This post is brought to you by Disney Book Group. All opinions are my own.
We love a good bedtime story. It’s the perfect way to connect with the kids one more time before we turn the lights off and say goodbye to the day. But these days, I haven’t really been looking forward to bedtime as much because Zac’s been having a hard time falling asleep. When I heard there was a story about a kid who couldn’t sleep- and then had the tables turned- I knew it was perfect for our bedtime story time!
To make our story time extra special, I decided to make something that Zac’s been wanting for a while – a canopy for his bed! I found some to purchase online, but they cost more than I wanted to spend on a piece of fabric – some of them were over $100! I knew I could DIY one myself for much cheaper. It may not look perfect, but it was a lot cheaper- and it was easy! {And I spent less than $20!}
How to make a DIY Canopy
Supplies:
Embroidery hoop- I removed the outer layer and used the inner circle
2- Glitter tulle {6×30 ft} in silver
Hot glue gun and hot glue sticks
Thread or string
Screw hook
Directions:
- Open your fabric fully and place as desired around embroidery hoop. I think it looks nice to do layers in some parts and not in others, and of course, leave some room in the front where there isn’t any fabric.
- Once you have your placement in mind, heat up your hot glue gun and begin gluing. Be sure to use the back of the glue gun or another tool to adhere the tulle to the hoop since the hot glue can be felt through the fabric! It definitely works best if you stick the glue on the hoop and attach the tulle, rather than the other way around.
- Once your tulle is all attached and the glue is all hardened and cooled, tie your thread or string on the hoop at the front {open} part of the canopy and tie the other end to the opposite side. Make sure your string or thread is long enough to form a “tent” shape when dangling from the hook – your measurement will depend on how long you want your canopy to dangle and how tall your ceiling is.
- Screw the screw hook into the ceiling right above where you want the center to be. Place the canopy on the hook and you’re done!
While I could have used a sheer but solid fabric, I opted for the see-through glitter one because Zac is still afraid of things that go bump in the night, so he would have been too afraid to be closed off without being able to see.
The whole process took me around 20 minutes, and while it’s maybe not as nice as the $100 one I saw online, Zac was beaming when he saw it.
He was even more excited when I told him we had a new book to read under the canopy!
About the Sleepy, the Goodnight Buddy:
A hilarious twist on a classic bedtime story: When a boy who routinely refuses to go to bed gets a talkative stuffed animal, the tables are turned!
It is impossible not to crack up while reading this all-dialogue bedtime story by Drew Daywalt, the New York Times #1 best-selling author of The Day the Crayons Quit. Scott Campbell’s expressive illustrations bring home the hilarity. Roderick hates going to bed, and the young boy has become quite resourceful in coming up with ways to delay the dreaded hour when the lights must go out. Roderick’s loving parents–fed up with the distractions and demands that have become his anti-bedtime ritual–decide to get him a stuffed animal to cuddle with and help him wind down. However, Sleepy quickly proves to be a bit high-maintenance. Just when we fear the night may never end, Sleepy’s antics become too exhausting for Roderick to bear.
Sleepy, the Goodnight Buddy is one of our absolute new favorite books. Zac thinks it’s hysterical {as you can see} and loves when I act out the different voices. I love it because I get to make him laugh and it reminds me of him! Most of the excuses Sleepy gives for not being able to sleep are things my own children have said. In fact, now that we’ve read the book, when Zac is having a hard time staying in bed, I tell him he’s being like Sleepy and it makes him smile and reminds him to get some sleep!
Whether you have a kiddo who just can’t seem to stay in bed or you’re just looking for a hysterical bedtime story, be sure to pick up your copy of Sleepy, the Goodnight Buddy – available at a store near you or on Amazon.com!
