A sleepover is a fun way for kids to spend time together. It also allows them to be more independent and explore their creativity. During the summer school holidays in the UK, those six weeks can be a long time for your kids not to see their friends. That’s why having a sleepover can be a great way for them to stay connected to their school friends. However, hosting a sleepover isn’t always that easy! So here are my 5 top tips for stress-free school summer holiday sleepovers.
1) Set Clear Expectations for the Sleepover
The first thing you should do before planning a sleepover is set clear expectations with your child and their friends. For example, ensure they know what to wear and bring, what games they can play and what time they need to go to bed. Are you providing bedding, or do they need to bring a sleeping bag and pillow? Make sure they know exactly what’s what so there’s no unhappy child at the sleepover.
2. Plan where they will sleep
If it’s the height of the summer holidays and the weather is good, you could consider putting a tent up in your garden. Picture this; the kids all eating hot dogs, roasting marshmallows on the BBQ and telling ghost stories under the stars. However, be prepared to bring them all in if you don’t want to spend all night keeping an eye on them in the garden! Also, have a Plan B as it may well rain; it’s British summertime, after all!
If camping in the back garden isn’t an option, consider where else the kids can sleep. Will they be watching movies, in which case the lounge might be the best option? Or if your child’s bedroom is big enough, they could all go in there. Consider cabin beds for more space for the kids. I love Room to Grow the children’s bedroom expert, as they supply mid sleepers, cabin beds, loft beds, toddler beds, and more to families across the UK.
3) Plan food and activities carefully
Food
It is essential to have food for children’s sleepovers. It will make the event more fun and memorable. It’s a tricky one, though. You want them to have some delicious treats. At the same time, though, you do not want a house of kids all full of sugar bouncing off the walls when they are already super excited anyway!
The good news is that many foods can help children sleep better, but some are more nutritious than others. A party food which is often served at sleepovers is pizza. Pizza has the right amount of carbohydrates and protein to help children stay asleep throughout the night. A slice of pizza also has a lot of calcium, which helps children’s teeth and bones grow strong.
You can also use food as part of the sleepover activity. Food craft is a fun and creative way to keep the kids occupied and well-fed. Get the kids to decorate their cupcakes. Making pizzas and adding their toppings or having tacos can be fun for kids.
If it’s a hot day make sure you have ice lollies and ice cream to cool the kids down! It’s handy to have jugs of water with ice. That way you can ask the kids to bring their water bottles and they can keep them topped up.
Just ensure you have plenty of food that the kids can eat throughout their time with you and a mixture of healthy snacks along with the sweet treats. Think vegetable sticks, fresh fruit, bread sticks and cheese.
And don’t forget breakfast!
Activities
Now for activities. These depend entirely on your kid’s hobbies and interests. They are lots of things you can do, though. Arts and crafts, pamper parties, movie nights, board games, computer games, you name it. Kids will love being together and the novelty of the sleepover, so anything you plan is bound to be a success!
4) Get Enough Sleep Yourself!
After all that planning, you will be exhausted. You will also have to get up early the next day to sort the kids out, so you need a good night’s sleep. As such, ensure you have a comfortable bed to rest and recover appropriately during the night. You might want to invest in some ear plugs too!!
5) The next morning
The morning after the sleepover can be tricky. The chances are the kids will be very tired after staying up all night chatting and laughing together. You, however, will hopefully be well rested after using the earplugs! Get the kids a fantastic breakfast to make it a sleepover to remember. Pancakes and waffles are a good idea with fresh fruit and yoghurt.
After breakfast, I recommend putting on a movie for the kids whilst they wait for their parents to pick them up. They will be pretty tired, so keep activities low-key and let them chill.
Are you looking for more ideas for children’s sleepovers? Then check out this blog over at Bedstar The Best Kids Beds for Sleepovers.
