Sleepover Survival Guide

Ahh, the sweet tradition of the “sleepover” brings joy to the heart of your child, and possibly a bit of fear to yours! I remember my own late nights with friends, watching movies, creating dance routines, filming pretend commercials (yeah, on an old school big video camera, too!) and eating junk food until the midnight hour. Fun for me as a kid, tiring for my parents to say the least. If you are ready to enter the phase of hosting sleepovers for your child, then banish a few of your fears by following these guidelines.sleepover

Your Sleepover Survival Guide:

  1. Host a small group of children. No more than six keiki at a time will help lessen the possibility of breakdowns and crying. Also, be sure to invite friends that get along well to keep the drama to a minimum. Late nights away from home can be hard on children, so by keeping the group small you can allow for more fun and less tears all around.
  2. Start the party later, say around 6pm. You can have a fun dinner ready when the children arrive, then by the time they have finished their meal, you can then have an activity ready for them to enjoy.
  3. Plan an activity. Whether it’s making friendship bracelets, baking cookies, playing board games or designing fun t-shirts, get the kids having a good time together with a focused activity.
  4. Put on a movie. As the evening goes on you can get the kids settled down by putting on a fun movie. It will help calm the environment and give them a chance to chill out together. They may even fall asleep!
  5. Make breakfast. Plan a fun breakfast for the kids, like build-your-own breakfast burrito, pancakes or donuts (it’s a party, right?).
  6. Schedule a pick-up time for the morning. As the day progresses, the children will get more cranky. Having their parents pick up the keiki by no later than 10am will allow everyone to get a bit of rest.

Break out the sleeping bags, treats and coffee (for you, not the kids) and get ready for a fun night for all!