Teen Slumber Party

Teen Slumber Party Basics

Ask the Parents

“Tomorrow” is not the best time to have a slumber party. Better to sit down with the family calendar and make sure that there is a weekend night available that’s good for everyone involved. Regardless of age, there has to be a responsible adult in the house during the event.

Why a weekend night? Even during school breaks, parents have to get up and go to work during the week. They won’t appreciate a gaggle of squealing girls at 2 a.m.

Before asking friends to stay the night, teens and parents should discuss what would be an acceptable schedule of events, allowable activities, and appropriate behavior. Understanding the ground rules ahead of time helps everyone have more fun.

Invite Friends

This can be done either by evite, by e-mail, or a printed invitation. Ask your friends about two weeks in advance. It’s important to be specific about details so friends can confirm with their parents. Make sure to clarify:

1. What they should bring – clothes, food, sleeping bags, supplies for activities, and so on.
2. What time it starts, often just before dinner.
3. Approximate pick-up time. This might vary if a friend’s family has prior obligations, but usually 12 noon or a little after the next day is a fairly acceptable stay.
4. Directions and the host parents’ phone numbers.

When friends confirm, it’s best to have the guests’ parents exchange phone numbers with the host parents in case of emergency.

A typical teen slumber party consists of four-to-six girls. This is a good number for activities and sleeping arrangements, and helps parents maintain some form of control.

Arrange the Food

The typical snacks and party fare work well for slumber parties. Teens usually know what friends like, but it’s also good to find out if any friends have particular allergies, especially to things like peanuts, shellfish, and milk. Plan to have alternatives, just in case.

Finger foods, pizza, cupcakes, single-serving ice cream, miniature candies, sliced fruits and vegetables with special dips, and small bags of chips are just some of the snack options for the evening. In the morning, be prepared with some type of breakfast, whether it’s cereal or Dad’s special pancakes.

Remember: it’s your party, so you have to help get everything prepared.

Plan the Activities

This can be as simple or as complicated as you want. Teenage girls have a variety of interests, so there are a number of party ideas that add a little zing into a teen slumber party.

Consider activities such as:

• Giving each other facials, pedicures, and temporary hair color.
• Telling ghost stories in a dark room while wearing glow-in-the-dark necklaces.
• Playing board games such as Cranium.
• Indulging in a movie marathon.
• Downloading songs and performing karaoke.
• Creating a group dance.

What to Avoid

Just a few other considerations before hosting a teen slumber party:

• If you make a mess, clean it up.
• Don’t let catfights ruin everyone else’s good time.
• Resist the urge to make crank calls or sneak out. Both are just asking for trouble.
• No alcohol and drugs. You’re putting yourself and your friends at risk.
• Don’t wake the parents more than once with your hilarity. They’ll get horribly cranky otherwise.

Do Boys Have “Slumber Parties?”

Certainly boys also like to stay overnight at friend’s houses and play video games, download music, watch movies, and devour anything not nailed down. Whether it’s in the backyard or out in the woods, camping is also another great overnight activity for guys.

Whatever the circumstances, some of the same basics apply for the fellas: ask the parents first, ask the friends in advance, have parents exchange numbers, and keep things under control.