HONOLULU Family Party Idea: Sleepover Camp

Set up a keiki-sized camp with touchable fire, cuddly wildlife and tasty treats for even s’more fun.

Décor

Set up brightly colored tents and a picnic table full of outdoor snacks, and ask happy campers to pack their own sleeping bags and favorite stuffed animals. Our keiki had a great time at a local park searching for sticks big enough for marshmallows. You can scrub the end of the stick or cover it in plastic wrap to make it roast-ready.

Favors

Photo: Karen DB Photography

Bundle twiglike colored pencils and mini notebooks for outdoor explorer field notes. Design your own logo on iron-on transfer paper for camp T-shirts and bags. Then send keiki into the woods (or at least around the backyard) on a scavenger hunt. Compass rings will show them the way, or pick up mini flashlights and magnifying glasses for an after-sunset search for bugs and other outdoor creatures.

Food

Fire up the grill for hot dogs to go with Spam musubi and a big cooler of bug juice. Keep the heat off the kids with a D.I.Y. s’mores trail mix bar, featuring fun flip-top jars and mini cast-iron skillets packed with mini marshmallows, chocolate and butterscotch chips, dried fruit and graham-cracker flavored cereal.

Where we found it

Twig colored pencils, $5.15 for 12, small 8-inch hurricane lantern, $4.37, amazon.com. Compass rings, $2.99 for 12, Party City. Flip-top jars, $1.31 to $2.13, Walmart.