sleepover birthday party logistics

[Anonymous]

I need help. DD wanted a sleepover birthday party and I agreed. This will be our first time. My question is, do I need to go out to buy pillows, blankets and air-mattresses for all these girls? Do people normally bring their sleeping bags? Besides providing food and entertainment, what else do I need to worry/prepare? Thanks!!

[Anonymous]

Tell them to bring a pillow and sleeping bag. You don't need to buy air mattresses and pillows.

How old is your daughter?

[Anonymous]

Typically kids would arrive with sleeping bags and pillows. You should have a few extra blankets and pillows in case you need them. You probably have these already so I doubt you need anything new.

Just have movies, snack and dinner and the kids will be great.

[Anonymous]

Thanks for the comments. DD is turning 10 and 4 girls are coming for the sleepover. Do kids normally bath before going to bed?

[Anonymous]

No, they don't bathe at a sleepover. I think you should have a strategy for what time they are going to sleep. is midnight your cut off and you sit there until they all fall asleep

[Anonymous]

If I were OP, I'd do lights out at 11:00 and hope they're asleep by midnight.

[Anonymous]

No bathing. Make sure they brush their teeth. Have them get comfy and put on a movie. Make it clear that it's time to mellow out. End of movie is bedtime and lights out.

[Anonymous]

OP here. If the kids are coming with their sleeping bags, is it OK for them to sleep on the floor (on a big rug)?

[Anonymous]

OP. It seems you have never been to a sleep over.

OF COURSE it is fine for them to sleep on this floor. That is part of the fun for them.

[Anonymous]

You can get cheap air mattresses. We have a few twin air mattresses for visitors. We put a egg crate on them depending on the visitor.

[Anonymous]

I did this a lot when I was 10.

Kids came over around 5. We hung out, then ate dinner around 6:30. Something like pizza and a make your own salad bar, or lasagna and veggie tray and bread. My parents would set it up, be available for help, but give up the dining room to just us girls.

After dinner, they'll just hang out. Have your daughter pick a movie or a few movies to choose from. They might watch two. If it's a special occasion, consider having a new game for them to play (in my day it was Girl Talk or Dreamphone). Older girls can play make-up or nails, but I would not give 10 year olds nail polish unsupervised in my house!

At around 9, my mom would bring a tray of snacks to us. Some sodas (maybe caffeine free?), popcorn, chips and dip, cut fruit, cookies, little bowls of candies. She went all out. She'd drop it off, check to see who needed toothbrushes or help, see that we were all set up with sleeping bags, let us know where we could find her and that it was ok to wake her up anytime, and then she'd leave. If you have bedtime, remind them now.

We'd watch a (or another) movie, snack, talk, and get to sleep around midnight.

Next am - have stuff to read like books or mags because some girls wake up early. Show them where the bathroom is the night before. Serve something really simple like muffins and fruit then have parents pick-up around 9am. Send them off with a favor/goodie bag (small nail polish, candy, tiny notebook, etc…).

This makes me sad I am a boy mom!

[Anonymous]

Boys have sleepovers, too. I have an 11yo who has had them and been to plenty.

I always make homemade waffles, bacon and serve fresh fruit the morning they leave. Not saying OP has to do this, but just throwing more out there.

[Anonymous]

Tell them to bring sleeping bags and a pillow. No showers. I don't make them go to sleep at any time. We do pickups at noon the next day and have bagels, lox, fruit salad, etc. my boyfriend will make eggs for any kid who doesn't like those foods. Have a couple of extra toothbrushes for those who forget. Yes they can sleep on the floor.

[Anonymous]

I think pick-up at noon is too late. Even if they stay up late, they will wake up early. Pick up by 9 or 10am is plenty of together-time. I find the wheels tend to come off the next morning in terms of girls getting along and not getting sick of each other. Start it at 6pm, look for lights out by midnight, girls will be up by 7, breakfast at 8, pick up by 9 or 10.

And I agree with PPs...no baths or showers, ask them to bring pillows and sleeping bags, provide them with any air mattresses or old comforters you might have to make the floor more comfy (but dang it, kids can really sleep anywhere), but no need to buy anything special.

Be sure to ask if any kids have allergies - found out a sleepover guest had wheat allergy at drop off.

Taco bar or pasta bar are two fun dinners we've done at sleepovers - let kids make their own dishes.

[Anonymous]

Agree with pps. Girls bring pillows and sleeping bags and sleep on the floor. When we've done this, they all sleep in our basement play/family room. Girls arrive at 5-6, have dinner, maybe play a board game or do a craft, brush teeth, get pjs on and in sleeping bags around 8. Make popcorn and put on a movie. Lights out when movie is over (10ish). They will probably be up talking for a couple hours after that, then absolute quiet by midnight. Pick up by 10am after pancake breakfast.