First-Time Slumber Party Fun

A sleepover party, or slumber party, can be loads of giggly fun for a group of girls. They can also save money over the pre-packaged "outing parties" that are common. But, slumber parties can also be a nightmare of sugar-overloaded silliness extending well into the wee hours of the night. Slumber party fun starts with careful planning and structured activities that will keep kids from getting bored.

The Appropriate Age
What age is old enough for a slumber party? That really depends on the personality of the child and her sleeping habits in general. If she has never slept outside the home, it may be better to wait a year or two. If she requires total silence for sleeping or has an intricate bedtime routine, it may also be advisable to wait. In general, age eight and above is appropriate for a sleepover.

The Number of Guests
How many kids to invite can usually be decided by a simple formula. The age of the child is the approximate maximum number of guests to include. This number can be adjusted by one or two, but, generally, it is wise to observe this rule. Younger children could be overstimulated by too many guests, and they might not get any sleep.

Slumber Party Invitations
If you suspect that some of the kids invited to the slumber party might not be comfortable sleeping over, include the sleep over part as an option. Guests who do not wish to sleep over could attend the slumber party, and parents can pick them up at 9:30 pm or an appropriate time that allows them to enjoy the party and avoid the sleeping over part. Be sure to request that guests inform you about their intent to sleep over or leave earlier when they RSVP.

Slumber Party Activities
The possibilities for slumber party games and activities are endless. Of course, the interests of the guests and host are important. Think of them first and what they like to do for fun. The older the guests, the less structure will be needed. Here are some general guidelines:

A craft activity is a great way to start. It gives the arriving guests something to do right away and is fun and engaging. All-inclusive craft kits can be purchased at art supply or fabric stores, and they are usually creative and inexpensive. Choose an activity that is age-appropriate. Some crafts are good for almost any age; for example, decorating foam picture frames can be simple enough for young girls. Then, during the party, take a picture of all of the guests together with a digital camera, and print a picture for each guest to put in their frame to remind them of the fun they had.

Friendship bracelets are also easy to make. Letter beads, beads in many colors and cording are inexpensive. Another possibility is to do "beauty treatments," such as nail painting, hair beading or hair braiding. A helpful older sibling, cousin, parent of a guest or babysitter can be the perfect assistant for this activity.

After the craft, offer a snack. Snack food is a must-have. When inviting children, be sure to ask parents about dietary restrictions or food allergies. A bowl of crunchy vegetables might be a hit, and an alternative to junk food. If you are serving dinner, a large sub sandwich cut into pieces or a sheet pizza will satisfy most crowds. Don't forget lemonade, juice or punch.

A party game is a great idea to follow the snack. Some examples of excellent slumber party games are: Apples to Apples, Balderdash, Cranium, Password or other interactive board games. A deck of cards can also be used for party game fun. Engaging party games that you can make yourself include Charades, Pictionary, drama games or Identity Crisis.

To play Identity Crisis, all participants should write down a list of people or characters. Each person writes about ten names, each on a separate slip of paper. The names could be fictitious, or you could write names of people whom everyone knows. Names are kept private during the writing. Then the slips of paper are placed into a bowl and mixed up. Participants each select a partner. The bowl goes to a set of partners. Another team times the first team. They have one minute. One partner takes a name from the bowl and tries to encourage the other partner to guess the name without saying the name itself. When it's guessed correctly, another slip of paper is taken from the bowl. Teams keep the papers that are guessed correctly in one minute. Then it's the next team's turn. Pass the bowl to them. Each team has a turn, and the turns rotate until the bowl is empty. Each team then counts their winnings, and the team with the highest number of papers wins.

Following the game, if desired, and if the slumber party is a birthday party, the guest of honor can open her presents. Otherwise, this is a good time for dessert. Cake and ice cream are always crowd-pleasers. Cookies and cupcakes also work well and let kids sample everything without filling up too fast.

Usually, by this time, those who are leaving will be getting picked up. Once all who are being picked up have gone, it is pajama time. Have all guests change into pajamas and set up their sleeping bags, or choose where they will be sleeping.

Now it's time for wind-down activities. This is a great time to put on a movie, pre-selected for age-appropriateness. After the movie, it will be bedtime. Again, the age of the guests will dictate the appropriate bedtime. Generally speaking, between 11:00 and 11:30 pm is late enough for bedtime, unless the guests are in their teens, in which case, they can be pretty much left to decide when to go to sleep within certain reasonable limits.

In the morning, offer breakfast and give the girls time to clean and pack before their parents pick them up. Then you can take a well-deserved nap!