McIntyre - The Everything Girls Ultimate Sleepover Party Book: 100+ Ideas for Sleepover Games, Goodies, Makeovers, and More!

The

Girls
Ultimate
Sleepover
Party
Book

Avon, Massachusetts

Dedication

Dedicated to: My three favorite people in this whole world, my amazing children; Ashlynn, Zoey , and Noah . Thank you for being my inspiration!

Contents

Chapter 1
Lets Have a Sleepover Party!

Some call it a sleepover, others a pajama party or slumber party, but the one thing everyone calls it is fun! Whether youre celebrating a special occasion like your birthday, or a holiday, or just want to plan a super-fun party with all your closest girlfriends, a sleepover is the best way to have a night (and morning) everyone will remember.

You need to decide on a few major things before you go any farther in planning your party: Who will you invite? When will it be? Should you have a theme? And the one thats probably the most important to your parents: How much will it cost? These are the vital things that you and your parents should talk about before you start telling all your friends.

First and most importantly: Who should you invite to your sleepover? Usually, its a good idea to have no more than 48 girls at your party. If youre tempted to invite more, think about ityour friends will be there to see and spend time with you. If you have too many people at your party, it might be hard to pay attention to each one of them, and you might feel overwhelmed. And that is not how you want to feel when youre having a party! This party is about having some serious fun, and making sure that all your guests enjoy themselves. Even though you may want to invite everyone you know (so that you dont hurt anyones feelings), try to keep your guest list small and manageable so that everyone (including you) can have a good time. If there are friends that you feel bad about leaving out, maybe you can plan to do something with them another time to make up for it.

Second, you need to pick a date. Before you settle on a date for your shindig, youll need to check with your parents first to make sure your proposed date is okay with them. Theyll probably want to know the basic party plans, like how long your party will last, and if your guests will go home after breakfast the next morning or if you plan to extend the party to include more activities into the afternoon. Youll definitely need to get your parents permission before you talk to anyone else.

Next, make sure that your friends will be able to come. After all, you dont want to choose a weekend when half your friends will be out of town. Talk to the people youll be inviting to see if theyll be available on your proposed day. You dont have to fill them in on all your plans, just ask if theyd be around and interested in doing something special with you.

Does your party need a theme? Its not necessary, but a theme can add that certain something that turns your party from ordinary to extraordinary. A theme party is a great way to share your favorite interests with your friends. If you love baking and trying new recipes, you could have a cooking-themed party. A spa party is great if you and your friends love trying out the latest nail designs or makeup. Do you like to sing and pretend youre a rock star? Are you the queen of gross-out games? Do you love 80s dance music? Check out the theme party ideas in to find one that matches your idea of fun. Or you can take some snippets from one theme and a little from another to create your own unique theme party.

Next, youll need to make a party budget. Definitely not the most exciting task, but totally pivotal. How much money can you spend on your party? Again, talk to your parents about what youre planning and make sure theyre on board. Creating a budget is a good way to figure out how much everything will cost. Start by making a list of everything you think youll need for your party. Here are some things to start with:

• Invitations
• Party food and drinks
• Disposable plates, cups, napkins, and utensils
• Decorations
• Games and activities
• Favors for guests
• Breakfast for the next morning
• Thank-you cards

Think of all the things you want to do with your friends during the party and add it to your list. If you plan on going to the movies or ice skating first, add the price of tickets to your list. If you dont plan on having special decorations or favors, you can remove those items. Once you have your list, find out how much each item will cost. For example, will you make or buy invitations? Store-bought invitations are the easiest option, and you can find out how much they cost by visiting a store that sells them or looking online. But if you have art supplies at home, the DIY method can cost almost nothing. (And then you can use that money for other party items!) Talk to your parents about how much food will cost. Think of the games and activities you want to dodo you need any props or prizes? Will you be watching movies? If you dont own the movies, dont forget to add the price of the rental.

Whoa! All that stuff adds up, doesnt it? If your budget seems too high, its time to go through it again. Look for things you can do without or make yourself instead of buying. You might even be able to borrow some things, like games, decorations, or DVDs. Remember, spending a lot of money on your party doesnt make it specialbeing a creative party planner is the best way to make sure your friends have a fabulous time!

Here comes the planning. This is when youll need to think about the logistics of your party. You might need some parental help to figure out a few of these items, so be sure to discuss the following things with them:

Whos supervising your sleepover? Most of the other parents will want to know this, and some will want to talk to the chaperone before they give permission for their daughter to attend.

What will you need for food? Just snacks or dinner? What will you have for breakfast? Do any of your friends have allergies or food restrictions or preferences that your parents need to know about?

Where will all your friends sleep? Do you have enough space for all of them?

What are the rules for the party? Do your parents expect everyone to be quiet after a certain hour, or are they okay with giggling and whispering going on late into the night?

Who will clean up after the party? (It will work in your favor if you offer to help or handle it mostly on your own!)