If your youngster wants to have a sleepover, these tips will help you make it a success:
1. Make sure you have proper contact information for each child’s parent(s) in case of emergency.
2. Ask about food allergies so you can make sure forbidden items are not present.
3. Have sleepovers when all the invitees are of an age when they can comfortably sleep away from home. Consult with each child’s parents to see if he or she has ever done so before. If not, make sure there is another adult present all night, in case you need to drive a child home in the wee hours (or make sure the parents are available to pick up their child).
4. It is usually a good idea to plan a light meal aside from snacks and treats. Some families eat supper late and children may not have eaten a meal before arriving. If you are going to serve dinner, list it on the invitation.
5. Plan plenty of activities to keep children entertained. Making a craft project is a great idea, because it fills time, and it gives each child a souvenir to take home from the party.
6. Pick up an inexpensive package of disposable toothbrushes. There is often at least one child that forgets to bring one along.
7. Encourage children to bring their favorite Teddy Bear or other sleeping items such as a favorite blanket. If you don’t have enough extra pillows and blankets, make it clear on the invitation that children should bring bed rolls or sleeping bags and pillows.
8. For small children, set a bedtime in advance so they know what to expect. It’s fine to let children stay up later than usual, but small children don’t need to stay up all night. You’ll do yourself and the children a favor by deciding on a reasonable bedtime and making them aware of it.
9. Allow children to call home to speak to their parents and say goodnight. Doing so will comfort and reassure children. It will help decrease the chances of children waking up later and asking to be taken home because they miss their parents.
10. Setting a time for the party to end is as important, if not more so, than setting a time for it to begin. Make pick up time very clear on the invitation.