Sleepover: tips for everyone to enjoy it

How to prepare a successful sleepover for your child's party: 10 useful tips!
A sleepover party is often THE party that kids look forward to, it's a whole event for them: they go to sleep over at a friend's house or they invite their friends to sleep over – just imagine!
It's like a rite of passage for them, an affirmation of their growing independence.
It's also a great way to strengthen the bonds between friends.

Any occasion is good to organize a sleepover: to celebrate a birthday at home of course, to get together with friends, to celebrate the beginning or the end of the school year, the vacations, Halloween, the summer, etc...

Here are some tips to make the party go as smoothly as possible, for the kids and for you too!

• How old do you have to be to have a sleepover ?

It depends a lot on the maturity of your child and their friends. If your child expresses the wish regularly and has already acquired a certain independence, generally around 7 - 8 years old, he or she is ready.

For the younger ones, little brothers or sisters, who want to do like the grown-ups, you can organize a sleepover in the afternoon and finish the party in the early evening (around 8 - 9 pm).

• Who to invite to this birthday party for kids at home?

For a first-time sleepover, it's best not to aim too big. A small group of 2 to 4 children will bring a good dynamic. Invite her best friends. It is important that each guest has been to your house at least once before, they will feel more comfortable, confident, and you will also have had the opportunity to get an idea of the character of each one.

After a little practice, you can move on to larger sleepovers

• Birthday invitations

Be clear on the times that guests will arrive and leave the next morning - 10 or 11 am maximum - you'll be glad to have the rest of the day a bit more quiet.

Indicate what guests should bring: toiletries, towel, pillow, sleeping bag, blanket, etc.

Send invitations at least 3 to 4 weeks in advance so that everyone has time to prepare

• Contact the parents

Make sure you have all the parent's phone numbers.Let them know that if their child is too uncomfortable at bedtime or during the night, you will call them to possibly pick them up.

Ask about allergies, special diets, bedtime routines, comforters, etc. of your little guests. If some children need a diaper for the night and you know it, you will be able to manage it in a discreet way so that everyone has a good time.

• Prepare your child to be a host

This is a great opportunity to build your child's confidence, but a little preparation can't hurt!

• • Discuss with your child the rules to be respected during the party (rooms allowed / not allowed during the party, bedtime, list of movies allowed if movie, etc...).
  • Suggest to your child that he/she show his/her friends around the house (again) so that everyone is comfortable and knows which bathroom to use, where to find water, tissues, etc...
  • Prepare a list of activities and games with your child that he/she can suggest to his/her friends. Establish with your child an outline of the evening's activities. For example :

• • • Games outside
    • Cooking workshop: we prepare pizzas together for dinner
    • Indoor games
    • Dinner in front of a movie
    • Brushing teeth, going to the bathroom (don't forget!)
    • Everyone gets into bed, we tell/read stories
    • Agree on bedtime
  • Take advantage of this experience to be a partner with your child. Reassure them that you are there to help them if things don't go as planned. You can even set up a little "alert" code, a sign or a little phrase, if something goes wrong for him or her.

• Decorating the house for the sleepover

The best thing to do for a sleepover is to create a cocooning environment with tents or small cabins, either individual or a large tent to "shelter" the whole small group.

If you are a do-it-yourselfer, you can do it with a large sheet stretched between two attachment points or, opt for a rental service like The Enchanted Company (www.theenchantedcompany.ch)

Then decide on a theme with your child: Unicorns, mermaids, camping in the forest, llamas, pirates, safari, spa night, soccer, etc... Decorate the room where the children will sleep in the colors of the chosen theme.
The theme can also guide you in the choice of games and activities.

You can also plan small gifts for the guests: why not a small toiletry kit with toothbrush (the most often forgotten item!), washcloth and small towel. If you plan to cook, small aprons would also be a useful idea and a nice souvenir.

• Meals during the sleepover

Depending on what time you start the party, you have two or three meals to plan.

• • If you are having a birthday party,arrange for the party to start a little before snack time and offer to eat the cake at the beginning of the party: This will avoid the "sugar rush" in the evening.
  • For the evening, plan a simple meal that the children can cook together: pizzas, croque-monsieurs, or grilled meat in the summer. Don't forget the easy-to-eat raw vegetables. Popcorn is always appreciated, especially if there is a movie on the program.
  • If you want to offer sweets or sweetened drinks, offer them at the beginning of the party and stop the sugar at least 2 hours before bedtime, or wait until the next morning.
  • For breakfast the next morning, think of pancakes, waffles, pancakes, small muffins, smoothies, etc... Depending on their age, you can also provide a breakfast buffet (cereals, bread, jams, spreads, etc...) so that the children can help themselves the next day and let you sleep a little more. Don't forget the fruits!
  • If you have meal trays for the kids to eat on their beds, they LOVE it! If not, you can also spread a large tablecloth or sheet on the floor, picnic style.

• What activities should I plan for the party? ?

If you have an outdoor space, it's always good to get the kids going before the day is over.

Many children love to cook; planning to have them participate in the preparation of the meal, a cookie or cupcake decorating workshop, etc... can be very fun.

Depending on their tastes, you can plan a creative workshop, a treasure hunt, costumes, quizzes, a board game. For girls in particular, a "spa" evening or a fashion show are activities that are very popular.

The older the children are, the more they will want to plan the activities themselves and you won't need to take care of them (just check in regularly to make sure everything is going well)

In any case, always stay with the children or in a room nearby. For the older ones who will want to stay " alone ", be clear from the beginning that you will come to see if everything is going well regularly (i.e. every 20-30 minutes).

• Bedtime during a sleepover

At the beginning of the evening or after the meal, it is often useful to "announce" the bedtime, i.e. to set your framework, and to ask the children for their support. About 30 minutes before bedtime, turn down the lights and let them know that it's almost time to go to sleep.
Depending on the age of the children, you can read or tell them a story or let them tell/read their stories.
Have night lights or leave a light on for the night.

• Relax and enjoy it too!

To avoid unnecessary stress, remove any items that are important to you from the room where the children will be playing and sleeping.

Have toilet paper rolls, towels, tissues, toothbrushes and toothpaste available in the bathroom to prevent people from going through your cupboards.

Have a first aid kit available.

Assume that it's not going to be your best night's sleep but your child will be so grateful that it's worth it. Plus, you may be surprised! If you can, it's good to have some help: your partner or a friend.

Take pictures and videos to remember and see the smiles and stars in their eyes!

Source : Vaud Famille