What’s the first thing that comes to mind when you think of a slumber party? We bet it’s giggling girls, pink pajamas, and more dancing and junk food than is strictly healthy. But what if we told you that grown-ups can have equally epic sleepovers? It turns out that even older friends can get a thrill from squeezing onto a queen bed for a night of snapchatting themselves in matching pajamas and binge-watching their favorite shows.
Plus, who wouldn’t want an excuse to pull out those childhood board games like Truth or Dare and Never Have I Ever? You can also host a kid’s gaming party in your main slumber party so the kids who love playing video games can spend quality time!
We turned to our most fun coworkers (and sleepover pros) for ideas on making your slumber parties feel just as special as they did when you were kids.
1. Pick a Fun Theme
Themes are always a great way to add some pizzazz to the planning process. They’re also good for keeping things lighthearted and silly, which is helpful when dealing with a group of kids who are already hyped up from sugar and excitement. We recommend choosing a theme that’s fun but not too complicated or difficult to execute—you don’t want your kids spending all their time worrying about whether or not they have enough streamers on the walls.
Here are some ideas for themes:
- Camping in Your Backyard (or in Your Living Room)
- A Sleepover Underwater
- A Nightmare before Christmas Sleepover (or any other Tim Burton film)
2. Create Cute Slumber Party Invitations
It’s time to get creative with your invitations. You can send them via mail, email, or even text. First, you need to decide if you are going to have a designated theme for your party. If so, choose an invitation that reflects that theme and send it out with other fun information about the event (such as how much money guests should bring). If not, then go ahead and send everyone the same type of invitation—just make sure it tells guests what they can expect!
For example:
- The Slumber Party is next Saturday at 2 in the afternoon (or whatever day/time is most convenient). Please bring snacks or drinks if possible – and definitely don’t forget pajamas!
3. Decorate the Room
When it comes to decorating your slumber party room, you will have plenty of options. You can do anything from hanging up some cute posters to using string lights and a projector. Maybe even use a disco ball!
Whatever it is that you choose to do with decorating your room, make sure the theme of your party is clear and easy for guests to understand. If they’re not sure what kind of activities are planned for them during their stay at your place, they may feel uncomfortable and decide not to come at all.
4. Be Prepared For Messy Morning Hair
It’s important to be prepared for the morning-after, which might mean extra work in your hair care routine. The following items will make tidying up a breeze:
- A shower or bath ready to go
- Hairbrush and hair ties/bobby pins
- Hairdryer and straightener (if needed)
5. Plan Fun Activities, But Leave Time to Chat and Hang Out
Most slumber parties involve some sort of activity. This is a great way to pass the time, but it’s important to remember that there should also be room for conversation and hanging out. You want to make sure everyone has an opportunity to relax and just talk about things they’re interested in. You might not have time for every planned activity, but if you do get caught up in a long discussion about something interesting (or even if you don’t), then it is fine if you skip some of the activities on your list.
As long as everyone has fun, your party will be successful.
6. Stock Up On Movie Snacks and Drinks
If you’re going to be watching a movie, make sure you have plenty of snacks on hand. You can make this part of the fun by asking everyone in advance what kind of snacks they would like to eat during the movie. This is also a great way to ensure that nobody has any food allergies or other restrictions.
7. Bring Some Blankets and Pillows to the Living Room or Den
One of the most important elements of a good slumber party is having enough pillows and blankets. Pillows are essential for getting comfortable, and blankets are essential for staying warm throughout the night. You can also bring your sleeping bag if you want to get fancy, but there are no rules here: it’s your party!
8. Make a Playlist of Songs from When You Were In Elementary School
If you’re hosting a slumber party, it’s good to have some music. If you have a bunch of girls coming over, it’s also good to have some fun and silly music from their childhood—the kind that they can sing along with without having to worry about feeling embarrassed.
Here are some tips for putting together an awesome playlist:
- Make sure there are enough songs on the playlist for all the time allotted for your party.
- Remember all the classics! Don’t forget about Hanson (the boys with blond hair and matching outfits) or NSYNC (the boy band that starred in The Mickey Mouse Club and whose member Justin Timberlake became famous outside of music).
- Don’t forget about the songs you sang with your friends while playing Barbies or riding bikes around the neighborhood. And don’t forget to include some of those songs that were popular when you were little—you know, like “The Macarena” or “Cotton Eyed Joe.”
9. Invite Some Dogs or Cats Over For the Party
Invite some dogs or cats over for the party. Children will surely love this idea! It can be loads of fun watching your child play with their pet while they’re at your house. Your guests will enjoy the pitter-patter of tiny feet running around too. The only downside is that if their pet has an accident on your carpet, you’ll probably have to clean it up yourself (again). But if you have pets yourself, you already know how often this happens anyway! So don’t worry about it too much.
10. Come Up With Cute Nicknames for Each Other and Spend the Night Using Them
The most important thing is to make sure everyone is comfortable with the nickname you’re giving them and that it doesn’t make anyone feel uncomfortable. If someone doesn’t want to go by their nickname, either don’t use it or come up with a new one that everyone likes. When you use the nicknames, keep things lighthearted—no mean jokes!—and try not to embarrass anyone.
You should also use these nicknames as a way for people who might not know each other well yet to get more acquainted by talking about each other’s nicknames instead of names (which can be intimidating).
11. Have a Dance Party in Your Pajamas to Your Favorite Songs, and Make Sure There’s Room for All of Your Friends
If you’ve got a big enough house and your parents are okay with it, we’d recommend having a dance party in your pajamas. This is sure to get everyone moving, and there’s not much more fun than dancing around with your friends. You can play some of their favorite songs or put on an old favorite that you haven’t heard in years. Just make sure there’s plenty of room for everyone to have fun! And don’t forget about snacks—you’ll be hungry pretty quickly once the dancing starts up. Also, consider activities like:
- A Movie Marathon (If It’s Too Late At Night)
- Board games (just make sure they’re all appropriate for younger audiences)
- A sleepover craft project
Note: Do Enforce a Bedtime
Make sure everyone is in bed by a certain time. This will help ensure that you can make it to the end of your slumber party without getting up at 5 AM like a total zombie.
If you are the host, make sure you go to bed first and wake up early to make breakfast (or whatever meal suits your tastes).
The last thing you want is for one of your guests to blurt out, “Wait, what time is it?” when they realize that they have an 8 AM class in nine minutes.
Conclusion
There you have it – a list of ideas to help you throw a super fun slumber party with your friends. Whether you are planning to throw a surprise party or a slumber party, a lot goes into the preparation – without which the party won’t seem fun! And remember, no matter how old you are, there’s never too much fun to be had when friends come together for a sleepover!
