At-home spa days make a luxurious, often expensive endeavor fun and accessible. Hostings a spa day for you and your kids can build lasting memories while demonstrating that life is best enjoyed when the mind and body are balanced.
Whether you’re planning to soak your toes in a tub with your best bath bomb for kids or let your favorite deep conditioner replenish your dry locks, there are many ways you can pamper yourself and your family.
Create an Invitation
Set the tone by crafting an invite either with your own stationery or by downloading a template. Teenagers with their own email accounts might enjoy opening digital invitations and sent via email. Direct your guests on what spa attire you recommend, such as a robe, comfortable pajamas and slippers. You can also suggest kids with long hair should bring a hair tie or pull it back with a headband.
Establish a Welcoming Atmosphere
Create a welcome sign to put on your bathroom door to help establish a “spa” suite. You can find kid-friendly relaxing playlists on Spotify or iTunes to help set the stage. Add a candle to your countertop. (Opt for flameless if children are very young.) If you have a natural room freshener or a lavender sleep spray, spritz it to help set the mood. Roll up a few washcloths with a ribbon to place near the sink.
Offer Spa-Themed Snacks and Beverages
Squash hunger and quench thirst with the sorts of snacks and beverages you’d find at a pricey spa. We suggest creating your own vegetable- or fruit-infused water by adding cucumbers, lemons or berries to a pitcher. Serve iced tea or warm decaffeinated tea, depending on what time of day your spa appointment is set for.
A platter of finger sandwiches add a fun touch to your experience. You can assemble cucumber, dill and cream cheese or something even simpler, such as peanut butter and jelly. Cut off the crusts or use a cookie cutter to create unique shapes. You can even garnish the plate with fresh berries or extra slices of vegetables.
Establish Spa Stations
To help transform your space into a spa, set up pedicure, manicure, hair and facial stations. If you don’t have pedicure bins, that’s OK! Set your best bath bomb for kids to work by tossing one in a tub filled with warm water. (Make it extra pretty by sprinkling in flower petals.)
Create a section for nail painting. No matter what age your children are, it’s always a good idea to lay down an extra towel or two on the floor to catch drips. For countertops, you can use paper towels. Display several polish colors and a manicure kit. Help paint each other’s nails and then use a small fan or a blow drier to speed up the drying process.
When it comes to hair, moisture is everything. It breathes new life into dehydrated locks and helps detangle long hair. You can either purchase a hair mask from your local grocery or beauty store or whip up your own. Either way, you and your child can help smooth it over each other’s hair while you move on to other stations. If you want to quickly rinse out the hair mask, you can always hop in the shower, but leaving most on for an hour or even overnight is just fine.
Stock your facial station with face soap, a gentle exfoliator, face masks and wash towels. Add a few sliced cucumbers for eye treatments to help relieve puffiness. You can go the extra mile by adding a makeup brush to smooth on masks and then running your washcloth under warm water to help remove it.
Having an at-home spa day with your child helps strengthen family bonds while decompressing the body. Your hair, skin and nails will look better, too. We call that a win-win!
This story originally appeared on Don't Waste Your Money. Checkout Don't Waste Your Money for product reviews and other great ideas to save and make money.
