One sleepover ideas list with endless good times.

Planning a sleepover? Whether you’re organizing a long-awaited birthday sleepover for your child or brainstorming adult sleepover ideas for you and your friends, your goal is clear: you want everyone to have a great time.

From novel sleepover themes to engaging activities that could keep everyone entertained all night, this sleepover ideas list is your guide. Each section holds gems that make memories, no matter the occasion or age of the guests.

Browse this list to find the perfect sleepover ideas for your event, then start organizing your sleepover invitations, themed banners, party flyers, and more. It’s all easy in Adobe Express — no experience required.

Sleepover ideas for teens and tweens.

Sleepovers are a big deal for many tweens and teenagers. They’re an opportunity for bonding outside of school, and they revolve around indulgent things kids don’t get to do every day, like eat loads of snacks and watch multiple movies back-to-back.

Of course, sleepover ideas for teens also have to balance parent involvement with independence. The following themes and activities give the host teen and friends a feeling of autonomy with enough structure to make the best use of the time together.

Talent show sleepover.

If just about everyone on the invitation list participates in band, orchestra, or drama club, you can host a talent show to help them have a good time being creative.

Host a glow stick dinner.

Set up a glow stick dinner where everyone dines by the glow of neon green light. Rice noodles and white cheese puffs glow in neon, by the way, as do white frosted cupcakes.

Host a whole glow party.

If the glow theme is one that the partygoers are into, you could also host a whole glow party. Everyone comes in white clothes they don’t mind destroying with highlighters. Then, let the drawing commence.

Homemade facemasks.

For some fun self-care, set up with ingredients and simple instructions for partygoers to make their own facemasks. To ensure the masks are safe for sensitive skin, use organic and edible-only ingredients.

Rock and roll night.

If the partygoers are fans of rock music, host a rock and roll night with songs they know and songs they ought to. Everyone can mingle among rock posters made with added information about the artists.

Movie marathon night.

The classic sleepover activity is the movie marathon. Let the guests choose from a list of movies you pick from a streaming service, and make sure there are plenty of snacks.

Spin the nail polish.

Provide a dozen different colors of nail polish and let guests play “spin the nail polish bottle.” Whoever each bottle lands on has to paint a fingernail that color. Keep spinning until everyone has every nail painted.

Hair styling galore.

Sleepover ideas for girls can be the same as sleepover ideas for boys, but one thing most teenage girls have that few boys do is long hair. Host a styling sleepover with loads of hair products, plus style catalogs for inspiration. Be sure to include hair products for different textures of hair.

Birthday sleepover ideas for all ages.

Sleepovers are always good for spending time together in pajamas and staying up way past bedtime, but birthday sleepover ideas take the built-in appeal and add something more.

These fun sleepover ideas keep the birthday girl or boy in the limelight while still entertaining guests. Everyone has such a great time that it becomes easy to remember the host’s birthday next year. In fact, everyone will be hoping the birthday sleepover will repeat itself.

Cupcake bar in lieu of cake.

Instead of dimming the lights and singing with a birthday cake, set up a cupcake bar for everyone to personalize their favorite cake flavors and toppings. This allows you to have gluten-free, nut-free, and vegan options, too.

Scavenger hunt with a twist.

Organize a scavenger hunt throughout the house. Have guests look for artifacts that are related to the birthday boy or girl. Friends simultaneously learn about the host and have fun.

Superhero slumber party.

Host a superhero slumber party theme where kids are encouraged to come dressed as their favorite crusaders. Print out posters and banners of popular superhero movies to set the scene.

Karaoke night.

Host a karaoke night with the songs kids want to sing plus some birthday classics. See how many friends serenade the birthday boy or girl before the night is over.

Night walk adventure.

Set the partygoers up for an adventurous night walk on a local trail. Depending on the kids’ ages, this might require adult supervision, but the cool headlamps and tasty hiking snacks make up for it.

Escape room with a twist.

Invent your own puzzles for guests to solve an escape room together, but make each puzzle somehow related to the birthday boy or girl. Players have to analyze clues together, break codes, and solve puzzles, all while learning surprising things about the host.

Murder mystery — in character.

A murder mystery is another fun format that turns the whole night into a game. Assign everyone a character when they arrive and provide clues throughout the evening of who committed the crime.

Crowdsourced slideshow.

Ask everyone invited to the party to send you their favorite photos of the birthday girl or boy. Those might be photos on their phones or tablets, or photos they swipe off social media posts. Turn the collection into a slideshow to share at the sleepover.

Holiday sleepover ideas to make good use of winter break.

By winter break, kids are ready for some time off. Much of it is packed with family events, but the downtime can be filled with Christmas sleepover ideas.

Sharing holiday magic with friends makes for memorable sleepovers that could quickly become their own tradition. Pick your favorite ideas and start organizing your holiday sleepover announcements well ahead of time so people can plan during the busy season.

Cookie baking sleepover.

Get the ingredients for your favorite holiday cookies and set up a cookie baking party with all the necessary utensils. Send everyone home with their own cookie assortment the next day.

Hot chocolate sleepover.

If the weather outside is truly frightful, set up a deluxe hot chocolate bar with toppings like salted caramel bits, crushed pecans, spiced whipped cream, and marshmallows of every color.

Ghost story sleepover.

Halloween sleepover ideas use what’s creepy to have a good time. A ghost story sleepover keeps kids up exchanging ghost stories that they either write or look up and come prepared with.

Pumpkin carving sleepover.

Host a massive pumpkin carving sleepover in honor of Halloween. Or, for a more lasting autumn theme (and less mess), paint the pumpkins instead.

Holiday movie marathon.

Host a holiday movie marathon with the sleepover guests’ favorites.

Snuggly cold-weather fort.

Especially fun for young children’s sleepovers, make a whole campsite of indoor forts for a night of giggles by flashlight.

Gift crafting sleepover.

With enough table space and craft materials, you can host a crafting sleepover. Everyone sees what they can make, then they wrap their creations to give as gifts to someone later.

Holiday carol karaoke.

Karaoke fits perfectly into a holiday sleepover if you favor holiday carols and yuletide jams.

Adult sleepover ideas for the best night in.

Sleepovers aren’t just for kids. Whether it’s crashing together after a night at the bars or a shared staycation at a local hotel, adult sleepover ideas tap some of the excitement we enjoyed as kids, while adjusting the activities for a more mature crowd.

You can use these as birthday sleepover ideas or as “just because” occasions. Pick your favorite ideas, then prepare to make memories you’ll treasure.

Retro video game sleepover.

If everyone who’s invited remembers the video games of yesteryear, get an old console out and host a retro video game sleepover.

Throw a homegrown fashion show.

Have everyone come in their best outfit, with at least one or two changes of clothes on top of that. Get the show going with “oomph-oomph” music and have the cameras ready.

Dance all night.

Partygoers can dance like no one is watching at a sleepover, because only their best friends are there.

Host a mixology class.

Invite a mixology instructor or get videos ready to learn how to make some exotic new drinks.

Truth or dare ball toss.

Shake up the usual truth or dare by writing fun questions around an inflated ball. Insert “DARE” between several questions, too. Everyone takes turns tossing the ball to someone, and the question that’s front-and-center when caught is what that person has to answer.

Organize a paint and sip.

Paint and sip classes have become popular in recent years, and you can host your own as a sleepover. The later it gets, the wilder the paintings might get — but that’s half the fun.

Spa service night.

Prepare your sleepover with loads of spa-grade products. The idea? Everyone gets together to help pamper one another.

Host a clothes swap.

Bring clothes you think could find a better home among your friends and let everyone try everything on. Friends come in all shapes in sizes, so be sure to include some one-size-fits-all items, too, like accessories.

Sleepover set-up ideas with added activities.

DIY sleepover room ideas can transform the site of a sleepover into a wonderland. From decorations like banners, posters, and garlands to themes like indoor camping, sleepover set-up ideas get you ready for a great night.

Some of these sleepover ideas focus on what sidebar activities can be ready for downtime between main events. Others are themes that can become the focus of the sleepover. Include the theme in your sleepover invitations to get guests extra excited ahead of time.

Selfie station.

Up the ante on the selfies you know partygoers will take by setting up a selfie station with props and a ring light.

At-home drive-in-style movie.

Set up sleeping bags outside with plenty of popcorn and pillows, and project a movie onto a sheet or large screen.

Retro sleepover theme.

Retro for some sleepover invitees might mean the early 2010s, but whatever era you pick, a retro sleepover theme is photogenic and fun to get into.

Indoor campsite.

Turn the sleepover room into an indoor campsite with tents, lanterns, and even some animal noises for ambience.

Stargazing set-up.

Get ready to take advantage of the night sky at your sleepover with telescopes set up to chart constellations.

Balloon pop activity reveal.

For sleepovers with several activities one after the other, insert slips of paper into balloons with each activity planned spelled out. Fill the balloons and label each with the time that activity is scheduled. When the time comes, pop the balloon, and the next activity is revealed.

Board game room.

With enough table space, you can create a whole game room with board games of all kinds. People can mingle and migrate as they choose which game to play next.

Treasure hunt.

Turn the sleepover into a treasure hunt with clues to solve and treasure to find.

Sleepover game ideas that depart from the “same old.”

Sleepover games keep partygoers entertained well into the night. They make shared memories. They provide endless photo ops, too. We play games at sleepovers because they beguile all sense of time, and they amuse to no end.

If you’re looking for cute sleepover ideas, or unique ones, this list gives you the inspiration you need. Choose your favorites, and don’t be shy from personalizing them in special ways for whatever sleepover you’re about to host.

Sleeping bag races.

Set up a sequence of skip and hop races that guests have to complete in sleeping bags.

“Name that tune.”

Set up a playlist for sleepover-goers to “name that tune,” and offer prizes to the people who guess the most.

Indoor obstacle course.

Set up an indoor maze where travelers discover a new obstacle at every corner. Hopping over cushions, moving through dangling ornaments without jingling them, and wiggling through tunnels offers instant fun.

Balloon tennis.

Set up a tournament of balloon tennis. Everyone gets to cheer on their friends while they’re waiting their turn.

Pass the story.

Write one or two sentences to begin a story, then pass the piece of paper to someone else. The next person does the same, then folds over the first two sentences. The next person writes two more sentences, then folds and passes. Unfold the paper at the end to see what story the group has made.

Who am I?

Write the names of celebrities, superheroes, or other personalities on stickers, then when each guest arrives, put a sticker on their backs. Everyone asks “yes” or “no” questions to guess who they are. The first to guess right get a prize.

Spotlight charades.

Play charades in the dark with only a flashlight to illuminate the scene. The person signing at any given point can make use of shadows as well as the classic miming.

Emoji bingo.

Make emoji-based bingo cards and have everyone play their way across their favorite emoji expressions.

Sleepover dinner ideas and snacks for long nights.

Whatever you decide to make for dinner for a sleepover, it should be a general crowd-pleaser and something that can sit out and get picked at people pass the time.

These sleepover dinner ideas fit the bill with ideas that don’t take excessive time or break the bank. Some of them are ideas that the sleepover guests themselves can have fun making. Take your pick and tell guests ahead of time what to expect in the way of food. Be sure to ask about any dietary restrictions, too.

Devoted cooking class.

Use an online cooking class or invite a chef to your home to teach partygoers how to cook something delicious.

Pizza party.

Hosting a pizza party is a sleepover staple. To do it right, provide more than one type of crust — including mini-pizza for ultra personalization — and everyone’s favorite toppings.

Slider party.

Get slider patties (and some chicken burger or vegetable-based alternatives) and set up a slider bar for everyone to make these mini-burgers exactly how they like.

Quesadilla bar.

Quesadillas are fast and easy to make, plus they’re fun to personalize as people elect their own fillings.

Popcorn bar.

Sleepover snack ideas wouldn’t be complete without popcorn. A full popcorn bar takes the idea a step further with sweet and salty toppings and ingredients ready to mix in.

Pasta extravaganza.

Depending on the age of the guests, you could make a party of preparing fresh pasta. Or, get plenty of the storebought, and let everyone dress their plates in their favorite pasta sauces and ingredients.

Pinwheels of every kind.

Pinwheels are one of those easy-to-make yet utterly delicious snacks that can sit out for hours while people graze. Make some unexpected pinwheels like Philly cheesesteak or fajita spice to shake things up.

Trail mix bar.

Set up a trail mix bar with bowls of nuts, chocolate candies, peanut butter chips, coconut shavings, milk caramels, and more. People will come back for seconds, thirds, and fourths as the night wears on.

Sleepover breakfast ideas to send everyone off in style.

When a sleepover comes to a close, everyone wakes up groggy but satisfied. They’re ready to go home, but not before a delicious breakfast and one last opportunity to spend time together.

These sleepover breakfast ideas are loaded with complex carbohydrates to give everyone energy for the rest of the day. It’s likely they didn’t get much sleep, so you can send them off with a little extra fuel in the tank.

Pancakes in PJs.

Set up a pancake bar that everyone can trudge through in their PJs, topping fluffy buttermilk flapjacks with any combination of syrup, whipped cream, and more.

Personal parfaits.

With multiple kinds of fresh fruit, a big bowl of granola, and a few different flavors of yogurt, everyone can make parfaits to start the day.

Overnight French toast.

The guests who will devour this in the morning can have a hand in prepping it the night before. French toast bread is soaked in a casserole dish filled with a mix of egg, vanilla, milk, and cream overnight. Pop it in the oven in the morning to bake.

Bagel bar.

Provide an assortment of bagels and cream cheese, a plate of fresh sliced vegetables, and some protein sources like lochs and honeyed ham.

Fruit kabobs.

Set out plates of diced fruit and let everyone spear their ideal fruit kabobs.

Oatmeal bar.

An oatmeal bar can include all the best oatmeal toppings, like brown sugar, honey, walnuts, dried fruit, cinnamon, nutmeg, and more.

Fresh cinnamon rolls.

The smell of fresh cinnamon rolls will be enough to get everyone up in the morning.

Breakfast pizza.

If you didn’t end up doing pizza the night before, you can wrap the sleepover up with breakfast pizza to send everyone off.

Put your sleepover ideas to use before the sleepover starts.

Once you have your theme, games, and food planned for a sleepover, you need to get partygoers excited.

Use your theme and agenda in custom invitations, flyers, and more to spark interest and showcase what invitees can expect.

For example, you can make:

• Invitations with hooks like your menu or games you have planned.

• Personal letters for each guest on stationary that fits the sleepover’s vibe.

• Cards with all the details for your sleepover.

• Flyers with theme-related images to hand out or share on social media.

• Announcements to let people know as soon as possible to save the date.

• Photo collages that represent your activities, menu, and more.

The decorations for your sleepover can use the same designs as a base, like in for custom banners, posters, and more.

Exercise: How much space should you give the kids?

If you’re a parent organizing a sleepover, how much space should you give the kids once the party starts?

That depends, of course. It depends on the age of the kids. It depends on the nature of the activities planned, too.

If you’re still unsure what counts as “helping” and what counts as “hovering,” follow these sleepover setup steps:

1. Set the stage before the night starts with everything the kids might need.

2. Establish ground rules with your child first, then with all guests.

3. Check in occasionally, but briefly, offering drinks or snacks.

4. The more engaged and happy the kids are when you see them, the more you should step back.

By setting things up ahead of time and offering help as your means of checking in, you’ll allow space and freedom while showing that you’re available, if needed.

Adobe Express can help.

Adobe Express has templates and customization tools to put your favorite sleepover ideas to work. If you want to use these sleepover ideas in cards, letters, posters, banners, collages, flyers, or other creative projects, Adobe Express makes it as simple as picking a template and personalizing it, or making your own idea with easy-to-use tools. Whatever message you want to transmit, Adobe Express brings it to life, no experience required.

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