Girls Sleepover Ideas

6 ideas for a girls sleepover

Choose one project and one shared game or movie rather than preparing all six. Set out a quiet alternative for anyone who wants to sit out a round.

1. Decorate bookmarks or notebooks

Put out card, markers, stickers and ribbon for bookmarks, or plain notebooks for guests to decorate. Make a sample with your child so you know which supplies you need. Guests could draw a favorite animal, write their name or decorate a cover with a made-up book title.

Cover the table and give each guest a place to work. Put names on projects before moving them aside for dinner. If you use glue, leave a place for projects to dry overnight; sticker-and-marker designs avoid that wait. Early finishers can make a bookmark for a friend or draw on spare paper. The finished project can be their take-home gift.

2. A movie with homemade tickets

Let your child suggest a film, check the title with families, and look up its running time before setting the evening schedule. Test the sound and picture and arrange a comfortable seat for every guest.

While friends arrive, they can make paper tickets or draw a poster for the movie. Serve dinner before pressing play, then bring out snack cups. Leave the drawing supplies available for someone who would rather use them. A full-length film may need more time than the short film in the example below.

3. Karaoke or a short dance party

Ask each guest to suggest a song and put together a playlist with your child. Check the songs beforehand and choose where the music will play. You can sing along without buying a microphone; guests could perform in pairs or have everyone join the chorus.

For dancing, clear the space you have agreed to use and keep bags and drinks elsewhere. Guests who do not want to perform can choose the next song or draw a pretend album cover. Decide when the music will stop so there is time for quieter activities afterward.

4. An optional spa evening

If your child likes the idea, set out towels and offer nail polish or face masks that families have agreed their children can use. Check the products’ instructions and suitability with parents before buying them. Do not assume a homemade mixture or a product described as gentle will suit every guest.

Keep the activity optional. Someone who would rather skip the products could draw nail designs on a paper hand outline or decorate a sleepover sign. Put supplies on a covered table, leave room for painted nails to dry, and clear the products away before bedding comes out. Face masks can be part of the evening, but they do not need to be the signal that everyone must get ready for bed.

5. Drawing and guessing games

Put paper and markers on the table. One guest draws a prompt while friends guess, then someone else takes a turn. The printable pack on this page has drawings and questions you can use without preparing slips yourself. Let guests pass on a prompt or play without points.

For a quieter version, each person draws a picture and passes it to the next guest to write a guess. For more ways to play together, browse the sleepover activities guide. Check the player count before adding a board game so everyone has a way to join.

6. Breakfast with toppings

Make breakfast part of the get-together: serve pancakes or waffles with a few toppings, or put out bagels and fruit if you would rather avoid cooking while parents arrive. Ask your child which breakfast she would enjoy and check the ingredients with families.

Have plates, cups, napkins and serving utensils ready before bed. If another adult can handle cooking, agree that job beforehand; otherwise choose something you can serve while also answering the door. Leave time to eat and pack before pickup, rather than beginning a new activity as families arrive.