If you prepare things to do at a sleepover, you can ensure that everyone involves has the best time possible. While plans can be tentative, it’s a good idea to have a rough idea of what you plan on doing so you know what to buy ahead of time.
Prepare For The Sleepover
Preparing for a sleepover is one of the best ways to increase success rates. But in order to do that, you need to organize what you need to organize so you can plan each section accordingly.
Theme
A theme will get everyone excited about the sleepover. Notify the participants ahead of time so they know how to dress and what to bring.
Setting up can be fun to do with everyone but can also be less stressful to take care of before anyone arrives.
If you’re having trouble coming up with theme ideas, then check out these options to get the ball rolling.
- Under the sea
- Movie (Disney is a good choice)
- Camping
- Decades (80s, 90s, etc.)
- Hollywood
- Around the world
Schedule
A schedule can help move things along during the sleepover. Of course, feel free not to make a schedule.
But if you don’t make a schedule, ensure you have a general idea of what you’ll do during the sleepover, even if that is just a rough concept in your head.
If you do decide to write a schedule down, here’s an example of what your schedule may look like.
- Warm Up
- Eat
- Make Dessert
- Karaoke
- Craft Time
- Makeovers or spa time
- Unwind
- Movie and Snacks
It can be fun to keep the schedule a secret from other members. If you do this, consider putting the activities in balloons with the time you will do them written on the balloon.
When that time hits, partygoers will pop the balloon to reveal what’s next.
Pre-party Favors
Post-party favors are fun, but giving them out before the party starts is a great way to welcome guests. Remember that you don’t have to choose something expensive.
You can buy party favor packs for quite cheap or shop at the dollar store for individual gifts.
- T-shirts
- Pajamas
- Stuffies
- Water Bottles
- Jewelry
- Blankets or pillowcases
Snacks
Ensure that you have plenty of snacks before the party starts. The snacks you have is all up to you, but including popcorn and candy is a must if you plan on having movie time.
If you want to feed your guests a meal, then make sure it’s something everyone can enjoy, even picky eaters.
- Charcuterie board
- Pizza
- Hotdogs
- Fondue
Games and Crafts
Games are expected at sleepovers, and so is a special activity. There are many categories for games of kids at different ages that you may be interested in.
- Makeovers
- Icebreakers
- Making food
- Painting squishies, making slime, etc.
- Glow in the dark
- Game show games
- Classic board games
The Importance of Things To Do at a Sleepover
If all you do is let kids stay over without preparing anything, they may leave disappointed. While you may not be obligated to entertain, it can prove beneficial to your kid and others if you have things to do at a sleepover.
Human connection is so important for anyone but especially for young people. So getting together in a safe environment can do wonders for kids’ self-esteem, morale, and more.
Not to mention, it helps their independence to spend a night away from home. What you can do to offer more benefits is consider adding crafts or science experiments to your schedule.
Benefits of Kids Participating in Science Experiments
- Basics – the lesson the experiment teaches is always beneficial
- Vocabulary – many kids will pick up on the science terms they are taught
- Hands-On – doing something with their hands can help improve eye-hand coordination
- Action and Reaction – this is something kids can learn with any science experiment
- Curiosity – this is a good thing that can be increased with experiments
- Bonding – doing experiments can help kids learn to work together
- Problem-Solving – leaving out information on experiments can help kids problem-solve by filling in the gaps
Things To Do At A Sleepover
Planning a sleepover can be overwhelming, which is why looking at a list of things to do at a sleepover can help you organize your night better.
Games
Games are the main part of a sleepover, especially for the first half of the night. However, there are many types of games, and the ones you choose should be based on the age of your party members.
Bonding
- 20 Questions
- Would You Rather
- Two Truths and One Lie
- Truth or Dare
- Match Baby Pictures
Bonding games can help the kids get to know each other better. This can help prevent disagreements and give some quiet time to the group.
Classic
- Hide and Seek
- Taboo
- Charades
- Twister
- Pictionary
Classic games are fun for everyone and can even let any adults or siblings around join in. Any board game will do, but make sure what you choose is fit for the number of players you have.
Outside
- Obstacle Course
- Tag
- Ball Games
- Races – three-legged, piggyback, wheelbarrow
- Scavenger Hunt
Outside games are a great way to get exercise. This is great for the kids and also wears them out before bedtime.
Nighttime
- Glow in the dark sports
- Laser Tag
- Shadow Puppets
- Flashlight Limbo
Whether indoors or outdoors, nighttime games feel special for kids. It’s important that they are games you just can’t play as well during the day.
Performance
- Talent Show
- Make me laugh
- Karaoke
- Make a commercial or video
- Prop game
- Fashion Show
If most of your kids are shy, this may take a while to get started. But once they warm up, they’ll come out of their shell and enjoy the confidence boost.
Crafts
Crafts are an important part of any sleepover. There are crafts for boys and girls of all ages and even crafts to keep teenagers entertained.
The craft you choose for your sleepover really depends on the guests and time. It can be something as simple as drawing pictures or as complicated as sculpting and baking clay.
Take Home Crafts
- Tie Dye
- Slime
- Bath Bomb
- Dreamcatchers
- Jewelry
Having crafts that the kids can take home as souvenirs is a wonderful way to help them forever remember their night. The possibilities are endless, and you don’t even need to buy expensive kits.
Create Something Temporary
- Sleeping Dens
- Ball Pits
- Room of Balloons
- String mazes
There are plenty of ways to turn the house or a room into something unique for the kids to enjoy. But the most important part is to get them involved in the process.
Beauty
Your participants will affect how much beauty you incorporate into your sleepover. But most groups will expect at least one activity like this.
Nails
- French manicures
- Stencils
- Picking each others’ nails
- Themes
- Spin the bottle for nail polish
If your group is game, painting nails is a fun way to pass the time at a sleepover. You can all paint your own or make things even more fun by painting each other’s nails.
Hair
- Braids
- Temporary Color
- Curl or straighten
There are many ways you can do each others’ hair at a sleepover, but what you do is up to your guests. Braiding is a fun and easy way to go, but older kids seem to have the most fun by picking tutorials online to follow. Just make sure no one breaks out the scissors.
Body Art
- Henna
- Temporary tattoos
- Body paint
Body art feels just rebellious enough that any kid would be excited to take part at a sleepover. Since it’s all temporary, you don’t have to worry; just let them pick something to express themself.
Makeovers
Makeovers are the standard way to incorporate beauty into your sleepover. It’s a good idea to gather makeup beforehand and create a makeup bar so that they don’t have to dig through any makeup bags.
Facials
Facials are similar activity to makeovers that can be done to keep guests busy at the sleepover. To step things up, you can create your own face masks and let the group help out.
Don’t forget the cucumbers, just for the fun of it.
Eating
Eating something yummy is a crucial part of any sleepover. But not all snacks are equal.
Nobody wants only healthy snacks, so even if you do have fruit and veggie plates, think about at least getting popcorn to tie things together.
Meals
You may not always serve a meal at your sleepover, but if you do, you can go with something simple like pizza or get more creative with several courses, depending on how much time you have allotted in the schedule.
However, the more creative you get, the better, as long as it’s easy for them to eat and tasty. The golden rule for sleepovers is they must feel special.
Snacks
Snacks at a sleepoever are all about preference. While other kids may like a charcuterie board, younger kids may want something simpler. Though no matter the age, a cheese or chocolate fondue fountain is ideal.
Sweets
- Smores
- Ice Cream
- Cupcakes
- Cookies
Sweets are a must for sleepovers. Letting them make their own can be fun, but they may also want to enjoy the activities and eat without any work.
Drinks
Drinks are super easy, but if you want to spice things up, something like root beer floats can get the party going. Not only are they fun and exciting, but they’re also caffeine free.
Misc
There are a few activities that don’t fit in anywhere else. These fun things to do at a sleepover are almost always a hit.
Movie
Movies can be an easy way to take up time in a sleepover. If you have a movie, remember to mix things up. An outdoor “drive-in” movie is a perfect example.
But if you don’t have the resources, a new movie, blanket forts, and plenty of movie snacks can work.
Storytime
Whether you’re exchanging real-life stories or making up ghost stories, storytime is the perfect way to wind down after a long night. If none of the kids engage, offer a story of your own to get things started and let them take over when someone volunteers.
Learn Something
Learning something is one of the best things to do at a sleepover. This can be a new TikTok dance, a science experiment, or everything there is to know about a specific animal.
Of course, this one is hit-and-miss, so make sure everyone is on board before you commit.
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