When I was in middle school, nothing was more fun than having a sleepover with my best friends. Scary movies, makeovers, pizza and plenty of girl talk were all part of the agenda.
These days, it can be difficult to separate kids from their phone screens long enough to partake in such “old fashioned” fun, but there are still ways to make a sleepover interesting enough to hold a tween’s attention. Check out our ideas for making your child’s sleepover so cool their friends will want to Instagram it.
Set up a food bar
One thing is for sure when it comes to a party filled with middle schoolers: they’re going to need to eat. Keep it simple, but delicious, by setting up a food bar with different toppings. Have your child pick out a theme and make sure to include gluten free and vegetarian choices. Fun examples include a popcorn station with different toppings, build your own nachos or a grilled cheese bar. You can also repeat the idea the next morning with a waffle or pancake station. Check out Pinterest for more ideas.
Build a fort
Think forts are just for little kids? Think again. There’s no better way to watch Netflix or stay up until the wee hours laughing than in the comfort of a cozy blanket fort. Throw a few sheets over some furniture and line the floor with pillows, spare air mattresses or sleeping bags for ultimate comfort. Add twinkle lights for extra ambience (and, let’s be honest, the perfect selfie glow). And if you can get the ladies to help take down the fort the next morning, even better. Check out more fort building tips here.
Make it a spa night
I love a good at-home spa party (at any age). A DIY spa night doesn’t need to be elaborate or expensive to be fun. Grab a package of moisturizing face masks (Amazon sells them in bulk for fairly cheap), buy a variety of nail polishes and whip up a batch of infused water to keep the girls hydrated. Bath bombs make a great favor for this theme, and the guests can even make them with this easy tutorial. This is one sleepover idea moms will want to get in on, too.
Create a photo booth to commemorate the night
Photo booths are always a good time, and pretty easy to build at home. Something as simple as printed wrapping paper or a bunch of balloons could be used as a backdrop, then let the guests’ creativity run wild. Party City sells a ton of props, and you can always find cheap sunglasses, feather boas and bead necklaces at the dollar store. Here are several apps for turning your iPad or phone into a photo booth to make it even easier to share sleepover memories.
