Sleepovers are a great way to get together with friends or give kids a good time, but they require a little pre-preparation. From setting the date to making the necessary purchases or managing beds, don’t forget anything.
To save you time, we’ve put together a non-exhaustive list of things to keep in mind when planning your sleepover:
Summary
1. Set the date and time of the party
Before hosting a sleepover with friends or for your kids, you must decide on a date and a start time.
Ensure your chosen date and time suits all guests and isn’t mid-week. Most parents work and finish late, and children must attend school. So, it would be better to plan it for a Friday or Saturday afternoon.
2. Inform parents in advance
Contact each parent well in advance if you want to make sure no one is missing.
Letting your son or daughter sleep outside the home requires reflection, and parents must be calm about where and how the evening will be spent. It is advisable, then, to make direct calls or even meetings near the school to inform parents. You can also create a social media group in WhatsApp or Messenger to keep in touch. You can them a message a few days later with a reminder of the date, time, and theme, if necessary, and any helpful information.
3. Plan meals
Because it is a sleepover and not a formal meal, spending hours in the kitchen is unnecessary.
Focus on easy-to-eat meals, savoury snacks like hot dogs or burgers, and small desserts like chocolates or cakes. You can also plan a themed party with international food (Italian, Chinese, Thai, etc.) and then shop or order in. The ultimate goal of a sleepover is to have fun, not worry and enjoy yourself.
Also, prepare breakfast for the following day. It may include croissants, fruit, cereals, juice and coffee (for adults only).
4. Organise activities during the evening
To keep your kids entertained or have a good time with friends, organise amusing activities, laugh and play together.
No need to get complicated; games, movies and music will be enough! Are you out of ideas? We have prepared a list that will be helpful.
Original ideas for sleepovers
- Plan a movie marathon: Choose a series of movies or a saga that all guests like and that suits guests’ age (Harry Potter, Star Wars…).
- Board games: Prepare a selection of board games for guests to play together. Games like Monopoly, Scrabble, Party & Co or Trivial Pursuit are always a success in a sleepover.
- Spa at home: Prepare a spa with hot towels, masks and essential oils for guests to relax.
- Pillow fight: What would a sleepover be without a pillow fight? Prepare all kinds of pillows for children to play with.
- Costume contest: Ask all your friends or children to come in costumes according to a specific theme, such as cartoon characters or superheroes, and organise a contest to see who wears the best costume. (And give a prize to the winner!).
- Cooking evening: Would you like to organise a cooking workshop? Prepare the ingredients for easy, original meals so everyone can participate. You can even organise a contest to choose the best dish.
- Karaoke: Rent karaoke equipment or use an app on your smartphone to organise a memorable and fun karaoke night.
- Video games: Do you like video game parties? Prepare a selection of games to play together. Role-playing, racing and sports games are great ideas. For example, Nintendo Switch is ideal for multiplayer.
- Blind test: It has become a sleepover classic, so prepare your best playlist and team up to guess the name of each song.
- Horror stories: As terrifying as it is funny, telling horror stories is a very enjoyable activity for a sleepover.
5. Get the house ready
To welcome your friends or your children’s friends in the best possible way, organise the house accordingly.
Ensure you have enough towels, duvets and pillows for all guests, especially beds or mattresses for everyone. If possible, organise it so that everyone sleeps in the same room. A sleepover is a time to sleep together and stay up all night.
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