Kids love a sleepover and, as soon as they start infant school and meet new people, they’ll be begging to have a couple of them over to stay at some point. While a sleepover will inevitably mean late nights and loads of laughter for the youngsters, it can also mean exhausted parents ready to pull their hair out because of broken sleep, but with the right planning and a little forethought, you can make sure that it will pass by without a hitch.
If it’s your child’s first ever sleepover, make a big deal out of it for them! Take photos for them to remember it by and treat them to some new pyjamas from George’s character shop range to make it feel really special.
Organise it so that the kids spend the night in the living room together. Ask their parents to drop them off with their own sleeping bag so that it can feel like a proper sleepover. If they have a sibling that doesn’t want to be involved in the party, plan something else for them so that they don’t feel left out and neglected. Perhaps offer for them to invite a friend over, or see if they would like to go to a friend’s house for the night.
Set some rules – don’t let the kids walk all over you! Whether they quieten down or not, make sure there’s a definite lights-out time and, if movies and kids’ TV is OK, give them a curfew and stick to it. Give them plenty of ideas which will keep all the children happy – video games should be avoided because they can isolate those who aren’t playing at the time. Provide board games or outdoor play options instead.
Make sure that all the little guests know where the bathroom is. While they don’t necessarily need a tour of the house, knowing the location of the loo if they’re in need of a midnight visit is essential – especially if you don’t want to be disturbed during the little sleep you’ll likely get!
Prepare a selection of yummy treats in advance so that the youngsters will have plenty to go at. From pizza to cookies, make sure there’s something for everyone. If the sleepover is starting early and you’re OK with the inevitable mess, get them all involved in some home baking!
Chat to the parents beforehand so that you know of any issues they may have. Make sure you have contact details, just in case, and make a note of any allergies that the child might have. Set a pick up time too.
As long as you put ground rules in place and your children and their guests know what their boundaries are, sleepovers should pass by without any issues at all.
From new jim-jams from the supermarket character shop to a movie night watching their favourite films, the key to a successful sleepover is to ensure that your home is fun central for the duration – worry about the mess later!
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