Sleepovers have come a long way since our day. Sure, kids still watch scary movies, stay up all night (or try at least), and gorge on an array of junk food.
But these days there’s a new trend – the DIY teepee sleepover fad. And we are absolutely LOVING IT!
The best thing about hosting your very own sleepover party for your little ones and their mates is that you can pull off pretty much the best sleepover set up ever without spending too much. Forget hiring a venue. Stay home, save money and set up the ultimate sleepover yourself!
You can hire a birthday party event company to do the work for you. (Hint, you’ll find a whole bunch of them below if you keep on reading). Or, you can take the DIY option and get pretty much everything you need from (drumroll please)… Kmart.
That’s right. Kmart not only wins when it comes to cheap toys and cute homewares. But they also have birthday party sleepovers in the (loot) bag. Keep on reading for all our amazing sleepover party ideas!
Teepee time
Let’s start with the sleeping set up. When I was growing up, we used to sleep on pretty much every surface we could find. Sure, today’s kids are still happy with any old air mattress on the floor, but we love the sleepover party trend of giving them ultra-lux individual tents instead (each complete with a mattress, bedding and pillows).
You can pick up some of these teepee tents from Kmart for $25 each. Then add a few pillows and cheap bedding to match the theme, like Vanessa Adamson did.
Vanessa opted for a pow wow experience for her son’s sleepover party, pairing the Kmart tents with woodland critter pillows, lanterns and tribal-themed decorations. Even the combination of the orange balloons and the marshmallow-like bunting looks like a campfire.
#mumgoals right here.
Glamp out!
Or, you could forgo the fabric tent and go glamping like Alexis Turner did for daughter Ayva. She may possibly be the bravest mum ever, hosting a party for 13 preteen girls. And she absolutely nails the indoor camping theme!
How cool are those campfire pillows (Kmart, $8)? And the fire? Yellow and red crepe paper and Kmart pool noodles, cut up and painted to look like pieces of wood.
Mind. Blown.
Set the mood
Okay, so balloons and paper lanterns are always fun. But fairy lights and light box (Kmart, $15) are even better. And also reusable.
A Teepee Tale was responsible for decorating 8-year-old James’ skateboard-themed party. In addition to individual tents for each guest, every tent came decked out with fairy lights and skateboard-themed bedding.
The special touches
How do you make every child at the party feel special and comfortable (and ensure they go home sending your praises to their parents)? By adding a few extra touches to each bedding area.
Need some ideas? How about a little light, a bag of popcorn for movie time, a water bottle and a special toy or figurine? Or some glitter pens, chalk, a diary and a colouring in-booklet.
DeAnne Pokarier went above and beyond for her daughter’s salon-inspired party (below), adding a pampering package to every child’s bed. We especially love the chalkboard with each child’s name (Kmart, $2).
Here’s some more stunning teepee sleepover party set-ups to inspire.
Games galore!
What kind of games can kiddies play at sleepover parties? You can stick to the typical party games (like pass the parcel) but you can also find games that suit your specific theme. We love Katelyn Triffett’s idea on making up BINGO cards. And nail polish spin the bottle is always a hit for the girls!
Another cute (and cheap) idea? Pick up a few white pillowcases and some pens and get the kids to decorate their own pillow case. It’s a great way to keep them occupied for a half hour (or maybe longer) and gives them something special to commemorate the party.
Plus, it sure beats a lolly bag!
Inspired yet? If you’re looking for more birthday party ideas, have a look at our article on how to host a great birthday party on a shoestring budget.Â
A special shout out to all the mums who let us share their incredible ideas on perfecting a teepee party. Let us know if you’ve got a fun party to share with Mum Central.
1 Comment
Where did you get the bedding and I am having a glancing theme what stuff do you recommend to get