A parent’s guide to the ultimate slumber party


Story by Roxanne Molenar F


or most girls, a slumber party is a rite of passage. Six or so girls, spending the night together, playing games, eating ... it’s all good fun. But a brief survey of the Yuma Sun newsroom, which then expanded


to random friends and family, revealed an interesting fact - boys don’t have slumber parties. “That’s a girl thing,” said one guy, who later admitted that he and his


friends did sometimes have “sleepovers,” with three or four other little guys. Why the difference in terminology? I have no idea. But, be it a sleepover or a slumber party, the staff of Raising Yuma has


come up with some ideas and tips to make your youngster’s overnight party a success.


Things to consider * When is your kid old enough to


have a sleepover? Most experts agree to wait until age 7. If your 6-year- old really wants one though, stick to cousins or close friends, and keep it small. * Invite as many kids as your child’s


age, plus one. I would recommend sticking with even numbers, however. * Set a budget. It might seem like a


silly idea, but costs for a party - even for just six kids - can swiftly add up. Involve your child in the decision- making process, giving your child a lesson in budgeting, too. * Pick your theme. Or not.


Sometimes, it helps to have a theme in mind, such as fairies or monster trucks, to help you plan activities. Older kids, however, might be happier with food, movies, and less parental involvement. * Start the party out with high-energy activities, to wear the kids out a


bit. Don’t expect, however, that the kids will sleep that much. * If you have more than one child, consider sending the siblings to


Grandma’s house for the night. That allows the child hosting the slumber party to be the center of attention, and gives you a chance to focus all your attention where it’s needed most.


Decorating * Decide where the party will be held. Pick a room in your house that


can be rearranged to accommodate sleeping bags, and make sure you only invite the number of kids that the room can hold. Don’t send out 12 invites, if in fact the room can only sleep six on the floor. Make sure that you remove breakables from the room, too. Good locations include basements or large living rooms. Or, if you have a safe, secure backyard, set up some tents and send the kids outside. * Use glow-in-the-dark stars and planets on the ceiling, to give the room


a cool night-time effect. Or, hang twinkling lights around the room, so when the regular lights are off, the room has a fun, magical feel.


8 Raising Yuma


* Don’t feel like you have to go all-out on the decorating. A few balloons


go a long way, especially when coupled with some streamers. * Arrange the sleeping bags in a starburst pattern, so the kids can be


head to head. That way, they could all participate in conversation as they unwind and fall asleep. * Fill the room with pillows, stuffed animals, bean bag chairs and blankets, so the kids have something soft and comfy to flop around on.


Food * Check with parents in advance to make sure kids in attendance don’t


have any food allergies. * Don’t expect the kids to be ready to eat right away. Have bowls of


snacks set up in the party area, such as chips and dip, or veggies. * Keep dinner simple - pizza, hot dogs and burgers, etc. Try to think of


something that’s easy to make, easy to clean up, and universally loved. * Bring out periodic snacks, such as fresh popcorn. Kids at sleepovers


tend to stay up late (if not all night), and will require something to keep them going. * Think interactive when it comes to food. Fondue is something fun -


either chocolate or cheese. Or, have a sundae bar for dessert, with lots of toppings to choose from. * Don’t forget breakfast! You’ve got a herd of sleepy ones to feed in the morning too. Pancakes, a waffle bar and bagels are all fun options.


Activities * Makeover fun. Set up three baskets - one


filled with hair ribbons, clips, etc., one filled with wigs, dress-up clothes and shoes, and one filled with stuff for a manicure or pedicure. Girls can be occupied for hours with dressing up, trying out different nail polishes and playing grown-up. (And parents, make sure to take lots of pictures...) *Baking. Make some cupcakes in advance.


Invite the kids to decorate the cupcakes with frosting and sprinkles, or show them how to make a simple, fun cupcake, such as Dirt Cupcakes. Frost the cupcake with chocolate frosting. Then, add gummy worms to the top of the icing, and sprinkle crushed Oreos over them. * Set up a scavenger hunt. One idea I liked involved buying a set of plastic bugs, and


hiding them throughout the house. Give each child a magnifying glass, small bug-catching net and a bag. Award a prize to the child who catches the most. * Have the kids do a craft, such as decorating a pillowcase or tie-dyeing


a T-shirt, which they then can take home the next morning as a party favor. * Turn to science. Find a few fun experiments to keep kids entertained


... but be forewarned. You may want to take these outside. Here’s one suggestion: Mentos and Diet Coke. Get a few bottles of Diet Coke, and let the kids drop in a few mint Mentos. The Diet Coke will turn into a foamy geyser. A word of warning: the bigger the bottle of Coke, the bigger the geyser.


The next morning * Send the kids home with a gift bag to wrap up the event. If you have a


theme, put in small items that reflect the theme, such as stickers, a bug- catching set, a puzzle or a snack of some sort. Or, give them travel-sized tolietries, a photo taken during the party (take a digital picture, and send the other parent to the store to print a few copies out) or a flashlight. * Don’t make any plans the next day. You will be tired, as will your child, so plan to take it easy.


❤


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