Sleepover Craft Ideas

6 crafts to try at a sleepover

These are suggestions for children ages 9–14, rather than a requirement to prepare all six. Ask your child which two appeal to them, then pick the one that fits your table, supplies and available help. Guests can use the drawing ideas above or make up their own designs.

1. Decorated pillowcases

Give each guest a plain pillowcase to decorate with fabric markers. They could draw their name, a night sky or a border of small pictures. Put a piece of cardboard inside each pillowcase to separate the layers while they draw.

Supplies: Plain pillowcases, fabric markers, cardboard inserts and paper for sketching designs.

Try the markers on your sample fabric first and follow their preparation and care instructions. Keep finished pillowcases flat until the required drying or setting steps are complete. Do not assume they will be ready to sleep on that night.

For a simpler version, suggest a name and a border. Guests who want more detail can sketch a larger picture on paper before drawing on the fabric.

2. Friendship bracelets

Set out embroidery thread and show guests one simple braid. They can choose colors, tie the threads together at one end and tape that end to the table while they work. Make a sample so you can show how to start and finish it.

Supplies: Embroidery thread, scissors and tape.

Prepare bundles of thread using the length you needed for your sample. A braid gives guests a starting point; anyone who already knows a knot pattern can use it. Keep unfinished bracelets with their owners’ names so they can continue later without mixing up the threads.

3. Bookmarks

Cut strips of sturdy paper and let guests decorate them with markers, stickers or small drawings. They could make one for themselves and another for a friend, or design a bookmark for a favorite kind of story.

Supplies: Cardstock, markers, stickers and scissors for preparing the strips.

This is a useful choice when you want to avoid waiting for glue to dry. Offer a few shapes in advance, but let guests decide what to draw. A name and a pattern are enough; a tiny comic strip gives keen drawers more to do.

4. Paper photo props

Guests can draw speech bubbles, crowns, glasses or signs on cardstock, cut them out and hold them for pictures. A sign might say “Movie crew” or name an imaginary band. Start with a few paper outlines for guests who would rather decorate than draw a shape from scratch.

Supplies: Cardstock, pencils, markers and scissors.

Keep the props large enough to hold by an edge so you do not need to attach handles. Use your sleepover photo booth ideas to arrange a picture spot after the craft table is cleared. Guests can keep making signs if they prefer to skip the photos.

5. Decorated sleep masks

Use plain sleep masks intended for decorating, with materials suitable for their fabric. Guests could add a moon, their initials or a simple pattern to the front. Make a sample to check how the material takes the decoration.

Supplies: Plain sleep masks, suitable fabric markers and paper for trying designs.

Follow the mask and marker instructions, including any drying or setting requirements. If the surface does not work with your chosen materials, use a paper mask-shaped drawing instead. Treat this as a take-home project unless the finished masks are ready to use according to those instructions.

6. Folded cards or mini comics

Fold paper into cards and let guests make a thank-you card, an invitation to an imaginary party or a short comic about the sleepover. For a comic, draw four boxes inside the folded sheet and suggest a beginning, a problem and an ending.

Supplies: Paper, pencils, markers and optional stickers.

Guests who prefer a small project can decorate the front of a card. Others can fill the inside with a story or more drawings. Keep spare paper nearby so nobody has to wait for a new set of supplies to start again.