17+ Sleepover Ideas for Kids That Will Keep Them Busy

A sleepover for kids sounds fun at first. That is until you realize you’re responsible for keeping multiple children entertained from dinner until breakfast.

It’s hard to get the right balance between structured activities that stop them from bouncing off the walls and giving them enough downtime that you’re not running a full on party all night long. Too much free time and you’ll have kids complaining they’re bored. Too many activities and you’ll be exhausted before bedtime even gets close.

I’ve hosted a lot sleepovers for my kids over the years. So I know what themes, games and activities will work and which won’t.

So I’m going to give you 18 sleepover ideas for kids that will make your life easier. I’ve broken these fun ideas into different categories – for boys, girls, easy options, DIY themes, outdoor and backyard ideas and budget options.

Sleepover Ideas For Boys

Superhero Training Camp

Boys love superheroes and they love activities that let them be active, so this is a great mix of them both. You can do this in your basement, garage or living room (get rid of anything that could be easily broken).

Set up different training areas around your room: an obstacle course using couch cushions and chairs, a “laser” maze using red yarn strung between furniture that they have to crawl through without touching, target practice with soft balls or bean bags aimed at cardboard villains and a strength test station with silly challenges like “how many stuffed animals can you carry at once”. They can complete the training course, design their own superhero costume using supplies you have (capes from old sheets, masks from felt or paper), create superhero names and powers and watching a superhero movie once they’ve completed training.

Serve superhero themed food: “power-up” pizza, “super strength” chicken nuggets, fruit labeled as different power sources and a cake decorated with superhero logos.

Camping Adventure Indoors

Boys tend to love the camping concept even when it’s happening in your living room. So try setting up tents or build blanket forts in your home/rooms – multiple sleeping areas make it feel more like an adventure. Any room where you can set up tents or forts will work.

String up some fairy lights or lanterns to make it feel more like a campfire atmosphere. Kids can build the forts together (let them help design and construct), have a “campfire” circle with flashlights telling stories, do indoor s’mores using your oven or microwave, go on a flashlight scavenger hunt through the darkened house and play camping themed games.

Serve camping food: hot dogs (you can roast them over a candle for effect if you’re brave), chips, trail mix, s’mores and hot chocolate. Make it feel authentic by serving everything on camping dishes if you have them.

Dress code is outdoor gear – they can wear their camping or hiking clothes even though they’re inside.

I helped a friends do this for their 7 year old son and his friends and the fort building alone took up an hour. They kept adding to their forts throughout the night, making them bigger and more interesting.

The flashlight scavenger hunt at bedtime helped calm them down too rather than get them more riled up, which was – nice bonus. Total cost was much either as she already had most of the needed supplies.

Video Game Tournament Party

If your son and his friends are into gaming then go with that. You can make it a whole thing by creating a tournament setup.

If you have multiple consoles set up different stations for different games. If you only have one create a bracket system so everyone gets turns.

Choose age appropriate multiplayer games like Mario Kart, Minecraft, Super Smash Bros or sports games. As well as the tournament itself with brackets you print out and track on poster board the boys can play some non screen activities between rounds like air hockey or foosball if you have them and maybe a movie later when they need a break from screens.

Serve easy gaming snacks: pizza, chicken tenders, chips, pretzels, candy and drinks. Make the snacks easy to get to so they can grab them without interrupting the games.

My nephew’s sleepover was built around this and it worked great because the tournament stopped arguments about whose turn it was. Everyone knew when they’d play next.

Just make sure you set time limits or you’ll be dealing with screen time all night. We did 30 minute rounds with mandatory breaks between, which kept things moving and gave eyes a rest from screens.

Sleepover Ideas For Girls

Spa Pamper Party

Girls love feeling fancy and grown up and spa activities will be great for the elementary age group. So turn your living room or bathroom into a spa zone with soft music, lots of towels and a calming atmosphere.

It’s best if you split it between your bathroom for certain activities and living room for others. Set up areas: face mask station with kid safe masks (the peel-off kind or sheet masks), nail polish area with multiple colors and nail art supplies, DIY lip gloss station using petroleum jelly and kool aid mix for color and flavor and a cucumber water and fruit station.

The girls can do each other’s nails and try designs, apply face masks and take silly photos, make personalized lip gloss to take home and watch a princess or feel good movie while masks dry. Serve spa appropriate but kid friendly food like fruit kabobs, veggie sticks with dip, fancy sandwiches cut into shapes, cookies, and flavored water or smoothies.

They can either wear robes over pajamas if they have them, or just comfy clothes.

The total cost will be about $40 for supplies (that includes the face masks and nail polish if you don’t have them already).

Princess Tea Party Sleepover

This theme works great for younger girls who still love princess everything. Set up a fancy tea party area with pretty tablecloths, real teacups (or fancy plastic ones if you’re worried about breaking) and decorations like flowers and tiaras.

You can do all this in your dining room or living room set up with low tables if you want them to sit on cushions on the floor or regular table and chairs works too.

Let the girls have an actual tea party with herbal tea or juice in teapots, decorate tiaras or crowns using foam crowns from craft stores with gems and stickers, play princess dress up if they brought costumes, have a royal ball with dancing to princess movie songs and watch a princess movie before bed. Serve tea party food: finger sandwiches with the crusts cut off, fruit cut into fancy shapes, cookies, small cakes or cupcakes and tea or juice in teapots.

Have the girls dress in princess outfits or clothes – fancy dresses or pajamas, crowns all will be good.

While this idea is a good one it’s definitely aimed at younger kids – by age 10 this might feel too babyish.

Craft and Create Sleepover

For girls who like making things build the whole sleepover around craft projects with lots of different things to do.

While you’ll do this at home it’s best in somewhere you can handle mess – a basement, garage or kitchen table with lots of protection.

Set up different craft stations: friendship bracelet making with embroidery floss and beads, paint your own pottery or wooden boxes, decorate your own pillowcase with fabric markers (these become party favors) and a slime making station if you’re feeling brave.

As well as the crafts have the girls do a fashion show of any items they made that can be worn, take photos with their creations and a movie later. Serve easy finger foods that won’t interfere with crafting: pizza, fruit, veggies and dip, chips, cookies and juice boxes.

Keep wet wipes handy for cleaning hands between eating and crafting. And it’s probably best if everyone wears clothes they can get messy – old shirts or paint clothes, for example.

Supplies cost around $60 for six kids, but everything will probably get used up so it will be worth it. Just budget extra time for setup and cleanup.

Easy Sleepover Ideas for Kids

Movie Marathon and Popcorn Bar

Sometimes the simplest approach is the best. So just pick a theme or series, set somewhere to watch that feels snug and let the movies do most of the entertaining. A living room or basement with lots of pillows, blankets and floor space for sleeping bags works great.

You can go a bit further and make a popcorn bar with plain popcorn and different toppings and seasonings: melted butter, parmesan cheese, cinnamon sugar, chocolate chips, M&Ms and various seasonings.

And as well as watching the movies (pick 2 or 3 depending on length and bedtime) the kids can make custom popcorn and maybe play some movie related games during breaks like acting out scenes or movie trivia.

Serve dinner before the marathon starts – pizza delivery is always a winner with kids – then the popcorn bar handles snacking during movies. Have drinks and some candy available too.

Pick movies you know they all like or let them vote beforehand. Queue everything up so you’re not spending twenty minutes debating what to watch next.

Pizza Party and Game Night

The classic sleepover formula works for a reason – food they love plus games they enjoy equals happy kids without much planning from you. Order pizza (get a variety so everyone’s happy), set out snacks and provide multiple game options: board games like Monopoly or Sorry, card games like Uno or Go Fish, active games like Twister or balloon volleyball and some quieter options like puzzles or coloring for when energy dips.

They get to play the games of their choice, eat pizza, maybe do a quick craft if you have supplies and watch something before bed. Food is simple: pizza for dinner, chips and dip, fruit, cookies, and drinks. Keep it straightforward.

This is the go to sleepover format that requires very little effort and preparation. I defaulted to this for my youngest’s first sleepover because I wanted to keep it simple and it was perfect. The kids were entertained by having friends there and having options for activities. No elaborate theme needed.

Total cost was maybe $50 to 60 for food and you probably already have the games at home.

Fort Building Competition

Give kids blankets, sheets, pillows and furniture to work with, and challenge them to build the best fort. Use any large room where you can safely rearrange furniture – living room or basement work great.

Split kids into teams or let them work together on one mega-fort. They build the forts (this alone will take at least an hour), decorate the inside with blankets and stuffed animals, have “fort activities” like reading with flashlights or playing quiet games inside the forts and eventually sleep in their creations.

Serve easy handheld food that can be eaten in the forts: sandwiches, pizza slices, fruit, chips, cookies, and juice boxes. Avoid anything too messy.

My kids did fort building at loads of sleepovers and it never got old. Kids love the engineering challenge and the cozy feeling of being in their own space.

The best part is that once the forts are built they use them for other activities, so you get hours of entertainment from one activity. Just accept that your living room will be destroyed and be prepared for cleaning it up in the morning. And you might want to take some photos of the fort creations before you dismantle them.

Outdoor Sleepover Ideas for Kids

Backyard Camping Under the Stars

Sleeping in the real outdoors makes kids feel adventurous even in their own backyard. Set up tents in your yard (borrow extras if needed), create a fire pit area if you have one or can make a safe one and prepare for an outdoor evening.

Activities include setting up tents together, making s’mores over the fire (with supervision), telling stories or ghost stories around the fire, doing a flashlight scavenger hunt or nighttime hide and seek, stargazing and trying to spot constellations and playing outdoor games before dark. Serve camping food: hot dogs cooked over the fire, s’mores, chips, trail mix and hot chocolate.

Make breakfast outside too – pancakes or eggs if you have the setup. Dress code is outdoor layers – it gets cold at night so they need warm pajamas and sleeping bags.

Have a backup plan for inside if weather turns bad. Set clear boundaries about where they can go in the yard and what time quiet hours start for neighbors.

Backyard Movie Night with Projector

Turn your backyard into an outdoor theater for a special movie experience. Get a projector and screen or white sheet and hang it up in your outdoor area.

Set up blankets, sleeping bags or lawn chairs for seating. Hang string lights around the perimeter for ambiance and some lighting.

Let them watch outdoor movies (plan for 1-2 depending on timing), play yard games before dark like cornhole or tag and have a glow stick dance party between movies. Serve outdoor movie snacks: individual bags of popcorn, movie candy, hot dogs or pizza for dinner, s’mores if you have a fire and drinks in a cooler.

You’ll want to make sure the kids are wearing layers plus pajamas – it will get chilly.

And you’ll need to borrow or rent a projector if you don’t have one. Test all the technology beforehand to avoid frustration. Have an indoor backup plan in case of weather.

Setting up everything will take about an hour and you’ll want to start the movies right at sunset for best visibility. The kids can sleep outside in tents after movies or head inside when they’re ready.

Water Games and Pool Party Sleepover

If you have a pool or access to one a water focused sleepover works great in warm weather. Whichever you use you’ll want the pool plus an area set up for later activities and sleeping (either tents outside or inside the house).

The swimming with pool toys and floats is going to be the main activity but they can also have water balloon fights, running through sprinklers, water relay races and slip and slide if you have one. After swimming do quieter activities like a movie or games.

Serve pool party food: grilled burgers or hot dogs, watermelon, chips, popsicles, and lots of drinks since they’ll be in the sun.

Safety is crucial with water so you need adequate adult supervision during all swimming. Set clear pool rules beforehand. Have sunscreen available and enforce its use.

As swimming is very active it makes this a natural fit for high energy kids. They sleep better after being in the water all afternoon. Just make sure everyone has swim skills appropriate for your pool depth.

DIY Sleepover Ideas for Kids

Build Your Own Pizzas Party

Let kids make their own individual pizzas with different toppings – it’s an fun activity and dinner combined. You can do it in your kitchen with workspace for each kid to assemble their pizza.

Use pre made pizza dough or English muffins as bases to keep it simple. Set up a toppings bar with sauce, cheese, pepperoni, veggies and other options.

They can assemble their own pizzas (they love customizing), decorate chef hats with markers before cooking, play games while pizzas bake and eat the pizzas they made. After dinner do movie or other planned activities. Serve their homemade pizzas plus salad, fruit and dessert like cookies or brownies they can also decorate.

My daughter’s friend did this and the kids were so proud of their pizzas. Even the pickiest eaters took part because they controlled exactly what went on their pizza. The cooking time gives you a break to do another activity too.

Prep all ingredients beforehand to make assembly easier. It should take about 30 to 40 minutes total including assembly and baking. Cost is reasonable – maybe $30 to 40 for ingredients for six kids.

DIY Tie Dye Party

Tie dyeing is messy but fun and kids get to create something they can actually wear or use. So if you’re going to do this one you’ll need it to be somewhere you can handle mess and dye – outside is ideal or garage/basement with lots of protection.

Give the kids white t shirts or pillowcases (buy them cheap in bulk), tie dye kits with multiple colors, rubber bands, and gloves. They get to choose their design technique, apply rubber bands to create patterns, squirt dye colors and wait for projects to set (do other activities during waiting time).

While items are setting play other games or watch a movie. Next morning they can rinse their items and see the final results.

Serve easy outdoor food if you’re outside: hot dogs, chips, fruit, cookies and drinks. Keep it simple since hands will be messy.

It shouldn’t cost more than about $40 to 50 for supplies for six kids if you buy shirts and dye kits in bulk. The waiting time for dye to set can be challenging – have backup things planned. Do this earlier in the sleepover so items can set overnight and be rinsed in the morning.

Create Your Own Slime Station

Slime making has been huge with kids for years and shows no signs of stopping. Set up a slime making areas where kids can create their own custom slime. Do it in your kitchen or anywhere with tables and easy cleanup.

You’ll need basic slime supplies: glue, contact lens solution, baking soda, shaving cream and various add-ins like glitter, foam beads, food coloring and scents. As well as making slime following a basic recipe the kids can customize their slime with colors and add-ins, play with the finished slime and make containers for slime to take home (decorate small containers with stickers and labels).

Store slime in containers overnight and it doubles up as a party favor. Serve snacks away from the slime making area to avoid mixing: pizza or sandwiches for dinner, fruit, chips and cookies.

Cost is maybe $30 to 40 for supplies for multiple kids. Have wet wipes and paper towels readily available. This is a good idea but it must have active adult supervision to make sure kids follow the recipe correctly.

Budget Sleepover Ideas for Kids

Glow Stick Dance Party

Buy a pack of glow sticks from the dollar store, turn off the lights and let kids have a glow in the dark dance party. The venue is any room you can make dark – basement, living room, or bedroom. Get multi-packs of glow sticks, glow bracelets and necklaces.

Activities include dancing with glow sticks, playing glow stick games like glow stick tag or hot potato, doing glow stick limbo and maybe glow stick scavenger hunt. Take lots of photos of the glowing fun. After the dance party move to quieter activities like a movie.

Serve simple party food: pizza, chips, fruit, cookies and drinks. Nothing too fancy needed.

The darkness plus glow sticks makes for a real party atmosphere without the need for decorations. Play popular kids’ music and let them just dance and be silly. The glow sticks can be reused the next morning if there’s any glow left for additional activities. Simple, cheap and genuinely fun.

Indoor Treasure Hunt Sleepover

Create a treasure hunt throughout your house with clues leading to the next location and at the end to a treasure. Use your whole house for the treasure hunt course.

Write clues that are age appropriate and lead from one spot to another. The final treasure can be individual goodie bags, a snack stash or small prizes for everyone.

As well as solving clues and finding the treasure let the kids play with whatever was in the treasure, other games afterwards and have movie time. Serve regular sleepover food: pizza, snacks, fruit, dessert. Nothing themed required.

My daughter’s friend did this and the treasure hunt took about 45 minutes to complete but the kids were completely engaged the whole time. Working together to solve clues made them cooperate instead of argue.

The treasure was small toys and candy from the dollar store, so total cost was maybe $20 to 25 plus food. The main investment is time to create the clues which takes maybe an hour of planning.

Write clues the night before so you’re not stressed. You can reuse treasure hunt ideas for future parties by just changing the locations or clues slightly.

Blanket Fort Movie Marathon

Bring fort building and movie watching together for a low cost sleepover that feels special. You can do this in your living room with furniture available for fort construction.

Just give everyone blankets, sheets, pillows and clips or weights to hold structures. They get to build one big fort or multiple small ones, then decorate the inside with string lights if you have them, watch movies inside the forts and eating popcorn and snacks.

Serve easy fort friendly food: popcorn, pizza slices, sandwiches, fruit, cookies, juice boxes.

Kids love feeling like they have their own little space. The only cost is food and maybe some new blankets if yours are all dark (lighter blankets make better fort walls).

Take photos of the finished forts before they’re destroyed. Let the fort stay up overnight so they can sleep in their creation. Clean up in the morning together – make it part of the activity.

Final Thoughts

The last thing to remember is that the best sleepovers for kids are the ones where kids feel like they’re having a special experience. And for you it’s about keeping enough control that your house doesn’t look like a warzone after a couple of hours!

But really it’s fairly straightforward to make a sleepover work: feed them frequently (hungry kids get cranky), give them at least one special activity to remember, build in something physical to burn energy and have some quiet time to wind down before attempting sleep.

Don’t overschedule – downtime where they just hang out and talk is valuable too. And accept that they probably won’t sleep much. That’s normal for sleepovers.

Your job is to supervise and provide the food and space for the sleepover. You shouldn’t be needed for constant entertainment.

Most of the fun happens naturally when you get kids together. Don’t stress about making it perfect. Kids are pretty forgiving and mostly just want to stay up late with their friends eating snacks and messing around. Give them the barebones and they’ll fill in the fun themselves. And maybe invest in some earplugs for yourself.