How to Plan a Kid's Sleepover
Sleepovers can be great fun for kids, and can even be fun for parents if they take the time to plan before filling their home with children. Talk with your child and come up with ideas for enjoying a night with friends, and set up some ground rules before anyone comes over.Kids love to see how late they can stay awake, so be prepared for plenty of noise and laughter late into the night. Don't plan much for the rest of the weekend to give your child time to rest after their party.
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Instructions
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Determine how many kids you can comfortably host overnight. Will they be sleeping in your child's bedroom, or camping out on the living room floor? A good rule of thumb is to invite half as many kids as your child's age for a sleepover.
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Make a menu of food that is easy to prepare and easy to eat. Pizza is always a favorite treat. Have plenty of snack food on hand--things like potato chips, pretzels and popcorn. Juice boxes avoid spills for the younger crowd, but you can buy a few two liter bottles of soda for older kids. Use paper plates and cups to make cleanup easy on everybody. Don't forget to plan for breakfast the next morning. Pancakes or waffles with fruit can start the day off right.
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Plan activities before everyone shows up, so you have an idea of what will happen. You could plan for games early in the evening, and have age-appropriate movies for later in the evening. A simple craft could be a good use of time or perhaps they'd all like to work together in the kitchen to make pizzas. Include your child in the activity planning.
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Lay down the ground rules before the guests arrive, and again after everyone has arrived. Let everyone be aware of the house rules--which may include things like nobody going outdoors, no phone calls after 10PM, lights out at midnight. If you discuss the rules with your child beforehand, she won't be surprised by them after her friends arrive. It's much easier to explain the rules early in the evening than trying to enforce them after they've been broken.
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Let the kids have fun. You should be available if needed, but it's not necessary for a parent to remain in the same room as the kids at all times. Expect that they will be loud, but try not to step in unless things seem to be getting too boisterous. Drop in from time to time to see if they need more snacks, and to make sure everyone is safe and having fun.
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Tips & Warnings
Younger children may enjoy a pajama party where guests come over in their pajamas, eat and do some fun activities, but go home when it's time for bed. They get the fun of a sleepover, without actually sleeping over.
