Sleepovers are a big part of a kid’s childhood when they’re growing up as they are a lot of fun. They are the best kind of parties. Whether it is a birthday, after-prom party, bachelorette, or just an overnight hangout, slumber parties are perfect. Along with all the excitement that comes along with such events, organizing them can be super taxing. If you’re hosting one, here are some sleepover essentials you can add to your list.
Invitations
A great party begins with a great invite. Invitations are your chance of creating a lasting first impression. Be innovative with it. You can go old school with handwritten letters or make use of the vast technology available and create virtual invites. You can be totally extra with them by adding glitters or keeping it minimalist with all necessary information covered is also a good idea.
To make it more personal you can even add your own pictures or your kid’s pictures if you’re a parent organizing the sleepover for your children. Make sure to include all the important details like your address, the timings, the kind of clothes the guests should carry, if they need to carry their swimming suits, etc. everything should be clear. Another tip is to limit your guests according to the place.
Party Snacks
The best part about sleepovers is the food and midnight snacks. If you’re hosting the slumber party, then make sure not to serve a big dinner. Eating heavy will make people feel full and they will tend to sleep early, missing out on the sleepover enjoyment. If the kids are too young, you must not offer any sugary treats. Everybody, irrespective of their age, loves pizza, so you can have pizzas, noodles, fresh fruits and other foods which are liked by all for dinner.
Make sure to have a wide variety of different snacks when it comes to munching. For midnight snacking, you could offer popcorn, pretzels, chips, nachos, etc. Going for nut-free foods is a wise choice when dealing with kids’ slumber parties. For grown-ups, you could serve wine and other drinks or you can even turn it into a BYOB (Bring your own booze) kind of sleepover.
Matching Outfits
Matching clothes are a sleepover-essential. Did you even have a party if you didn’t match your outfits? Your daughter and her friends would love to coordinate their pajamas. If you decide to set a theme make sure to let your guests know about it in the invitation itself or if you decide to just pick a color, make sure to mention that too.
The kids could be inclined towards having themed parties, but it will be a good option to go for something that everyone can afford and not go extravagant in terms of outfits. For adults, hosting a sleepover, home suits would be a good option to go for. Getting socks, sleeping masks, robes, slippers, etc are some of the other things you can coordinate apart from your clothes.
Plan fun activities for the sleepover
Sleepovers can turn the very opposite of fun if not conducted properly. Movies are a great option. Young girls love teenage romcoms. So, you can set up a movie marathon for them. If you’re the one organizing it for kids then make sure that the movies you select are Pg 13 as other parents may raise objections. Disney movies are the best and the safest option when it comes to young kids.
Just avoid horror movies as every one may not have a pleasant experience watching them. Board games are also a hit among people of all ages. Playing team games like Pictionary, pass the parcel, etc are also fun activities you can conduct. You can even plan scavenger hunts or do-it-yourself activities like making bracelets or cookie decorating etc. If there are other physical activities that you plan to do or organize, make sure they are supervised and keep a first aid kit handy for any accidents.
Set up a Sleeping Arrangement
For a sleepover to be successful everyone attending needs to be comfortable. After a point in the night, guests would feel tired and would want to sleep. You must have a sleeping arrangement in place depending upon the number of guests. If you don’t have enough beds, you’ll have to get creative like you could use sleeping bags and each guest can get their own bag.
In case you’re organizing the slumber party for kids, you need to mention to the parents of other children about the sleep settings. If the guests will be sharing a single room or they will be allotted different rooms all such information should be conveyed. Since teenage girls tend to gossip, they might prefer sleeping in the same room, just see that the room is cozy enough, you can put more cushions, pillows, and cute blankets to the room to add more warmth.
The Morning After Sleepover
The next morning is a really important part of the sleepover. You need to pay equal attention to it. You could serve a good breakfast table. Your guests will wake up tired and hungry from a long and entertaining night, so providing them food will be a really good option. This will also give them a chance to talk about last night’s events and share their stories.
You can have a really simple breakfast and can go for basics like eggs and pancakes, cereal, bagels, pretzels, muffins, etc. For kids, milk and cookies would make a great breakfast. When dealing with children, make them eat the first thing in the morning as kids will tend to get cranky if they’re running low on sleep. So giving them breakfast immediately would be a good idea.
Just make sure that you’re a good host. Be polite to your guests, make certain no one sleeps hungry or leaves your house on an empty stomach. Since you’re the one organizing, you must take care of everyone’s needs. Assure that your guests are thoroughly enjoying themselves and see them off properly when they leave the next morning. With all this being added to your checklist and executed perfectly, you’re sure to host a super fun slumber party.
