As a mom, I find it fun to see my kids having fun with their friends. It is also one way to get to know her crowd and bond with them. When she asked for a sleepover party one day, I was so happy and excited.
Since it was the first time, my ideas for a fun slumber party were limited. How to host a sleepover? After some searching and with the help of mommy friends, I was successful on making my kid’s sleepover activity a blast!
Planning for the event
It’s essential to know who and how many friends are coming over for the activity. Knowing such will be your first guide to what you need to do. If the invitations go to a friend or two, your kid’s room may be enough to accommodate.
However, if it’s a big group, you may want to look for a spacious place to make them comfortable. Remember, don’t overbook. Choose a number that you can handle.
Pick the best date and time
Determine the date ahead, so everyone has enough time to prepare. It would be better to make an invitation card so they can show it to their parents for permission.
If the purpose is to celebrate a special occasion, you may pick a day closest to the date. If it is just for group study or girls fun, I recommend Friday nights since the following day is a free day. A night with friends usually wraps up so late.
Decorations
Streamers hanging from the ceiling, balloons on the floor and colorful pillows are good perks for a lively night. Make the sheets extra clean, soft, and fragrant for the night. You may add some colorful lights too and make the room a magical place.
Having themes for the night is also an excellent idea. You can make makeshift tents for the kids to stay inside. Be sure to leave some space for the running, pillow fights and a lot of giggling.
Series of activities
The beautiful decor is a start but keeping the fun going depends on the activities they’ll enjoy for the night.
- Games- Kids love games! Boys like to interact primarily with virtual games.
- Prepare your X-box, PC, PS4, etc. that they can use to enjoy the overnight.
- Board and card games
- Pictionary
- Make-overs- are a favorite especially if there are lots of girls. I tell you, they can spend the whole night doing their faces and hairs. There will be a scatter of clothes on the floor too. Your teens will appreciate this activity so much.
- Music and dancing- keep the night lively. Who will ever get bored when their favorite music is on? Expect a lot of dancing that goes with it too. Turn your room into a disco floor. What’s more, everybody can enjoy the fun!
- Fun arts and crafts- is a challenge of creativity. When the time calls for a sit-down and busy-minds, start to give them something to make. It could be a perfect souvenir of the event. Whether your guests are teens or children, crafts can never get old.
- Pool Party- bring the fun to the pool. Kids love to swim. A little diversion from the room makes the sleepover more exciting. The kids being outdoors is also a good opportunity to serve food. This way, you will only serve snacks in the room after. Less effort, less mess. Of course, this will work if you have a pool at home.
FOOD
When the fun is non-stop, with all those running around and laughing, for sure food, comes next. How to host a sleepover and satisfy those growling tummies? Here are a few ideas for yummy bites that even picky eaters will love.
- Cakes and tarts
- Chips and popcorns
- Pizza and fries
- Ice cream and roll-ups
- Cookies and jelly beans
- Waffles and fruit plate
- Mc and Cheese and sandwiches
Points to Ponder
You have focused on entertaining the group that you might have missed to consider essential aspects to make your kids’ night smooth and worry-free. Here are tips as heads up for you.
- The right time is essential. Kids 8 years old and above are ready for sleepovers. Otherwise, you will find yourself stressed consoling a child having tantrums. Make sure the children are all willing to spend the night.
- It is good to know the different characters of the group. Then you can prepare appropriate activities for them to share.
- Make sure to connect with parents. Brief them on your activities, invitations. Be specific on pick up time and drop-offs. Consider to tell them what the children should bring and ask about the allergies and health conditions of each child.
- Sweet treats and large food servings must be off an hour before bedtime. Give them time to burn the sugar in the system so they can sleep soundly.
- Create and maintain a relaxed environment. Be sensitive to kids. Don’t force someone to play. Observe what catches their interests.
- Always be around and check on them every fifteen (15) minutes. The consistency of your presence will keep you in control. It will also give you quick reaction time on emergencies.
- Make sure the house is safe. No sharp objects to harm the kids and smoke detectors are a good plus too.
- Be firm when it’s time for sleep. Establish beforehand a time for sleeping. Announce reminders thirty (30) minutes before lights are out to condition their minds. Orient them with the rules before the party begins.
- Shop for extra slippers, toothbrush, or underpants just in case some of them forget to bring one. Be ready for medical equipment like child thermometer, warm or cold compress, etc.
- Take care of the kids like all of them are your own.
Conclusion
How to host a sleepover is fun more than what I expected. It was like me imagining to be young again. There are moments of challenges like being the referee of some petty fights, but nevertheless, it all ends up well.
The secret of success is to embrace the role of a friend and at the same time a mother to them. That means, share with them the fun at the same time letting them be aware that you are still the mom. So start planning the sleepover your child has been asking for and nail it!
Guest Author Bio:
Hi! My name is Sarah, founder of SarahsLovelyFamily. I love sharing tips and tricks I learned about raising my own family, helping parents like me raise their children healthily while enjoying. You can follow me on Twitter at @SarahsLovelyFam.