A slumber party plan for kids, from pizza to pickup

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A slumber party is a big night for kids and a long one for the host. The secret is a plan with a clear end: a set lights-out time and a set pickup time in the morning.

Before the night: talk to the parents

Send a short message to each family a week ahead. Include:

• The start time, the pickup time and your address
• Who will be home all night (at least one adult, awake until the kids are asleep), plus any older kids or pets
• The movie you plan to show, so parents can say no
• Your rule on phones and tablets, for example devices go in a basket at lights-out

Then ask each parent:

• Does your child have food allergies or need any medicine?
• Is there anything at night you’d like me to know?
• What is the best number to reach you, even at 2 a.m.? Who will pick your child up?

Keep these answers private and never mention them in front of the group.

Keep the group small. Four to six children is plenty for most homes. For children under about eight, or a first sleepover, offer a “late-over”: all the fun, then pickup in pajamas at bedtime.

What to have ready

• Sleeping bags, plus a spare in case someone forgets theirs
• An air mattress or extra blankets, so nobody sleeps on a bare floor
• Flashlights, one per child, which are safer than candles
• Two or three board games that everyone can learn in a few minutes
• A friendship bracelet kit for a quiet table activity (check the age label)
• Popcorn bowls, one per child, to cut down on spills and shared hands
• Sleep masks for kids who are bothered by night lights or early sun
• Spare toothbrushes, because someone always forgets one

The schedule

6:00 p.m., arrivals. Show everyone where they will sleep, where the bathroom is, and which rooms are off limits.

6:30, dinner. Pizza or build-your-own tacos are easy.

7:15, a table activity. Friendship bracelets or a board game let shy kids join in without the spotlight.

8:00, movie and popcorn. Pick a film every parent has agreed to.

9:45, flashlight games. Flashlight tag at a walk, inside one cleared room, or shadow puppets on a wall.

10:00 to 10:30, lights out. Younger kids need the earlier time. Say the time at the start of the evening and stick to it. A short audiobook can help a noisy room settle.

8:00 a.m., breakfast. Pancakes or cereal and fruit.

10:00 a.m., pickup.

Food and allergies

• The nine major US food allergens are milk, eggs, peanuts, tree nuts, wheat, soy, fish, shellfish and sesame. Read every label, including the popcorn and any snacks.
• If a child has a serious allergy, ask the parent what is safe, or invite them to send safe food. Ask for written instructions for any medicine, plus the child’s emergency plan, and keep both close by.
• If a younger sibling is home, keep popcorn and hard candy away from them. Both are choking hazards for children under 4.
• Don’t leave pizza or other perishable food out for more than two hours. Put leftovers in the fridge before the movie starts.

House rules that prevent tears

• No pranks on anyone who is asleep.
• Nobody leaves the house at night.
• No photos or videos of other kids without their OK, and nothing goes online.
• Anyone can call home at any time, and a child who wants to go home can go home. Agree on this with parents in advance, and treat it as normal, not as a failure.
• Store small items like bracelet beads out of reach of babies and toddlers in the house.

A sleepover doesn’t need a theme or a packed schedule. Good food, one activity, a movie and a lights-out time that everyone knows are enough to make it a night they talk about. If the slumber party is part of a birthday, the birthday party plan has ideas for the cake and candles.