Teen Lifestyles: Planning the Perfect Slumber Party for Your Daughter and Her Friends

For any tween girl, hosting the perfect slumber party is at the top of the list of things to do. For any parent of a tween girl, then being the host of a perfect slumber party comes with the pressure of lots and lots of planning to make sure that the event goes smoothly.

Most kids are great at coming home with the last minute request to invite friends over to stay the night. As much as she might beg and plead, resist the urge to say yes. By giving yourself a little extra time to plan out the event, then it will be a lot easier for the girls to entertain themselves - and not keep asking you to find something for them to do. Try to give yourself at least a week, two if possible, in order to make sure you have all the details in place.

Here are some are some great slumber party theme ideas that will not only make your daughter's eyes light up with joy, but also make her next slumber party one to remember!

What about a Hawaiian Luau?
Invite guests to dress up in their brightest colors and decorate your daughter's bedroom in Hawaiian leis and bright flowers. Offer the guests grass skirts to complete their outfits and serve them fruit kabobs for a snack.

Games anyone?
Set up your daughter's room with card tables and have games available for them to play and chips for them to win. Offer bowls of pretzels and chips when they get the munchies, and consider having a few "prizes" available so that they can cash in their winnings.

Organize a bake-off
At my daughter's last sleepover, we stopped off at the store and collected a variety things for her and her friends to make in the kitchen. The girls set up a buffet of cookies, brownies, and cupcakes and decorated them with a variety of icing and sprinkles. Not only did they have a great time making their goodies, but a fantastic time eating them as well!

Everyone's a critic
Create a line-up of movies that will keep the girls occupied all night long, and then have them do movie reviews once the movie is over. Thumbs up or thumbs down? Have them give their opinions on what they liked best - and least - about the movie. For some extra fun, use a red carpet remnant to line the entry into your daughter's room, and set up bowls of popcorn and snacks for them to enjoy during the show!

Karaoke Showdown
Not exactly the quietest activity for a group of pre-teenage girls, but definitely a good time! If you don't own a karaoke machine, chances are that your daughter knows someone that does. Set up the karaoke machine and collect a selection of music for them to show off their skill. If space allows, try setting up a small stage area for them to really be the center of attention!

Whatever you decide to do for your daughter's next slumber party event, make sure you take some extra time to plan out the details. By making invitations in advance that match the theme of your party, it will help to build the excitement for everyone. A day or so before the slumber party, make phone calls to confirm who will be attending, just so you have a final head count before they start piling in your house. By taking the time to make phone calls, not only can you be more prepared, but you can also talk to other parents to make sure they have valid information like your name, address and phone number.

No matter what kind of theme you have in place, it's also a great idea to pick up some plain white pillow cases (one for each guest) and some fabric paint or markers. Have everyone at the slumber party sign and decorate the pillowcases and then send them home as a memento of the party!

Don't forget to take lots of photos, capture these moments of a lifetime and give your daughter the prints so that she can create a scrapbook of the party and share it with her friends!

With a little planning, and some extra effort, your daughter's next slumber party will be full of excitement for everyone!