How to Plan Awesome Sleepover Parties
Every kid loves a party, but a sleepover takes partying to another level because the fun lasts throughout the night. Staying up late, or even all night, adds a grown-up element to a sleepover. The laughs and shared memories enable your child to develop deeper bonds with his or her friends. Throwing an amazing slumber party is easy with planning and preparation. The time and effort you put in beforehand will ensure that your child's party is the hit of the sleepover circuit. Does this Spark an idea?
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Things You'll Need
- Invitations
- Pillows
- Blankets
- Party food
- Breakfast food
- Decorations
- Games
- Movies
Instructions
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Instructions
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Pick a date that works for the majority of your guests. Pick a date. Call the guests to check their availability. Nothing ruins a party quicker than a poor turnout. If you have your sleepover on the same night the county fair opens or during an important high school football game, many of the invited guests may be busy.
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Select a theme. The best parties always have a theme around which to plan the food and activities, bringing unity to a party. Themes can center on a specific holiday, a birthday or on a favorite cartoon or characters.
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Invitations convey all the information your guests need to attend your party. Send out your invitations. Now that you have a theme, you can tailor your invitations to it. Have guests RSVP so you know how many will attend. This way you can ensure that you have enough food and drinks to serve to guests.
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Baseball is a fun theme for a sleepover for boys. Choose food, decorations and entertainment appropriate to your theme. If you are doing a baseball theme, hang plastic ball bats, balls and baseball caps from the ceiling or walls. Make or buy cupcakes or cookies decorated like baseballs. Serve hot dogs, nachos, popcorn and other foods found at baseball games. Take the kids out to a ballgame or record one for them to watch during the party. Choose a baseball video game for them to play. Or, stock up on baseball themed movies for kids.
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Younger kids often look up to older ones, so put them in charge of your sleepover. Get the older kids involved. Younger kids look up to older ones. If you have older children, you can bribe or pay them to be in charge of the sleepover. This makes it more fun than having mom and dad hovering nearby. If you want to have a cool slumber party, turn it over to your teens.
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Designate a private area for the party. If you have a finished basement or a large recreation room, those spots can give kids privacy for that grownup feeling while allowing you to monitor the party. Even a large, insulated attic that is kid proof will work if you can stand the overhead noise.
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Let them go wild. As long as no one is being hurt or destroying your house, let them go. They will eventually wind down and fall asleep. They'll remember your party as the party of parties.
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Remember to buy breakfast food to feed hungry kids the next morning. Fix them a hearty breakfast the next morning before sending guests home. Rest assured that you've thrown the sleepover to end all sleepovers, one that they'll be talking about for weeks to come.
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Tips & Warnings
Set a firm start and end time for the sleepover. Make all the parents aware of it to avoid stragglers the next day.
Gather emergency contact phone numbers for all parents in the event of an emergency.
Check with parents regarding any food allergies or dietary restrictions their children may have.
References
- Photo Credit Chris Stein/Digital Vision/Getty Images calendar with bow image by Photoeyes from Fotolia.com party invitation image by robert mobley from Fotolia.com baseball in glove image by leafy from Fotolia.com teenager image by Andrzej Solnica from Fotolia.com breakfast 2 image by jimcox40 from Fotolia.com
