A JOHNSTONE mum came up with a creative way to make sure the lockdown didn’t spoil her daughter’s sixth birthday...by transforming their home into an indoor campsite.
Lisa Mackinnon had planned to treat KayliMia and her friends to a big party at a soft play area, only for the bash to be scrapped as a result of the coronavirus outbreak.
However, as an alternative, the 29-year-old mum pitched tents in her living room and used recycled materials to recreate a camping experience.
It took Lisa three weeks to prepare the special treat, which included serving food from a pretend barbecue and the chance to relax in a paddling pool.
“I’m amazed at how well it all worked out,” Lisa told The Gazette.
“KayliMia wanted a big party for her birthday, with all her friends, and we planned to have it at a soft play area but, obviously, that fell through, so I wanted to bring an outdoor experience into the house.”
KayliMia has been off school since St Margaret’s Primary, in Johnstone, closed its doors last month but she has been helping her mum use recycled materials to create craft versions of ladybirds, bees and butterflies.
These were then used as decorations for the indoor campsite, which Lisa managed to keep a secret from KayliMia and her eight-year-old step-sister and six-year-old step-brother.
Lisa spent 17 hours putting the campsite together at her town centre home the day before KayliMia’s special party.
She said: “I was knackered when I went to bed the night before but it felt like Christmas because I couldn’t wait for the kids to see everything.
“When KayliMia saw it for the first time, she just started screaming and jumping up and down. Her step-siblings were speechless and their wee faces lit up. We camped in the sitting room all weekend and the kids didn’t once ask to go outside because everything they wanted was inside.”
Apart from three tents, which Lisa bought for under £60, everything else for the weekend celebrations was hand-made from materials found in the house or outdoors.
Lisa used nail polish to decorate the walls and some old plastic bottles to create flowers, lit up by tea lights. She also made fireflies out of chocolate coins and fairy lights.
The youngsters could also listen to ambient forest noises coming from their television while drinking fizzy apple juice from plastic Champagne flutes.
Lisa added: “Our kids had an amazing time and I think it’s because we managed to make it feel like staying inside wasn’t a bad thing.”
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