It’s A Slumber Party!

Studio 5 Party, Holiday and Idea Contributor Alisa Bangerter shows us how to make it a true party!


Slumber Party Tips:

• Make sure there is adult supervision and be aware of any safety concerns. Make sure rules are known by all.

• Many parents don’t allow slumber parties but will allow late nights. These parties can be just as much fun – come in pajamas.

• Pre-teen and teen girls love slumber parties. These type of parties don’t often need to be really structured. Girls often love to sit around and talk – with lots of giggling allowed.

• Set a time when lights are to be out and quiet time begins.

Invitation Ideas:

• Write the invitation on a plain pillowcase.

• Create a paper crafted sleeping bag. Place a card inside the bag with party info and a paper pillow on top. When the guest pulls the pillow, the invitation pulls out of the bag. A fun option would be to place a cut out photo (face) of the recipient on the pillow. (Several companies make die-cuts of sleeping bags and pillows. Check your local scrapbook store for availability.)

• Write or print an invitation on lightweight paper in a long strip several inches wide. Roll the invitation around a foam sponge hair roller and clamp shut. A fun invitation for a spa type slumber party.

• Make a tiny pillow (and pillowcase) and pin an invitation to it or actually write on the pillow.

• Attach an invitation on anything sleepover related (toothbrush, nail polish, fingernail file, slipper socks, eye mask, etc.)

• There are many companies that make darling pre-printed invitations. Simply Google the words “slumber party invitations” and you will pull up a list of options.

Decorations:

• You really don’t need much décor. If you are doing a themed slumber party (i.e. princess, spa, fashion show, etc.) you may need to add décor accordingly.

• String paper lanterns and strands of tiny white or colored lights around the room.

• Place glow in the dark stars on the ceiling for a fun surprise when the lights are off.

• Place lots of extra pillows and fun cushions around the room.

• Use a disco type light ball for added fun.

• Set up an actual tent inside if you have the space. Blankets can also be used to make fun tents and canopies.

• Place a big net bed canopy in the center of the room and spread out so everyone can sleep under it.

• Have music available to help set a party mood.

• Change a light bulbs and replace with a colored one to create atmosphere.

Activities:

• Make creative cookies, cupcakes, candy, snack mixes or even own personalized pizzas. Kids and teens love to bake and make (and eat!) food items.

• Have a scavenger hunt. Place items on the list slumber party/girl related such as: slippers, toothbrush, pajama pants, pillow, pink nail polish, etc. Make some very easy and some harder and assign points accordingly. You could even have a scavenger hunt for cookie ingredients such as chocolate chips, sugar, eggs, etc. and then have the girls come make the cookies.

• Watch movies. Some of my favorites: Ever After, The Princess Diaries, High School Musical, Pride and Prejudice, The Parent Trap, Enchanted). A fun idea would be to have movie trivia questions to be answered after the movie. Make some questions hard and some easy but don’t let anyone know before the movie that questions will be asked – give prizes.

• Play “Grab a Slipper”. Place everyone’s slippers in a big pile in the center of the room. On the word “go” everyone must rush to the center and grab two slippers, put them on and make it back to their seat. The last one back is out. Keep repeating and removing a pair of slippers each time until there is one a winner left.

• Have sack races using sleeping bags.

• Have a treasure hunt (snacks make a great prize).

• Have a talent show – ask each girl to bring a talent to share. Talents could be simple such as telling a funny joke or story, etc.

• Use a karaoke machine.

• Have a candy hunt. Hide lots of wrapped candy or small prizes (nail polish, lotions, earrings, etc.) and have the girls hunt for it. A fun option might be to hide glow in the dark items and have a hunt after dark for the glowing items.

• A WII game system is fun and you could have sports/dance competitions.

• Play “Spin the Bottle”. Have fun and non-embarrassing tasks to complete. An option to this would be to spin nail polish. Who ever the nail polish points to gets that polish and paints their nails with it. Use a new polish each time until every person has one.

• Do makeovers or have a spa night. Take before and after photos. A fun game would be to blindfold everyone and have them put on makeup and then judge who did the best (or worst, etc.). Have a hairdresser or older girl come to do fancy hair styles on each girl. Girls could also place their hair in sponge rollers or roll in rags for fun curly hair in the morning. A fun idea might be to ask each girl to come with a beauty tip to share.

• Make homemade lip gloss.

• Have team relays where you run down to a certain point and put on a variety of items. Have items such as: funny pajamas, robes, slippers, a few curers (to place in hair), cold cream, etc. After the first person on each team has put on the items, they run back and the next person must put on the items, etc. The first team that finishes with everyone having a turn wins.

• Decorate pillowcases. Have everyone at the party sign each others pillowcase with permanent markers or fabric pens.

• Make (simple) matching pajama pants.

• Play musical sleeping bags. Play like musical chairs except when the music stops, everyone must run to a sleeping bag and get in and pull the bag to their chin. The last one in is out.

• Have a pillow fight (make sure to set rules on this to keep it nice and in control).

• Play pink games. Many popular games come “girl themed”. Jenga, Life, Monopoly , dominos, etc. have girl themed special edition games available. Also play games such as Mystery Date.

• Play flashlight tag.

• Do service. Gather food for the food bank, make treats for others, tie fleece blankets for a hospital, sing or visit at a nursing home, etc.

• Have a pajama fashion show. Let guests know ahead of time so they can be prepared with fun pajamas and accessories. Make a blanket runway.

• Make crafts such as decorated picture frames, beaded bracelets, etc.

• Scrapbook a page to remember the night.

• Do manicure and pedicures. Have fun polish available as well as nail decals and nail jewels.

• Play dress up, have a fashion show and pose for photos.

• Have a skit in a bag activity. Divide into small groups and give each group a bag of props. Give them 15 minutes to make up a skit and the rule is they must use every item in the bag in the skit. You could even give them a specific word or line they must say. Videotape the skits.

• Have a newspaper fashion show. Separate the girls into groups of at least three. Give them each a roll of tape and a stack of newspaper (you could also use foil, tissue paper, etc.) give the groups about 10 minutes to dress one of the group in a “newspaper fashion.” Have a fashion show.

• Break a piñata.

• Decorate flip flops, slippers, or t-shirts.

• Play charades.

• Go on a shopping hunt. Divide girls into teams. Give the girls lists of items they must find. Have items such as pink lip gloss, a red t-shirt, purple slippers, etc. The first group to gather the items wins. An option would be to give the groups money to buy the items and then use the items as favors. This would work best with older teens.

• Create crazy stories. Have some fun story starters (sentences) and then have each girl add on part of the story. This can be fun. An option would be to draw words and then that word had to be used as part of the story on their turn.

• Create some games based on TV game shows: Let’s Make a Deal, Family Feud, Wheel of Fortune, etc. Personalize the questions and such to those attending the party.

Food: (just have lots of it!)

• Cupcakes – let each girl decorate their own.

• Pizza – have each person make their own mini pizza.

• Fondue.

• A taco bar. A salad bar. A baked potato bar.

• Snack mixes. Be creative with these. Add unique candies for extra fun.

• Popcorn. Pink marshmallow popcorn is always a favorite with girls.

• An ice cream bar.

• Nachos.

• Old fashioned sodas.

• A waffle bar. Have whip cream and lots of toppings.

• Little boxes of cold cereal.

• Have breakfast in a box. Place breakfast foods in a box for each girl to eat as she wakes up. Items such as fruit, granola bars, muffins, bagels, etc.

• Serve a slumber party cake (see links below).

• Set up a special “snack table” having everything in fancy dishes.

Idea Links:

http://familyfun.go.com/printables/craft-templates/specialfeature/sleepover-party-activities/

http://jas.familyfun.go.com/recipefinder/display?id=50198

http://images.google.com/images?hl=en&q=slumber+party+cakes&gbv=2

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