Liam is currently obsessed with space. At his preschool they’ve started to introduce the concept of planets and the universe, so naturally the best way to nurture his new found obsession is a trip to our local planetarium. In LA we have access to what I think is one of the best locations for a planetarium, EVER! Perched up in the hills overlooking all of LA, Griffith Park Observatory has the most stunning view. Since this was his first trip I really wanted it to be special, so I put on my thinking cap, and created a space-themed picnic to excite our senses. I felt like this would be a fun way to enjoy and remember this super fun outing, and I always like an excuse to get creative!

Such a gorgeous, classic LA view! (Maybe a little hazy, but still.)

To kick off our trip I created this super simple moon tee. I purchased an American Apparel white tee, printed a moon graphic I found on the internet, and used iron on transfer paper to apply it. Voila! You’ve got yourself a DIY (enviably hip) tee for under $11.

Supplies for our Space Picnic:
• Juice from local LA fave, Moon Juice (watermelon flavor)
• “Sunbeam” dried mangos
• Luna Bar
• PB&J “Starlight Sammies”
• “Black Hole” mini oreo cookies
• “Shuttle Smoke” cheese puffs

Plus a selection of space-themed books:
- Dr Seuss There’s No Place Like Space!
- SPACE for kids who like space
- This is the Way to the Moon
- A is for Astronaut 

And naturally, a space craft project using marbled balloons and gold cocktail stirrer.

In every snack pack I like to add a fun party favor or craft, just to up the entertainment value a bit . Lucky for me, I can dig through my craft closest and find a way to transform a cocktail stirrer + marbled balloon into some kind of space-like object. Liam loved running around with his new space balloon.

At 3 1/2, Liams’s imagination is running wild, and it’s the perfect time to join in on the fun to create a unique experience that you will both remember for a long time. Hope this inspires you to plan something fun with your littles too!

~Jillian

We’d love to hear your stories and/or playdate ideas. Email us at 100layercakelet [at] gmail [dot] com, comment below, or tag us @100layercakelet #cakeletplaydates on Instagram!

Photo by Scott Clark Photo Inc. / Concept and design by 100 Layer Cake.