Stay Up All Night With These Fun Slumber Party Ideas
Slumber parties are one of the most fun event ideas out there. You get to gather your favorite people for an evening of laughter, games, movies, and snacks. They’re ideal for a kids’ birthday party or as a grown-up birthday party idea. You could even get creative with these late-night celebrations and host one for a baby shower or one of your favorite holidays, like Halloween or Christmas.
Take a look at this list of slumber party ideas that include everything from themes to games and food. You’re sure to find something to make your next slumber party a total blast.
Fun Slumber Party Theme Ideas
Design: Bonjour Berry
Ready to host a super fun sleepover party? Here are some of our favorite themes for slumber parties. Choosing a specific theme will help give the party structure and help you pick out the ideal entertainment, party games, food, decor, and sleepover party invitations.
Retro Movie Night
Gather your pals (or the birthday kid’s friends) for a cool retro movie night and relive old favorites or discover a new one from a previous decade.
Decorate your home with decor that takes you straight to the 70s, 80s, 90s, or early aughts. Lay out plenty of era-appropriate party snacks and candy, and enjoy a night of watching old classics and dancing along to playlists from the past. Throw in some retro video games for another way to celebrate the theme.
Ultimate Pamper and Spa Pajama Party
Pamper your party guests in style with an overnight spa party. This is one of those classic slumber party ideas that never goes out of style.
Make sure you have plenty of face masks, moisturizers, lip balm, and nail polish in stock and treat everyone to manicures, pedicures, and mini spa treatments. You can have fun with DIY treatments or if you have the budget, bring in a professional or two to pamper your guests. Close out the evening with a rom-com or teen movie and plenty of popcorn.
Camp Out
Design: Mint Parcel
Who’s ready for a night under the stars? This is a great slumber party idea if your guests are tweens or older and can safely camp outside with or without adults around.
Ask your party guests to bring a sleeping bag and pillow while you supply the tent for a cozy backyard experience. Have plenty of marshmallows on hand to make s’mores and end the night with some stargazing and spooky ghost stories.
Best Friends Forever
Slumber parties aren’t just for kids. This best friends forever theme is the ideal slumber party idea for a bachelorette party, baby shower, or milestone birthday.
Gather your best friends since high school or college for an evening of memories and laughter. Load up on popcorn, candy, and fun trivia from the times when you were in school together. This is one fun get-together that works whatever your age.
Hollywood Glam Sleepover
Treat your party guests to the most glam sleepover ever with a Hollywood theme party. Transform your home into a decadent haven for relaxing and watching your favorite flicks.
Set up a red carpet at home and ask your guests to wear their most stylish pajamas for a Hollywood-inspired fashion show, then head to your homemade photo booth to snap some photos with movie-themed props. Provide plenty of blankets and cozy cushions for everyone to lounge on while they watch movies, enjoy snacks, and gossip.
Sleepover Party Games and Activities
Design: Claudia Owen
Whether you want guests to chill out and relax or engage in lively activities and games, here are some of our favorite fun sleepover games and activities that are sure to be a hit.
Pampering Activities
Is it a slumber party if you don’t indulge in some pampering treats? For a fun nighttime twist on a spa day, you and your guests can indulge in at-home manicures or craft DIY face masks with ingredients from the kitchen for a little pick-me-up. Mini pampering kits also make lovely party favors, so keep an eye out for mini beauty items and beauty tools that you could gift your guests.
Game Night
Design: Laura Bolter Design
If your party guests are big gamers, a gaming night is the way to go. Keep it classic with some board games like Scrabble and Ticket to Ride, or throw in some card games — you can even choose a casino theme if it’s suitable for your audience. Prefer video games? Set up a mini video games tournament and get competitive, or suggest some party classics for everyone to enjoy — like Mario Kart or Just Dance.
Scavenger Hunt
Scavenger hunts work great for most events, and a slumber party is no exception. Create a list of items that your party guests need to search the house to find and return, with a small prize or treat for the winning guest or team. This can be a lot of fun to set up, especially if you hide the items well. Want to go a step further? Theme your whole slumber party around the idea of being a detective, with a classic “whodunit” movie, fancy dress, and plenty of trivia games.
DIY Personalized Sleep Masks
If your party guests love crafting and getting creative, this is a fun slumber party idea to try. Hand out plain sleep masks to everyone and ask them to decorate their own. Provide marker pens, fabric, stick-on jewels, and other accessories so they can really make it their own. Not only do they then get to use it that night, but they can also keep it for future use.
Truth or Dare
Bring out this classic slumber party idea when everyone’s settled, cozy, and almost ready to turn in for the night. Take turns asking each other “truth or dare?” and discover something new and fascinating about your guests — or challenge them to something hilarious, gross, or awkward as a dare.
Pillowcase Decorating
Like our personalized sleep masks idea, this is another activity to introduce if your guests want to do something crafty yet relaxing. Give everyone a plain pillowcase — in white or a soft pastel color — and encourage them to go wild with marker pens. They’ll have something super personalized at the end that’ll make them smile whenever they see it.
Slumber Party Food Your Guests Will Love
At the heart of any great event is the food and drink, and slumber parties offer so many delicious sweet and savory options that suit the casual, cozy feel. Whether you’re hosting a birthday sleepover or a slumber party to celebrate someone’s upcoming wedding, here are some crowd-pleasing menu ideas.
Pizza Party
Design: TM Stationery
There’s nothing quite like a pizza party. This is one of our favorite slumber party ideas when it comes to catering because it’s quick and easy — especially if you order in. Let your party guests choose their own personal pizza from your local spot, or set up a pizza-making station in your kitchen for everyone to create their own. Baking some at home ahead of the party? Ask your guests for their favorite toppings on your online invitations.
Cupcake or Donut Decorating Station
It’s hard to go wrong with a cupcake or donut decorating station. Set up a table where your guests can choose from homemade or store-bought donuts, cupcakes, or cake pops, and work their magic to create fun and tasty designs. Offer different frosting options, sprinkles, mini chocolate chips, and other edible decorations.
DIY Ice Cream Cones
Who doesn’t love ice cream or sorbet? It’s a slumber party classic. Make sure you have plenty of flavors, and the option of cups or cones, and encourage your guests to serve up their favorites to enjoy while they watch a movie. Want to make this even more of a treat? Have some soda on hand so party guests can make homemade soda floats.
Mini Cereal Boxes
Let’s not forget how you’ll feed all those ravenous party guests the morning after. Buy some of those adorable mini cereal boxes and leave them on the breakfast bar or table with spoons, bowls, and milk, ready for them to grab in the morning — or as a midnight snack. If you can’t find mini boxes, you can easily swap in self-serve cereal dispensers.
Use These Slumber Party Ideas for a Fun Night
Whether it’s a birthday celebration, bachelorette party, or just because, slumber parties are all about spending time with your favorite people, getting cozy, and having fun well into the wee hours of the night. They’re the perfect way to indulge in pampering, watch a favorite movie, or reminisce and reconnect. Choose a theme you love, plan some fun games, and party your way through the evening with tasty treats. You’ll have wonderful memories in the morning and beyond.
