Pajama Party
Enjoy some twilight fun with a pajama party
A childhood pajama party is almost like a rite of passage, especially for girls, and slumber parties remain important social events for teens. Sleepovers create special bonds between close friends that last a lifetime, though all the commotion and nonstop giggling can be nightmarish for parents. With some thought and pre-planning, though, you’ll be able to survive your child’s pajama party with your sanity intact.
Planning a Slumber Party
Pajama parties are intimate gatherings that are best confined to close friends, making it relatively easy to draw up an invite list. For younger kids, inviting over classmates and friends of the same sex is the usual protocol. If your kids are older or in their teen years, you’re best off letting them create their own pajama party invitations. Your kids can hand out the slumber party invitations in class or, if they’re older, via email. To keep the party rolling, you’ll only need to arrange some snacks, drinks and games to play.
Popular slumber party games for kids of all ages include “Truth or Dare” and “Pass the Pillow.” While most kids need no introduction to “Truth or Dare,” “Pass the Pillow” is an interesting variant in which tasks or dares are written on small slips of paper and placed in a pillowcase. While music plays, the slumber party guests pass the pillowcase around in a circle; someone will stop the music, and the person holding the pillowcase when the music stops must take out a slip of paper and perform the activity written on it. “Musical Sleeping Bags,” a self-explanatory variation of “Musical Chairs,” is also one of the most popular pajama party games for kids to play.
Other slumber party ideas include makeover sessions, a must-have party game if the gathering is made up of young girls, and backyard camp-outs, if weather permits. Pajama party ideas centered on movie marathons are also tried-and-true favorites for kids of both sexes and all ages.
Tips for Parents
Intrusions will not be appreciated, but it’s important to keep an eye and an ear open to make sure things are running smoothly. Pop in every now and then to deliver some snacks and drinks and make sure everything seems to be okay, but respect your kids’ need for privacy and independence, too, especially if they’re in their tween or teen years.
Collect phone numbers of the parents of the kids attending the slumber party, so you have contact information at your fingertips in case you need it. However, most times, you’ll find that a lack of sleep is the only thing the kids complain about the next day.
