Unique Mani-Pedis and Creative Life Lessons in a Nail Salon Fort

Posted May 25, 2017 by Fort Magic

Oh, how a day at the spa relaxes your body and soothes your senses! A Fort Magic nail salon fort provides the perfect setting for at home treatments. Plus, you just might find your children learn a few life lessons along the way. Whether treating Mom to a special birthday mani or helping big sis get ready for a party, the nail salon fort benefits everyone involved. A rainy afternoon of hosting friends for manis and pedis yields giggles and multiple brightly colored piggies. So, let’s get our children to building and creating! After all, the fun awaits.

Creating the Salon Fort

For your young architects and designers, the shape and cover materials used for a nail salon fort are limited only by their imaginations. Set out the supplies, and let the inspiration begin!

For a traditional southern salon, think pink with plenty of floral. Do you feel like going contemporary? Keep it simple and add twinkle lights. For a French-inspired theme, use a black-and-white striped sheet to cover the design.

Consider something nontraditional with clear cellophane. This design offers a light and airy salon. Of course, your child’s favorite colors and textures could dictate fort design and covering.

Remember to include a whiteboard, poster board or cardboard for an exterior sign. Hand off naming rights of this new business to your child.

Once you build the fort and hang the sign, your little interior designer breathes life into the fort. Again, your child’s personal style plays a starring role. However, a few basics come to

Now, it’s time to stock the place! Help your child gather some supplies.

— Nail scrubber.

— Nail files.

— Buffers.

— Cuticle cream.

— Lotion.

— Foot file or pumice.

— Foot soak containers.

— Towels.

— Nail polish.

— Polish remover.

Of course, adding extra touches brings personality to your child’s nail salon.

— Pillows to create a comfy space.

— Safe lighting.

— Art to adorn the walls.

— A whiteboard or chalkboard to list services and prices.

— Sleep masks to promote relaxation during pedicures.

— Marbles in the bottom of foot soak containers for a gentle massage.

— Soothing music to set the mood

Child-Friendly Products

To keep the fun safe, stock the nail salon fort with natural and nontoxic products. Additionally, keep tools age-appropriate. Do you need a few suggestions?

— Natural, nontoxic, odorless nail polishes such as Piggy Paint or Ella and Mila offer natural nail color for the budget friendly. Check out nontoxic brands formulated for adults as well for when Mom pops into the salon for a mani-pedi.

— Do not forget the nontoxic polish remover! Plus, finding polish remover pads or pre-soaking a few cotton balls in remover keeps the spills in the fort to a minimum.

— For the infamous mani-pedi hand or foot massage, be sure to include lotions which are all natural as well. Purchase an organic one or whip up a batch in the kitchen with your child.

— While concocting with your budding cosmetologist, spend a little extra time creating a sweet-smelling sugar scrub for exfoliating feet naturally.

— To decrease the risk of injury, opt for nail files over clippers for safe nail trims. Consider baby clippers that have safety features. Avoid cuticle trimmers unless an adult uses them.

— Nail stamp kits or nail art stickers work well for young manicurists as opposed to nail polish. This prevents spills on the carpet and blotches of Sea-quin Piggy Paint around the house.

Life Lessons

Fort play offers lessons from start to finish, but the experience of the nail salon fort introduces a unique take on four life lessons. Check it out.

— The customer service aspects of pampering friends or family with nail treatments imparts powerful lessons of caring for and serving others upon your child. Can you imagine an act more humbling than washing another’s feet for a pedi?

— Paying for services rendered illustrates the value of a dollar to children. Menus of salon services with fees engage the full salon experience and offer an opportunity to teach tipping etiquette as well.

— A mother-child session inside this unique fort teaches your son or daughter valuable details of personal hygiene without being too preachy. Nail and skin care come quickly to mind, but think of other healthy body care practices you can introduce.

— Plus, the nail salon is known for invoking intimate conversation. Whether friend-to-friend or parent-to-child, interacting in the nail salon fort may open up meaningful dialogue and strengthen relationships.

For these reasons, don’t forget to include Dad! Remember, Eye-Popping Pink polish with plenty of glitter complements any father’s outfit. So, what are you waiting for? A one-of-a-kind mani-pedi experience awaits you.

How do you use fort building and pampering to teach your kids about personal hygiene and life lessons? Do these times help bring you together and create memories? What products do you prefer for kids? Share your ideas with us below!

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Photo Credits:

Meri Cherry:  The Meri Cherry blog is a tremendously awesome resource on all things creative, artistic and beautiful in the world of kids crafting. Full of gorgeous, fun and inspiring ideas for your family playtime, you’ll simply love the hands-on-learning ideas she posts each week.