10 Sleepover Ideas And Games For The Kids

A sleepover is a special event; it's a time for friends to have fun and gives kids a chance to be a bit rebellious and stay up all night long. Besides, there are tons of activities that children can have a great time doing at a slumber party. They can watch movies, tell stories, talk about their dreams, eat that candy that they aren't allowed to eat on a typical day, play...

Youngsters get so excited about pajama parties, and that's why these events require some preparation so that they can have as much fun as possible. With this in mind, below, we'll explain what to do at a sleepover, how to organize one, and some ideas for games  and activities to play at this event. If you take note, the little ones will thank you!

What to do at a sleepover

For kids, the best thing about a sleepover is the fact that they get the chance to spend the night at a friend's house and have some fun before dozing off in bed. That's why the first thing that needs to be decided is where this event will take place. So, get the parents together and determine who will host the pj party. 

Once you've got this settled, you've just got to bring them to the place that you've decided on at the right time, and then the fun begins! Slumber parties usually involve playtime before eating a meal that they enjoy for dinner, watching a fun movie on the couch with popcorn, playing different games that make the kids feel rebellious, for example, a pillow fight. Finally, at the end of the night, they can all sleep together in an open space and wake up the next day to make a fantastic breakfast.

How to organize a slumber party

Here are some ideas on how to start organizing a sleepover and some useful advice.

- Find a big space. Kids need a lot of room to have as much fun as possible together and to avoid too much chaos.

- The food is key.  A pajama party is a truly special event, so the food should be prepared in a way that makes this obvious. If you make a dinner keeping the little ones in mind, this will definitely earn you brownie points. You can also be a bit more lenient with sweets and make some kind of dessert or put out candy during the party.

- Don't forget the movies. Children love movies. Watching a fun flick all together on the sofa while eating popcorn has the potential to be one of their favorite parts of this event.

- Games.  What would a slumber party be without games? Pulling out different typical games throughout the night could help to make things a little more dynamic. Below, we'll give you some ideas about what games you should consider playing during your pj party.

- Rest is important too. Sometimes when we're having so much fun, we forget something important; the kids need to get enough sleep. With this in mind, don't forget to think about bedtime.

Besides following this advice to make sure that the kids have the time of their lives at your slumber party, you also have to consider setting some rules. For example, make sure that they understand that they'll all need to help clean up the next morning, that there should be no shouting, and set a bedtime that the children need to respect...

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Don't forget to make special food and desserts for a sleepover!

10 Sleepover games

Here are some suggestions for different games that you can organize for this special night, so that your little ones have the best sleepover ever.

1. Pillow fights

This one is a classic and this kind of fun will never go out of style.  Hand out pillows and cushions to the kids and set aside anything that could get broken.  Then, let them go at it! There's no winner in this game... Everyone will end up exhausted.

2. Make the bed blindfolded

This is the perfect game to get everyone ready to fall fast asleep in bed (besides, you won't have to make the beds before). Then, blindfold the children and give them a set of sheets, this can be done individually, or in groups. Their unblindfolded friends will then have to instruct them to make the bed as perfectly as possible.

3. Dress up night

Gather all of the old clothes and accessories that you have lying around the house and put them in a trunk. Then, blindfolded, the kids have 30 seconds to dress up  with the different pieces that they find, to dress themselves for the occasion. More than one of them is sure to end up dressed funny, so lots of laughs are guaranteed here.

4. Karaoke

Choose songs that all of the children know and improvise  by finding videos on YouTube and use hairbrushes as microphones. The little ones will have lots of fun singing and imitating the videos, but don't leave this activity for last.

5. Board Games

This is another timeless activity that never fails at slumber parties. Get out all of the board games that you have at home and let the kids decide which they want to play.

6. Treasure hunt

A treasure hunt is one of the most dynamic and entertaining games out there. Hide something secretly without the children seeing, and send them in search of this object. This is a fun activity where they'll have to solve the puzzle (you can give them clues or even a treasure map).

7. A scavenger hunt in the dark

This game is a lot like the former, but with an added factor: darkness. Organizing a scavenger hunt is a common activity for a sleepover, so, turn out the lights, and leave clues about what they should do and/or find and give them a flashlight to kick off their adventure.

8. Make a fort

The little ones love to have their own little cave and place to tell each other secret stories. So, if you have a big space, you can set up a makeshift tent with sheets and something to hold it up (chairs, broomsticks...) Then, let the fun begin!

9. Crafts

Another classic pajama party activity. Just think, colored pencils, scissors, glue, markers... All of the arsenal that you need to have fun playing artist.

10. The movie game

Besides watching a movie, the movie game is another fun slumber party activity to play. Make two teams; one needs to act out a scene from a film so that their component can guess which one it is (and later, the other way around. Every time they guess a movie correctly, the corresponding team gets a point. Set a number of points to end the game and go for it!

As you can see, a sleepover can be so much fun, and kids will be thrilled to attend one. You shouldn't forget to enjoy being a part of this entertaining night either, and don't forget to take a break from all of the playing!