* * * Sleepover Parties * * *

It’s every parent’s nightmare! The first slumber party. Your 10 year old daughter comes home and asks if she can have eight of her best friends stay over at your house for her birthday party next month. Yikes! What to do to make it comfortable for everyone? Here are our best tips for creating a cool slumber party for her, and relaxation for you!

Setting the Scene

Create a pretty and comfortable sleeping area with loads of soft mattresses, fluffy pillows and warm blankets in ample supply. Use complementary linen in shades of pastel pink, lemon and purple. You needn’t buy new linen for the event, but if you don’t have enough for the amount of guests, Target and Big W have gorgeous sheets and blankets in funky designs that won’t break the bank and can be reused over and over again for guests.

Set up a wide screen television, dozens of DVD’s (chosen by the guest of honour), speakers for your daughter’s iPod, as well as robes and slippers for each of the guests.

Organise a snack station with plenty of healthy (and some fun) snacks for the girls to pick at all night. Dancing to the High School Musical soundtrack is really hungry work! Make sure you also have plenty of fresh juices, mineral water and bottled water for them to choose from all night long.

Ensure that the room you choose for the girls to sleep in has a bathroom near by. Stock the bathroom with beautiful soaps, lotions and other pampering items such as eye masks so the guests feel pampered and relaxed during their stay. Fluffy, clean bath towels and face washers in plentiful supply are also a must.

Catering

You have your snack and drink station set up. Make sure you pop in every hour or so to restock the station, and also make sure the girls aren’t up to mischief! Catering can be easy - healthy finger food such as sushi or mini quiches make the best food for hungry tweens.

Set the girls up with a popcorn maker, popcorn boxes and icecream cones for when they’re wanting to relax with the DVD’s on.

Don’t forget that you need to cater for breakfast as well. Enlist the help of your husband and ask him to cook up a BBQ breakfast storm of healthy eggs, salmon and crepes. Also serve different types of cereals and milks to keep fussy eaters happy.

Entertainment

Take your entertainment cues from your daughter, but our picks are:

* Plenty of DVD’s such as High School Musical and the latest season of 90210 ready to be played.

* An iPod full of great dance and chill-out music with speakers.

* Table Topics Teen edition to get the girls talking.

* Dozens of celebrity magazines, as well as the latest editions of Girlfriend and Dolly at the ready.

* Manicure and pedicure sets so the girls can pamper one another when they’re ready to chill out and relax.

* Soothing scented candles for when the guests finally decide to settle down to sleep.

Favours and Guest Gifts

Send guests home with a little care package of relaxing bath salts, mini manicure sets and a scented candle so they can spend the next day catching up on much needed relaxation after a big night of partying!
Happy Celebrating!

This great article is courtesy of Kathryn of Pink Frosting, who stock all your Sleepover Party needs... Have a look today!