15 of the Best Sleepover Games

We’ve given you the hints and tips on how to host a successful sleepover, but how can you really make sure your child’s sleepover is the best? How do you ensure that there are tears of laughter, not homesickness? How do you get crowned the Most Awesome Parent on the playground? If you’re looking for sleepover games which will elevate your sleepover from the mundane and boring to the downright awesome and memorable, we’ve got you covered.

1. Balloon Pop Countdown

Start off by making a game of the games. Put items from your various sleepover games and activities, as well as clues, into balloons. Use a marker to write a different time on each balloon. At that time a balloon is popped and a new sleepover activity revealed.

2. Would You Rather

Kids tend to love the limelight: Channel this with a game of ‘Would You Rather’. On pieces of paper, you put statements such as ‘Would you rather be an astronaut or a deep-sea diver?’, ‘Would you rather be cold or hot?’, or ‘Would you rather eat slugs or snails?’ Children then take turns reading and answering the questions. Be prepared for lots of giggles!

3. Sardines

Hide and seek is always a winner but when you’re stuck indoors on a sleepover you may find you quickly run out of good hiding spots. Instead, play Sardines. One child hides and the rest hunt them down. When they find the hidden person they hide with them. All cramping into one space until there’s only hunter left. You’ll be sure to discover just how many children can squeeze into your wardrobe!

4. Glow Stick Ring Toss

Make fun in the dark with glow stick games. An easy and fun one is Glow Stick Ring Toss. Make some glow sticks into rings using the connectors supplied. Pop another stick or two into an empty drink bottle and place on a flat area a short distance away. Switch off the lights! The aim of the game is to get the glow rings around the bottle.

5. Spotlight Charades

Charades is always a winner as long as you choose titles, songs and films that play to the right age group. Add a twist by playing it in the dark with only a torch to provide the spotlight on to the actor of the moment.

6. Pillowcase Craft

Make a memento of a brilliant night by getting some plain white pillowcases and some fabric pens. Let the kids empty their imagination as they create patterns or pictures on their pillowcase. You’ll be sure of some sweet dreams!

7. Make Your Own Pizza

At some point, tummies will start a-rumbling and that’s when homesickness raises its ugly head and the potential for grumps to start. Make feeding the troops one of the sleepover games by organising Make Your Own Pizza. Prepare the dough in advance then let the kids loose with tomato topping, cheese, ham, pepperoni, peppers, olives or anything else you think they will like. If they’ve made it, they are more likely to eat it!

8. The Flour Game

Focus their minds and let them rise to the challenge with an old classic. Shape some flour into a dome using a bowl and place a sweet on the top. The sleepover guests take turns to slice some flour from the edge using a knife. The winner is the last child who played before another makes the sweet fall! Make sure you have extra sweets on hand for the end.

9. The Chocolate Game

Another classic sleepover game is the much-loved Chocolate Game. Get a big slab of chocolate, a dice, hat, scarf, gloves, knife and fork. Place the chocolate and cutlery on a plate with the children sitting around in a circle. They take turns to roll the dice. When a six is rolled it’s time to don the hat, scarf and gloves and attempt to cut and eat as much chocolate as you can using the knife and fork. As soon as another player rolls a six it’s their turn to grab the items and have a try. Fast and crazy fun! Again, hold a few mini chocolates back in case someone didn’t get a go.

10. Spin the Nail Polish

Far too young to be playing spin the bottle, a different take on the game is to play spin the nail polish. Set up the board like in the image. The children take a turn spinning and then must paint one nail that colour. See what creation everyone has at the end! For very young children we recommend nail polish that can be peeled off, and an adult in charge of the painting.

11. Suck it Up

Tame their energy by having a go at the Smartie and straw game - Suck it Up. The aim of the game is to move Smarties from one location to another using nothing except a straw and good old suction. It’s challenging, it’s fun, and it’s sure to be a hit.

12. Emoji Bingo

Chances are your sleepover guests are more au fait with their emojis than you are. Let them shine by playing a round or two of Emoji bingo. Just like regular bingo but with a theme they’ll love.

13. Scavenger Hunt

Kids suddenly become brilliant at finding things when there is something in it for them. Use this to your advantage by staging a sleepover-themed scavenger hunt. Have the kids search for a list of items that includes everything from a cuddly toy to a toothbrush. First to collect them all is the winner!

14. Toss and Talk Ball

If it’s time to snuggle up under the blankets but everyone’s still not ready for sleep, a toss and talk ball can work wonders for calming everything, and everyone, down. Simply get an inflatable ball and write a bunch of interesting questions all over it using a permanent marker. The kids then toss the ball to one another. The catcher must answer the question closest to their right index finger before sending the ball onto the next player.

15. Popcorn and Movie

And should you still have little people who are considerably less weary than you, the last of our sleepover game suggestions can be to make a batch of popcorn, get the kids cosy in the lounge, and pop on the favourite movie of the moment. It’s time to wind the party down a notch in anticipation of slumber. No scary themes! You’d rather they slept - even just a little!

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