The Best Ideas for Hosting an Awesome Pyjama Party or Sleepover

There comes a point for every parent when the pleading smiles asking for a pyjama party or sleepover win.

Now is the point to accept you’re realistically not going to get a huge amount of sleep that night! However, don’t despair...

We have some hints, tips and ideas to ensure your kids pyjama party or sleepover goes with a bang, and ensures everyone is still smiling come morning.

Think About Ages

Before we move on to pyjama party ideas and everything you need to know about what to do at a sleepover, we urge you to give a little thought to your child’s age, and the age of their guests.

At Sitters we’re experienced at ensuring peaceful bedtimes which are ‘out of the norm’ without Mum or Dad on hand. As such, we recommend that the younger your child is, the fewer guests they have.

Furthermore, for the very youngest of slumber party lovers, a happier atmosphere can be created by having a late afternoon pyjama party and little ones sent home to sleep.

This way you have all the fun and games without homesick tears at midnight, and a struggle to decide whether to wake the parents to come to the rescue, and no over-tired tantrums the next day.

Think About Practicalities

Successful sleepovers and pyjama parties happen thanks to planning.

Some of the easiest ways to assuage homesickness, or cries of discomfort or disappointment, is to ensure everyone knows what is happening, when, and exactly where they are sleeping – with the right bedding too.

Choose an evening when you don’t have plans the next day. Then make sure you’ve given careful thought to how you will fit everyone in. This might be creating a den in the lounge using airbeds and sofa cushions so that everyone is snug together (without anyone at risk of bumping a head in an overcrowded bedroom), or even a tent in the garden if it’s warm and dry enough.

This also allows you to transform the pyjama party space into the perfect theming with blankets, cushions and fairy lights.

Whilst at it, ensure that the pick-up time the next morning is sufficiently early that you’re not picking up the pieces of all the overtired children, but not so early that you are disturbed by the doorbell when you’ve finally got everyone off to sleep.

What to do at a Sleepover – Food

You’re not going to be able to avoid it: food is going to have to feature somewhere on the agenda, so why not make it part of the fun.

Homemade pizzas allow everyone to get in on the act, and then to be enjoyed in front of a film are a brilliant solution. Add to this an “ice cream factory”-style pudding where guests can choose their own toppings, and everyone will be smiling.

Keeping Things on Track

With more than one or two children you’ll need to have a range of adult-led or adult-started activities in order to keep things running smoothly.

Your furnishings won’t thank you for leaving eight 11-year old girls alone in the lounge with your favourite bottles of nail varnish. So carefully consider where in the house to host your activities (for example, if the weather allows, consider painting nails out in the garden) and have a number of ideas up your sleeve to make the party run well and keep everyone entertained.

You can keep this on track and focused by having a snazzy countdown chart to lights out, or even a balloon countdown whereby new activities are revealed on pieces of paper inserted in to inflated balloons depicting a time to be popped!

Pyjama Party Ideas

Once you’ve got all of the above in place, then it’s time to think of the activities and games which will help make the party awesome. Here are some of our favourite pyjama party ideas:

• Get Crafty: Keep things calm before bedtime with a craft session. Decorate plain pillowcases, an eye-mask, or t-shirt with fabric pens. Other ideas include making jewellery, using craft kits, or even having a go at sewing.

• Use Darkness: Kids love glow-in-the-dark. From hunt games to glow stick creations, and torch-based games, there are plenty of ideas.

• Banish Boredom with Board Games: When you need focus to come back, things to quieten down, and everyone to be included, board games are an ideal solution. Pick one which suits the ages and interests of the children present.

• Use the ‘Electronic Babysitter’: Don’t be afraid to pop on a movie to kill some time and get the kids feeling sleepy. Just make sure you choose a film which won’t spark any nightmares!

Lay Down to Sleep

Be prepared to get less sleep than you usually do. Even if the children sleep beautifully, you’re likely to have a more restless night being in charge of other people’s children. Make sure you know how to contact all the parents, and then using the pyjama party ideas, have a fantastic night.

We believe your little ones deserve the very best care. That's why our local network of babysitters are personally checked and picked by our family for your family www.sitters.co.uk.