Sleepovers are more fun if you plan them out. Sleepovers are best if they start just before dinner and end just after breakfast the next day. Make sure you check for food allergies before you get all the stuff! Just invite friends you know will get along and not more than you have room for - 8 is usually max anyways. Don't forget to tell the girls to bring their pillows, sleeping bags, pyjamas, clothes for the next day and wash-up stuff. Let everyone know if there is a theme, so they come prepared.
To avoid sleep-next-to fights, have everyone sleep in a circle with their heads towards the middle. Just make sure their heads are not too close so they do not bang them together! Make sure they know all the house rules too. Explain that you will not tolerate any ganging up, crank or non-emergency calls, no leaving without telling them, no fights, etc.
Set a time for lights out so everyone knows it ahead of time. Usually, it takes a half hour or longer for the chatting to stop afterwards, but hey - that's half the fun! Make sure everyone knows where the bathroom is (leave a night light on - if possible) and it's not a bad idea for them to bring their water canteens or water bottles with them when they go to bed - just in case they get thirsty in the night. You might want to set out the rules for first up. Should that girl wake everyone? Wait quietly? Go into the living room? Kids will feel more comfortable if they know what to do and what to expect.
A fun last game before lights out is guessing who is in the sleeping bag. Either send someone out of the room (like the birthday girl) or play this on the last person to go wash up. Everyone picks a sleeping bag and climbs in so they can't be seen. The person coming back in has to guess which guest is in which bag by asking questions. They are NOT allowed to ask names! Players are allowed to disguise their voices. Once she guesses correctly, that person can come out of their bag. The game continues till the last person is left.
More party ideas, including party game ideas like Truth or Dare with printable cards are available on the Fit For A Feast website. There is a section for parents in addition to the hundreds and hundreds of pages for kids. Check it out!
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