Are you organizing the perfect slumber party for your tween? All tweens love having their friends sleepover for the night. And 9-12 years old is a great age to start hosting a trendy and unforgettable slumber party!
The joy of a sleepover at the end of a party is matchless. It helps your tween and their friends to unwind and have fun with their gang. Let us not forget that having a few sleepovers is pretty much a rite of passage for tweens.
Your tween is old enough to start having slumber parties and sleepovers, which is a special time with besties, munchkin on snacks, watching movies, and talking about everything until the wee hours of the morning, creating memories.
So, which are the cutest and most epic sleepover ideas for your tween? Of course, not forgetting that proper planning will mean you steer clear with minimal, if not any, parental involvement. Trust me; your tween wants you to disappear when chilling with their buddies.
We share some fun and exciting ideas for sleepovers and slumber party ideas for tweens in this post. From lip-smacking snacks to silly games to the best movies to watch and fun DIY crafts any tween would love.
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How To Plan a Sleepover For Tweens
Sleepovers are a blast but did you know they are also fundamental for your tween’s growth? It is a fun time for your tween, and they do not get very much sleep. Instead, party, play games and talk all night. And why not?
Planning a successful sleepover takes some time and creativity. Tween slumber parties are great for a birthday, after-prom party, or school vacation, and with a few tips, you can ensure all the tweens have a great time while staying safe.
Here are some tips to ensure your planning is easy and stress-free. Read on to learn the best sleepover ideas for your hosting queen.
1. Set The Rules Beforehand
Before planning, sit down with your tween and discuss the sleepover rules to be on the same page on ‘the day.’ Let your tween know which rooms they can access, if there is a specific bedtime, and the types of TV or movies they are allowed to watch.
Try and cover everything and anything that will entail that day. By establishing the rules before party planning, your tween will know how to handle her besties and plan to fit their party within your set ground rules.
Make your tween understand that they are the party’s host, and it is their responsibility to ensure their hosts have a fun and memorable time.
2. Create Cute Sleepover Party Invitations
All parties start with invitations. What more is your tween’s birthday sleepover? And making your tweens invitation will be an excellent way for the two of you to bond and narrow down the guest list.
These cute party invitations are free and customized to your tween’s taste. From mermaids to unicorns and more, there are a lot of adorable cards your tween can decorate. And what’s more, your tween can also add their selfie to make it more personalized. How cute!
Your tween will need to include what her guest will need to bring, such as a flashlight, pillow, sleeping bag, etc. They can even ask their friends to come rocking PJs. Your tween can also use the invitations to ask her friends to contribute to the sleepover by bringing sodas, candy, and whatever they would want to share.
The invitation card should also include a query to your gang parents on their tween’s allergies, dietary restrictions, medications, mobility, or sensory challenges for ease of preparation.
Remember to include any special events and all necessary details on the invitations, and let your tween have the liberty to mail, email, or post their invitations online.
3. Cozy Sleepover Space
The slumber party games need a larger area than your tween’s bedroom for the gang to have enough room to stretch out. The living room is ideal since it is likely larger, making it comfier to set up. This will also prevent any jealousy over who sleeps on the bed.
You can feel the room with extra blankets and pillows to create a warm bohemian environment. Your tween and her buddies can also use these supplies to build a blanket fort or have a pillow fight.
This also helps isolate the party from the rest of the family, so no one feels like they are intruding. Also, ensure to put supplies in the room to clean up any spills.
Your tween can also decide to fire up the slumber party by setting up a giant sleeping fort that can fit all of her friend’s sleeping bags. These will make the party feel more private and create the perfect place to whisper secrets.
4. Party Snacks
Sleepovers are a special occasion. Let the tweens indulge a little more than usual. You might need to get enough food for the day. Ask your tweens what easy snack recipes they would love to do themselves.
But it is wise to keep the snacks as simple as possible, making store-bought snacks a great option. And it is also the best way to ensure every picky eater has something they can enjoy.
Chips, candy, pizza, popcorn, cake, ice cream, drinks, and fruit salad are classic party foods. You can also bring your tween for some grocery shopping to make her feel like the boss lady.
5. Girls’ Sleepover Ideas and Activities
When you gather a bunch of tween friends in one room, there is bound to be lots of giggling and antics. Low key and casual are the best activities for your tween sleepover. Let your tween tell you the activities they will love to do with their peers.
Remember not to over-schedule events and have a few ideas with your tween to ensure boredom does not get a room throughout the night.
Games and planning crafts
Some games might include playing hide and seek and pillow fights with the ground rule of no hitting in the face. Making a friendship bracelet is also a favorite or baking a treat together.
Movies
They are the best opportunity to enjoy party snacks. A movie marathon is an activity your tween and her peers will enjoy as they pair it with a hot chocolate or a pie. Your tween can also keep a running movie bingo game going. This is a perfect DIY slumber party idea where players can check off certain movie tropes as they happen.
These are all our favorite movies for tweens – from modern hots to classics every tween should see at least once!
Make Popcorn To Go With It
Depending on how adventurous you tween eaters are, you can pair the movie with different popcorn flavors to beat the old microwave bag!
Music
What’s a party without music? Get the sleepover gang a stereo into the room they will be sleeping and let them let loose with a dance party as they giggle and whisper. You can also consider firing up the old karaoke machine.
Coordinate matching tween frame pajamas
Best friends love matching. This will be dope and a fun sleepover idea. While the PJs are a great idea, your tween might also decide to have matching robes, sleeping masks, slippers, or other cute choices.
Fun tween sleepover games
Gather your tween’s collection of games and leave them in the corner of the room if they want a laid-back activity. You can also decide to challenge the tweens with something they have not played before. Stating the rules to a new game and figuring out the strategy is fun.
Makeovers
With your tween, the makeover is a huge deal. Allow her to learn how to wear it by getting a makeover kit. You can even spice it up by letting them do blindfolded makeup on each other as a challenge.
Coloring
Of course, not the old coloring your tween grew out of! Get them cool crayons, makers, and different colors of paper! They will use them to write little notes to each other, which is fun.
DIY Pizza
Why not combine dinner and a craft project? Everyone gets some homemade dough, and they get to add toppings as they see fit.
Indoor Camping
Indoor tents will bring that summer camp vibe inside, where you do not have to worry about inclement weather or mosquitos.
DIY Paper Bracelets
Watch for friendship bracelets! With this creation, your tween first color the paper with watercolor paint, then cuts them and folds them into a bracelet shape.
Photos, selfies, and more photos
Keep a camera nearby for your tween to capture all the goofy moments as they create memories they will cherish.
6. Stock up on Extra Essentials
Every parent intends to send over their tween for a sleepover with all the necessities. But a parent might forget to pack something as essential as a toothbrush.
It is making it a smart move to stock up on a few essentials that may be forgotten.
7. Party Time
As parents drop over their tweens for the slumber party, ensuring you have their contact information is always good. Discussing the party with the other parents is also great as it will help them know what their tweens are up to.
Once all the tween friends are together, make sure to go through all the rules with them and let them know that going against a set rule will mean being sent home. Let your tween tour her guest to the rooms they have access to.
Also, let your tween guests know that you are available if any concerns or questions arise.
8. Check-in Occasionally But Not Too Often
As the host parent of the slumber party, it’s your responsibility to keep an eye on the tweens without being too overbearing. Tweens do not want a helicopter parent; therefore, as much as you are checking up on them, do not hover!
It may be helpful to come up with a safe word that only you and your tween know. This way, your tween can use it casually in convos if the party is too rowdy or she is not having a good time. You can correct such a scenario by asking her to help you in the kitchen, so you do not raise any suspicions.
Remember staying out of the way is a great way to host a fun tween sleepover.
Want more tween party inspiration?
- We have a huge guide here on how to set up the perfect party for a tween, including over 20 themes for your tween to choose from
- Looking for creative party games tweens will love? Here are 15 party games for tweens to try
- Stuck in isolation or unable to see your friends and family on a birthday? Here’s how to host a memorable virtual party for a tween
- Summer celebration? Here’s how to host the coolest tween pool party – plus pool toys you’ll need!
- How to host a Halloween Sleepover, complete with scary movies for tweens
- Don’t miss out on all our tween gift ideas, you can narrow it down by gender and age here:
