How to Plan a Teen Sleepover: Safe Games and Creative Activities

It’s a fact: kids love sleepovers. Whether you’ve got a mini party princess keen to try out facemasks and new dance moves with her besties or a young explorer excited to camp under the stars, we can take the stress out of planning a sleepover. Keep reading for the best sleepover ideas for teens that’ll cater to all tastes—and have parents resting easy, too.

Contents:

• Why Sleepovers Matter for Teen Development
• Quick Planning Checklist for Parents
• Sleepover Themes and Activities
• Sample Sleepover Timeline
• Food and Snack Ideas
  • Special Sleepover Drinks
• Not Sure About a Sleepover? Try a Sleepunder!
• The Morning After
• FAQs

Why Sleepovers Matter for Teen Development

Sleepovers aren’t just great for helping teenagers bond and relax. They’re also an important way for kids to build independence and develop confidence. We all remember our very first sleepover. The nerves, the anticipation, the butterflies as we packed our bags and prepared for a night away from home. Enjoying a slumber party helps promote social skills, empathy, and resilience.

As teens develop and want more independence, a sleepover gives them the chance to experience this in a safe, contained environment, allowing them to spend time away from the “safety” of family as a first step on their path to adulthood.

Quick Planning Checklist for Parents

Before we delve into some great sleepover ideas for teens, let’s run through a quick checklist to help you get prepared:

1. Decide on the theme (if relevant) and send out (or have your kid send out) invitations. These invitations should include the date and time of the sleepover, what guests should bring, and the theme.
2. Choose the snacks and drinks to be served, and create a shopping list.
3. Plan a range of activities and games, such as karaoke, board games, or a movie marathon.
4. Consider sleeping spaces and, if relevant, designate a room for sleeping.
5. On the day of the sleepover, decorate rooms according to the theme, and prepare the snacks, meals, drinks, and activities.

While sleepovers should be fun, safety should always be a priority. Here are the things to do to help ensure this:

1. Be sure to find out if any of the guests have any allergies or intolerances, and take these into account when planning the food and drinks.
2. Collect emergency contacts for all guests, and make sure guests’ parents or carers know how to get hold of you if needed.
3. Check that all planned games, activities, or movies are age-appropriate.
4. If kids will be using screens unsupervised, take steps to ensure digital safety. This could mean, for example, blocking certain sites or platforms. A parental control tool such as Findmykids is a great tool to easily facilitate this!

If you’re sending your child to a sleepover, the Findmykids app can also give extra peace of mind. Real-time geolocation, Sound Around feature, and instant notifications help you stay aware of where your child is and what they’re doing—so they can enjoy time with friends safely while you stay informed.

Sleepover Themes and Activities

Stuck for themes or need some inspiration for things to do at a sleepover for teens? We’ve got all the ideas you need below!

Movie and Snack Bar Night

When it comes to fun sleepover ideas for teens, movies and popcorn are a sure-fire hit! This theme is easy to curate: simply create a comfortable den in the living room with plenty of blankets and cushions, lay out a range of cinema-style snacks, and dim the lights ready for the show!

Safety Tip for Parents
⠀
Ensure that the movies to be shown are age-appropriate for all guests. To this end, it’s important to understand the distinction between movie ratings. Expect a PG-13 rated movie to be generally more family-friendly, whereas an R-rated film usually includes more mature content, and, at the cinema, kids under 17 would require an accompanying adult.

Mini Movie Reviewers

If you’d like to incorporate an additional activity or two into the sleepover, consider giving each kid paddles or sheets of paper with numbers from zero to ten on each. After each movie, ask kids to review the film by holding up a score, and discuss what they liked or disliked about it.

Memory Test

This’ll take a little bit of preparation, but why not organize a short quiz to test kids’ memories on the movie they’ve just watched? For example, read out a short piece of dialogue from the film and ask which character spoke the words, or ask the name of the city in which the movie took place.

Craft Night

Looking for creative sleepover ideas? There are loads of crafting sleepover activities you could plan, from DIY facemasks to painting to jewellery making with beads. Other crafts to consider include scrapbooking, custom T-shirt making, and even tie-dyeing.

There are a few important things to remember when organizing a craft-themed sleepover for your teen. Firstly, think carefully about how to ensure all the kids are included. Some may find the activities easier than others, so having several crafts to choose from is usually a good idea. Next, consider the clean-up! Prevention is better than cure, so be sure to put down protective sheets and cover surfaces before the crafting begins.

Safety Tip for Parents
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It’s advisable to purchase allergy-safe craft supplies for peace of mind and make sure that all crafting activities are age-appropriate.

Tie-Dye Scrunchies

Making beautiful tie-dye scrunchies is a great, easy sleepover crafting activity that teens will love. Using fabric-safe dyes and squeeze bottles (available from most craft stores), kids can create vibrant, unique designs. Once dyed, simply pop the scrunchies in a plastic bag to help the color set, then rinse and dry.

Beaded Friendship Bracelets

This craft is a wonderful, mess-free option for your teen’s sleepover party. Choose to buy a kit that includes all the supplies you need, or purchase them individually. You’ll need beads, cord (such as embroidery floss or elastic cord), and scissors. You may also want to supply glue to help secure the knots and a bead needle to help thread smaller beads onto the cord.

Look for more DIY craft ideas here:

• How to Make a Pop It: DIY Ideas for Kids
• Crafting Fun with Kids: How to Make Bubble Solution at Home

Spa and Pamper Night

Any respectable list of sleepover ideas for teenage girls should include a pamper and spa night option! Prepare by setting up one or two DIY manicure/pedicure stations in advance, complete with bowls of warm water, fluffy towels, foot scrub, moisturizer, and nail polish, lay on some face masks, and pop on a playlist of relaxing music.

Safety Tip for Parents
⠀
A quick note on safety. Make sure kids aren’t allergic to any of the products supplied and, where relevant, get each to undertake a patch test in advance. Look for gentle, skin-kind products that won’t irritate young skin.

Calm Yoga Session

How about introducing a yoga session as part of the sleepover’s itinerary? Find an age-appropriate yoga video, provide some mats (if needed), and suggest kids have a go at joining in. If you’re a fan of yoga yourself, you could even try taking the kids through some easy asanas yourself!

Homemade Face Masks

Instead of providing store-bought face masks, you could invite sleepover guests to create their own homemade versions (obviously, check for allergies first). For four facemasks, all you need is one medium-sized avocado (stone removed), two tablespoons of runny honey, and two tablespoons of olive oil.

Get kids to pop the avocado in a bowl and mash it, and then stir in the other ingredients until the mixture is runny. For the full spa-treatment look, provide some slices of cucumber for kids to pop over their eyes while their facemasks are working their magic!

Games and Team Challenges

A board game-themed sleepover is not only easy to set up, but it’s sure to provide plenty of fun for the participants. Put out a wide range of board games—maybe even set up the boards and pieces ahead of time so that everything’s ready to go. Don’t forget to print out easy-to-follow rules sheets, too.

Great sleepover games include Cranium, 5 Second Rule, Spontuneous, Catch Phrase, Settlers of Catan, The Game of Life, and Topic; clusters of games or stations could be created around the room to help ensure there’s an option to suit everyone.

You could also incorporate challenges and party games into the sleepover activities roster. With some prior planning, you could organize an indoor or outdoor scavenger hunt, a teen-friendly murder mystery or escape room-style game, lip-sync battle, or karaoke with a kid-appropriate ready-made playlist.

Setting Up a DIY Escape Room-Style Game

It may involve some significant prep to pull off, but an escape room game is one of the best sleepover activities for teens.

To create one, you’ll need to come up with an intriguing story and a set of clues for players to solve. Most escape room games have four stages, with each set of clues or puzzles leading to the next stage. If you feel up to the challenge, you can create a game from scratch; otherwise, there are plenty of online options where you can print off everything you need.

If your teen wants, you could theme the entire party around the theme of the escape room, incorporating this into the invites, room decorations, and food and drinks.

Have a Go at the Human Knot

This teamwork-building challenge doesn’t require any setup or equipment, and is a great icebreaker with which to kick off the sleepover party. Have the kids stand in a circle and stretch out their arms. Next, ask them to close their eyes and take the hand of the person next to them, and then tangle up their arms together in a knot. Now ask the kids to open their eyes and try to untangle the knot without letting go of their hands by weaving under and over each other. Set a timer, and see if the group can get faster with every try.

Social Media-Friendly Activities

No matter what activities you plan, it’s going to be virtually impossible to keep teens off their screens for the duration of the sleepover. So, consider embracing some social media kid-friendly activities, such as suggesting they try a range of viral dance challenges or set up a photo booth, complete with a range of outrageous accessories like oversized sunglasses, novelty hats, and wigs.

Safety Tip for Parents
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While these sorts of activities are likely to be extremely popular with your teen and their guests, safety must come first. Below are the things to keep in mind to ensure a fun, safe experience for everyone.

Parental Consent

Be really clear about where your teen is allowed to post their photos and content, and ensure the relevant privacy settings are enabled so only their friends can access these. Ahead of the sleepover, check with guests’ parents to make sure they’re happy with photos to be shared on social media, and find out any limitations or rules they have regarding posting content.

Research Current Trends

@officialmartinfam Replying to @commandersfan5 The ending☠️😂 #guessthedrinkchallenge #toddlerchallenge #drinkchallange #toddlers #toddlersoftiktok #fyp ♬ Funny Song – Sounds Reel & Funny Song Studio & Thomas Hewitt Jones

It’s also worth being aware of current social media trends or viral challenges so you know which are—and are not—appropriate for the kids to try. Some trends may seem harmless on the surface, but involve significant risk. For example, the Cinnamon Challenge encourages viewers to swallow a spoonful of dried cinnamon without any water. This may appear harmless, but the fine powder is easily inhaled, potentially leading to vomiting or choking.

Backyard Camping

Many teens love the idea of a backyard camping sleepover. As well as allowing for plenty of great activities, such as stargazing, telling spooky stories in the dark, and toasting marshmallows over a fire, this option gives teens a taste of the independence they often relish.

In terms of practicality, it’s important to keep a check on the weather and have a backup plan in case it’s particularly inclement. Also, ensure kids have plenty of cushions and blankets and enough sleeping bags to ensure a comfortable experience.

Safety Tip for Parents
⠀
If a barbecue, firepit, or similar will be part of the plans, adult supervision is a must. It’s vital to ensure, too, that any fires are completely put out before kids retire to sleep or begin any other activities that could put them at risk of burning themselves on it.

Constellation Hunting Activity

A stargazing and constellation activity is perfect for a backyard camping sleepover. Set up a telescope or provide binoculars along with an astronomy app or constellation map, and have kids see how many they can find. You could even have a “constellation challenge” and give kids points for how many different ones they can find.

Outdoor Cinema Night

An outdoor movie theatre is a magical experience, and easy to create, too. Set up a projector and a large white sheet to project the movie onto, arrange a cozy seating area with cushions, blankets, and beanbags, and lay out a selection of snacks and drinks. If you’re not sure which movie to opt for, why not have kids vote for their favorite?

Sleepover Cooking or Bake-a-Thon

Lots of teens love baking, making a bake-a-thon a great idea for a sleepover activity. Get prepped by providing a little workstation for each kid with pre-measured ingredients and the supplies they’ll need. Once the creations are completed, guests can enjoy their homemade treats while watching a movie.

Safety Tip for Parents
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It’s really important to check with guests’ parents for any allergies as part of planning this activity. You’ll also need to supervise closely and be on hand to help younger teens with, for example, chopping ingredients and getting items into and out of the oven.

Easy Banana Muffins

The only ingredients needed for these quick and easy banana muffins (to make 12) are:

• 9oz self-raising flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• ½ teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
• 4oz caster sugar
• Pinch of salt
• 2 ½ oz melted butter
• 4 fluid oz buttermilk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 large ripe bananas, mashed

Method:

1. Heat oven to 190C and line a 12-hole muffin tin with paper cases.
2. Sift together the flour, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda, and caster sugar with a pinch of salt.
3. In a separate bowl, mix together the melted butter, vanilla extract, eggs, mashed bananas, and buttermilk.
4. In the center of the dry ingredients, make a well and pour the wet ingredients in.
5. Being careful not to overmix, use a fork to mix together.
6. Spoon the mixture into the muffin cases.
7. Bake for 20–25 minutes until golden brown, and cool on a wire rack.

Yummy Squash Quesadillas

To make 16 delicious little quesadillas, you’ll need these ingredients:

• 25oz chopped butternut squash
• 7oz feta cheese
• 11oz watercress
• 16 small flour tortillas

Method:

1. Heat oven to 200C. Boil butternut squash for ten minutes until tender, drain, and allow to cool.
2. Divide the squash, feta, and half the watercress over the tortillas and season.
3. Fold each tortilla into quarters, place on a baking tray, and drizzle them with a little olive oil.
4. Put another baking tray on top of the first and press down. Leave this second baking tray in place for five minutes.
5. Take the second tray off and bake for a further five minutes, until golden. Serve with the remaining watercress.

Low-Tech Chilled-Out Options

Looking for something a little more relaxed for your teen’s sleepover party? There are loads of options to choose from, from board games and story circles to “pajama talks” to nurture the bonds of friendship. Think about creating a little sanctuary with lots of fairy lights, a calming music playlist, and snuggly cushions and throws.

Suggest kids put away their devices and focus on being in the moment and enjoying each other’s company. Below are a couple of jumping-off point ideas for activities to help you create a chilled-out sleepover vibe.

Try a Mindfulness Meditation

A short mindfulness meditation is a great way to unwind and focus on the present moment. Have kids get comfortable, ask them to close their eyes, and put on a short guided meditation. This will typically involve listening to the person speaking and focusing on the sensations or mental images they describe. This sort of mediation is great for relaxation and stress relief, and is a lovely, nurturing activity to include as part of a low-tech sleepover.

Create a DIY Journal or Scrapbook

Provide kids with the supplies they need to create a DIY journal or scrapbook—it could be dedicated to their friendship and include details of the sleepover itself. Drawings, photos, and embellishments can all be used to make imaginative designs and capture special memories to look back on in years to come.

Sleepover Party Deluxe

Most of the suggestions above will suit all budgets—but if you’re looking to create a super special sleepover party for your teen, we’ve got the inspiration you need!

• Hire a marquee, bell tent, or glamping pod for a pop of outdoor sleeping luxury. Create separate “beds” for each guest using roll-up mattresses, sleeping bags, blankets, and pillows, along with a tray to enjoy a selection of snacks throughout the evening.
• Throw a dinner and disco sleepover party for your teen by taking guests out to eat at their favorite restaurant before coming home for a living room disco complete with a glitter ball, sparkling fairy lights, and a playlist that’ll get everyone up and moving.
• If the weather’s set to be fine, how about an enchanted evening picnic in the backyard before the kids head back inside for a movie? Thread strings of lights through the branches of trees and shrubs, tie handfuls of brightly-colored balloons to fence posts, and provide delicate little sandwich triangles, bowls of berries and cream, and delicious sponge cakes.
• Consider enlisting the services of a sleepover planning company, which will take care of everything from theming to decor for you.

Sample Sleepover Timeline

Having a timeline in place for your teen’s sleepover is a good way to ensure it runs as smoothly as possible—and that as much fun is squeezed into the evening as possible! For a crafting-themed sleepover, this could look like this:

• 5 pm — Guests arrive
• 6 pm — Dinner
• 6:30 pm — First crafting activity, making tie-dye scrunchies
• 7 pm — Kids relax and chat
• 7:30 pm — Second crafting activity, friendship bracelet making
• 8 pm — Wind down time
• 8:30 pm — Movie
• 10:30 pm — Lights out routine

Obviously, these times can be changed or tweaked, depending on the kids’ ages and how the party’s going. It’s also a good idea to leave yourself a little wriggle room and to have a couple of additional back-up activities up your sleeve, just in case. In a crafting party, these could be, for example, candle painting and collaging.

If you’re planning a backyard camping sleepover, it’s especially important to have a Plan B. Think about an alternative sleeping area, and backup activities should the weather be inclement, such as a carpet picnic or board game marathon.

Food and Snack Ideas

A great selection of food and snacks is a vital element of any successful sleepover. While these may be themed around the sleepover’s activities, below you’ll find some sure-fire winners that are also quick and easy to prepare. Don’t forget to check for allergies as part of planning the sleepover’s food and drinks!

• Provide kids with pizza bases and a variety of toppings, and let them build their perfect creation.
• Lay on a taco bar with a selection of fillings, including vegetarian options.
• Nachos with cheesy garlic bread or creamy guacamole.
• Oven-baked chicken wings served with a range of dips.
• Sweet potato, shallot, and cheese-filled quesadillas, perfect for a vegetarian sleepover.
• Bowls of popcorn, pretzels, berries, and cucumber and carrot sticks.
• A tray of brownies, cupcakes, or flapjacks, served with fresh fruit.

Special Sleepover Drinks

Treat your teen and their friends to some special drinks as part of their sleepover! Mocktails are perfect and sure to go down well. Here are a couple to try.

Refreshing Nojitos

For each mocktail, you’ll need:

• A few fresh mint leaves
• The juice of one lime
• 1 tablespoon sugar syrup
• 1 cup of club soda
• Icecubes

Method:

1. Stir the mint and sugar syrup together until well combined, and then squeeze in the lime juice.
2. Fill a glass with crushed ice, pour in the mixture, and top with soda water.
3. Add a lime wedge as a garnish for extra pizzazz!

Beautiful Berry Lemon Fizz

For each mocktail, you’ll need:

• A handful of fresh or frozen berries (such as blueberries, raspberries, or strawberries)
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 1 tablespoon brown sugar
• 1 cup of club soda
• Icecubes

Method:

1. Stir the berries, brown sugar, and lemon juice together until well combined.
2. Fill a glass with crushed ice and pour in the strained mixture.
3. Top with the club soda and stir.
4. For a garnish, add a lemon wedge or a few berries.

And don’t forget to plan for the next day’s breakfast! Try one or more of these ideas:

• Pancakes served with maple syrup and berries.
• Waffles with banana slices.
• Scrambled eggs on toast with optional sausages and bacon.
• French toast—this can be made in the air fryer for extra convenience.
• A self-serve cereal, yogurt, and fruit bar.

Not Sure About a Sleepover? Try a Sleepunder!

Sometimes, a full sleepover isn’t the best option. Perhaps your kids are not ready for it, or, practically, you don’t have the space to host a group of teens for the night. There are lots of reasons that a sleepover may not be possible. But there are alternatives, such as a sleepunder!

A sleepunder typically follows the pattern of a standard sleepover, with one key difference: at the end of the night’s activities, kids return to their homes rather than staying the night. Sleepunders are becoming increasingly popular, and it’s not hard to see why. They offer all the fun of a traditional sleepover, but without kids needing to sleep in an unfamiliar environment. For some, sleepunders can be a great introduction to a full sleepover.

If a sleepunder sounds like the perfect option, be sure to let parents know exactly what time to pick their kids up at the end of the evening’s fun.

The Morning After

The sleepover may be the main event, but the morning after is also an important part of the event. A little pre-planning can help ensure an easy clean-up and that everyone enjoys a great experience. When sending out invites, it’s a good idea to stipulate a time for parents to collect their kids the next morning, which will allow you to establish a rough timetable.

Let kids know the night before when breakfast will be served, taking into account the fact that guests may have had less sleep than normal! While kids are enjoying their morning meal, this could be a good opportunity to gather together any crafts that each has completed, for example, and pop them in a bag to be taken home.

Be sure to ask everyone to check carefully that they have all their belongings before parents arrive.

Planning the Perfect Sleepover for Your Teen

Use our list of fun and safe sleepover ideas for teens to plan the perfect event for your kid that they’ll remember forever. Whether you opt for a backyard camping party, a relaxing spa experience, or a crafting extravaganza, some careful planning and preparation will help guarantee a successful sleepover.

The one thing we can’t guarantee? A peaceful night’s slumber—but then, a little sleep deprivation is par for the course when it comes to any self-respecting sleepover!

FAQs

What are safe sleepover activities for teens?

There are plenty of safe sleepover activities for teens, including a movie marathon (with age-appropriate movies), crafts, board games, constellation hunting, and teen-friendly challenges.

How many guests are appropriate?

The appropriate sleepover guests will likely depend on your kid’s preference and the space you have available. As a general guide, four to eight guests is typically ideal.

Should parents call the host?

As part of arranging the sleepover, you should get in touch with guests’ parents to let them know the details of the event (such as start time, your contact details, and what they should bring), and ask them to advise of any allergies, etc. Additionally, it’s fine for guests’ parents to call the host if they need to, or to check any details.

How to handle phones and posting?

Before teens post any photos they’ve taken at the sleepover, it’s important to set some ground rules around where these can be posted, and to check with other parents to see what they are and aren’t happy with their child posting online. It’s also important to set rules around any sites, platforms, or games that you don’t want kids to access.

Cover image: fizkes/Shutterstock