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Simple ideas and strategies to create a kids slumber party. This is a perfect option for a birthday party where magical memories can be made.
Here you will find ideas for how to set up the slumber party, what activities to undertake and what food to provide.
This will be the best sleepover party the kids could wish for and will provide a wonderful experience for all.
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Need some inspiration for your daughter’s birthday?
How about planning a kids slumber party?
Slumber (or sleepover parties) are growing in popularity and they are the perfect way to celebrate a special event.
If you want to create the ultimate slumber party, then you have come to the right place. The following ideas will ensure you have everything to hand to coordinate the special occassion.
How Many Kids Should Be At A Slumber Party?
A sleepover party is NOT the kind of party where you invite every child in your class.
This is the type of party where you only invite your child’s closest friends. 4-6 children is an ideal number.
Remember that you have to ensure there is enough room for everyone to sleep, so that will also dictate the number of children you invite.
When Is The Best Time To Host A Slumber Party?
Kids slumber parties are best held on a Friday or Saturday night.
It is highly likely that the kids will be awake for a lot longer than they are normally, so having on a weekend night means that they can rest up the following day.
The time in which you start your slumber party is entirely up to you, and may ultimately be decided upon what time you plan on putting the kids to bed.
For younger children who will be going to bed around 8pm, you may wish to start early to mid afternoon.
For tweens and teens who will likely go to sleep after you have gone to bed, starting mid to late afternoon might be the sweet spot.
Some slumber parties finish first thing in the morning at 9am, whilst others will allow for a lazy breakfast and finish around 11am.
The times will be decided upon the age group of the kids attending, your family situation and how long you ultimately want you house to be taken over!
How Do You Set Up A Slumber Party?
The sleeping arrangements are one of the most important things to consider at your slumber party.
You will need to think about where you will set up the sleepover, which will also dictate how many children you can have attend.
The lounge room is often a good option, especially if your child’s bedroom is small. You can move furniture to give a lot of functional space and room for the kids to spread and relax.
Once you have decided the location, you will need to think about the bedding.
It is a good idea to designate sleeping spots before the children arrive. This helps to alleviate any arguments or disappointment about where everyone is sleeping.
There are a number of ways you can set up the sleeping areas including:
- Provide several air mattresses with cushions, blankets and pillows. Ask the kids to bring their own sleeping bags to make life simple. You could also ask the kids to bring their own pillow if they prefer.
- Set up a tepee or sleepover tents over a mattress for something a little extra special.
- Provide low picnic tables next to individual beds for bottles of water and night time accessories.
- Provide glow sticks for some added fun when the lights go out.
If it’s in your budget then there are a number of companies that provide a complete set up for a kids slumber party.
Otherwise if DIY is your preferred option then gather some blow up mattresses, colorful sheets, some comfy cushions and you are all set.
Don’t forget to hang some fairy lights for the perfect ambiance.
A really cute idea is to give all the kids matching pyjamas and blankets. These can also double up as their take home party favors.
The kids would look adorable together, and would help everyone feel settled in their brand new beautiful pyjamas. It would make for some gorgeous photos too!
Likewise all the kids could be given a fluffy eye mask and depending on their age, even a cute new teddy bear.
Kids also love to take lasting memories in front of a photo booth.
To do this, simply set up a party backdrop of balloon garland as the designated photo area.
You don’t need to supply a lot of props, as Pyjama’s, eye masks, teddy bears etc does all the work for you. This is also a really fun way of capturing the memories from the night.
What Do You Do At A Sleepover Party For Kids?
Whilst the kids are attending for a “slumber party”, they certainly won’t be retreating to bed straight away.
You will therefore need to be organised with some activities prior to bed time.
Some options include:
- Cupcake making
- Pizza making (which would double up as dinner)
- Movie marathon with a choice of all your kids favorite movies
- Have a dance party
- Play some fun games. There are many board games that would keep the kids entertained and is easy to coordinate.
- Set up a pamper station. The kids can do their hair, face masks and nail polish.
What Food To Have At A Sleepover
You will want to ensure that you have thought about the food prior to the kids coming, as you can guarantee they will be hungry!
Good options for feeding several children easily are:
- Chicken nuggets and chips (nuggets could be cooked in the oven and chips purchased from the chip shiop).
- Pizza, take out or home made.
- Hot dogs
- Nacho’s
- Spaghetti Bolognese
It is also a good idea to coordinate a snack table with sweet and savory nibbles.
Here you can stick to classic party food, including chips, popcorn, cupcakes, candy etc. Don’t forget to also include a fruit platter!
Then there is breakfast to consider for the next day. The morning could consist of a variety of breakfast cereals, toast with numerous toppings, pancakes and fruit.
Supply a variation of food to cover all tastes and be sure to ask parents if there are any dietary requirements that need to be considered.
How To Prepare The Kids For Bed
A slumber party is exciting, but that doesn’t mean the kids are going to be keen to head to bed in a hurry!
You can expect a lot of excitement and chatter in the room, so having a designated bedtime before the party starts is a good idea.
Let the kids know ahead of time what time bedtime will be so that they know how long they have.
Leading up to bedtime, ensure that the kids have all brushed their teeth, gone to the toilet and undertake the same nigh time ritual they would have at home.
Ensure you have some new toothbrushes and toothpaste on hand in case any of the kids have forgotten to pack theirs.
After all the excitement, a relaxed atmosphere needs to be created. This can be undertaken with some calming music, turning the lights off and leaving just fairy lights twinkling.
Don’t expect there to be quite when the lights do go out. Chit chat is bound to happen for at least an hour after lights out, as this the added fun of a slumber party.
Ensure that the kids know you are available if they need, and make sure you check on them before heading to bed yourself.
What Happens The Morning After A Slumber Party?
The morning after the slumber party you are likely to have a bunch of excited and tired kids!
Ensure that you have pre-arranged a pick up time with parents just as you would with any other party you hold.
It’s a good idea to get the kids to gather their belongings together before you offer them breakfast. It is likely that things will have been moved everywhere the night before and you don’t want kids frantically looking for their things when parents arrive.
Once belongings have all been gathered and the sleeping area looks respectable, the kids can be offered breakfast. See the tips above for some great breakfast options.
Remind the kids what time they are being picked up and ensure that they are dressed, with all items packed at least 15 minutes prior to pick up.
Then the kids can sit and chill to music or play another board game until parents arrive.
Coordinating a successful sleepover is simple if you start it prepared. Taking a bit of time to think about how you would like the kids slumber party to be will ensure a magical experience for all the sleepover guests.
Need some more ideas for a girls party? Check out the the ultimate guide to easy girls party ideas. You will have a ton of inspiration for different themes, games and more.
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