With more than two years of experience setting up sleepover parties and hosting some of them. We got a pretty good idea of what a sleepover consist of and what are the most fun things you can do to bring your party to the next level. If you are ready to host your own sleepover with our teepees or without, this perfect guide is for you. Follow the steps and be ready to win the best parent award of the year!
If your child asks for a sleepover with friends, they are ready to have an amazing time together. The kids will bond and get to know each other even better, it is a great time for social growth and establishing friendships. So to make them excited, send an invitation with all the little details, make sure they bring their pillows and if you are not having teepees, making sure they bring their sleeping bag or blanket. We offer a free invitation, that is available on our website to make your life even easier. You can customize them however you want and add any extra information!
To make a big impression on the kids, make sure they enter the party together, especially if they have their own teepees to sleep in, kids love the big reveal, and it would be an awesome memory for you to have recorded on your phone. Some parents, do not tell the kids about the “teepees” until they see for themselves and it is always a great moment. I have seen some of the birthday kids cry of joy when they see the party all set up! So magical! So if that is an experience you want your child to have, make an effort to surprise him or her. You won't regret it!
You have a group of kids spending the night at your house, now what? Do not freak out! I am here to help you! We recommend your party to start in the evening, no earlier than 5 pm. Average kids go to bed at 9 pm, but since they are having a sleepover and it is a weekend, of course, it is ok to stay up late, but not too late.
Have a bedtime in mind and stick with it. Create a schedule for the activities, please follow the schedule and tell the kids right away about it, you can even print out the schedule and share with them the fun party you are planning for them! This way they are aware of the program and won't complain when the time to go to bed comes. Now, once they see the area where they will sleep and they are all settled in, it is time for a toast!
Start the party sharing with the girls the activities you have planned out for them. While you do that, ask them to have a seat at the table and serve them a drink to toast your child’s birthday (Plastic champagne cups are super cheap at amazon.com) Tell them about any rules for the sleepover area, rules about your house, which bathroom to use, where they can get water and all those little details you want to share, this is a great time for questions and for you to get to know them.
While seated at the table you can start a craft activity right there, there are so many easy crafts they can create, such as fairy jars, dream catchers, pillowcase activity, bracelet making and so many more. I love the session of DIY Crafts at the 5 and below store, check it out if you want something easy. If you are buying supplies for the kids to make a craft, make sure you separate the items for each child, to make it easy for you just to hand out the materials for each craft. Have the instructions print out and check the age-appropriate for the crafts, to make sure they can have fun making it.
One great idea to get the kids entertained is to create a build your own pizza, taco or sandwich session. You can also let them decorate cupcakes if you have enough space. If you prefer just to order food, that is fine too, but give them some activity to do in the meantime, while you get the table ready for them to eat. You can have them playing a sleepover game, singing and dancing with a karaoke machine or making Tik Tok videos. Just make sure to have something ready for them to do. Once the kids are fed it is time for a game!
While you get the cake ready. Make sure the kids are seated or in a circle and pass a piece of paper with a pen, and on the top of the paper write “ Once upon a time…” And let them write a sentence each until the paper ends with the birthday child, tell her to read it out loud at the end and get ready for tons of laughs. You can also give them a different game to do, but something easy and fun like this, just so they can digest their food.
Time to sing Happy Birthday! The fun thing about a sleepover is that you can pick a regular cake, a pile of donuts or a big cookie with ice cream and it will be fine! The ideas are endless and wherever treat your child pick, it will be amazing!
For a girl's sleepover, we recommend them to enjoy a pampering time with each other. Robes, Facials, cucumber, massage session on each other, nail polish and lotion on hands to make them feel good and cozy.
For boys, we recommend, let them play their favorite video games, card games, or any other fun games you have in the house for 40 min or so.
After getting relaxed or playing their favorite game is time to get ready for bed, I know it is early still, but before you start the best part in my opinion, the movie, make sure all the kids are comfortable on their PJs, have everything ready for bed, so you can get them in the same routine they have at home at bedtime. It is time for them to brush teeth, get pillows in place and relax. You can still offer them popcorn. Candy or soda is not recommended, otherwise, you will not sleep my dear!
Get the movie and popcorn ready while the kids are alternating on the brushing and changing clothes. Give them 2-3 movie options, your child can help you to pick them beforehand, make sure the kids all feel comfortable before you give yourself a break. You can stay with them as well, but trust me, you might need this break right here, right now!
The movie is done, time to get ready for bed, make sure to remind them about the schedule you guys had talked about, they will remember and be most likely to go to bed. Turn off lights and just leave one light on, for one of the kids that might not be used to sleep in the dark. Another idea is to ask parents about their kid's night routine, that way you know how to accommodate your guests beforehand. Trust me, all kids have different routines and some of them might find it difficult to fall asleep without their regular bedtime routine.
Try to make breakfast as easy as possible, You can have little glass milk bottles ready to serve milk or juice and some donuts, I am sure they won't complain! Or if you want to go an extra level you can create a waffle bar with different toppings for them to create their own special waffle. You can also make pancakes or bacon and eggs. Wherever fits your wants and needs. After breakfast, ask kids to brush their teeth and get ready, change clothes, pack their items and even help with the party cleanup, putting some items away. After that, you can let them free play and open gifts, that way they can get occupied with the gifts your child will receive and encourage more talking and engagement. Make sure to have time for the pick up on the invitation, so parents know when to pick up their child.
Before the kids leave, make sure you have a picture with all of them together, if not, take one right there and another great idea is to have a keepsake for your child to keep. It can be a pillowcase or a journal where the kids will sign their names and in the journal, kids can write advice or special memories with your child. It is cute and fun! For boys, kids can sign a ball or a shirt or write on a card or notebook.
I hope this guide will put your mind at ease when your child decides to have a sleepover party! Those are memories that will last a lifetime and they will think you are the coolest mom ever!
Until the next time,
XOXO,
Larissa Aparecida Smith