn’t have to be a big deal. Connect everyday with something like a tea time. Every now and then try something a tad more elaborate like an unbirthday party or soda shoppe. Enjoy and let me know what your Pop-Up plan is!
