The sleepover is a classic childhood rite of passage that many children are excited to one day host.  It's a super long party with food, activities and a later bedtime after all. What's not to love?

The planning.

A sleepover doesn't just happen on its own. The family hosting will want to have a game plan in place well in advance to help keep kids engaged and having fun, while also maintaining safety and peace...which is sometimes easier said than done when dealing with 13 tired fourth grade girls all sharing one bathroom.

Here are some helpful tips to consider before you unroll the sleeping bags.

Assess Readiness. While many children around 8 or 9 years old are ready to experience a sleepover, that doesn't mean every kid is ready by then. So before you broach the idea of attending or hosting, talk to your children to gauge how they feel about the idea. Are they ready to be away from home for a whole night? Are they willing to have friends over, even when they start to get tired? Can they sleep in a setting that is not part of their usual routine? Can they get along with their friends for that many hours in a row? Children develop at their own pace. Take cues from your children's reaction to the idea. If they hesitate, they may need a little more time.

Consider the Half Sleepover Option. If your kids aren't sure about a sleepover, but want to test the waters, invite their friends over for a "Half Sleepover." For such an event,  kids are encouraged to wear comfortable clothes or pajamas, and engage in sleepover-esque activities like watching movies, playing games, making and eating snacks and so on, but parents come and pick them up at a set time. The idea of staying out later than usual, even if it''s an all-nighter, will be fun for the kids and the idea of their kids being in someone's home and supervised will be good for the parents.

Communicate With All Parents.  Take the time to talk to  your young guests' parents. Make sure they know when to drop off their child at night and when to pick them up in the morning (be specific). Find out if their children have any food restrictions, medications, or feelings about movie ratings. Does their child have any sleep habits that you should know about in advance? Talking ahead of time will help everyone get on the same page with expectations, which will reduce surprise problems, and pave the way for future get-togethers parents can feel good about.

Offer an Opt-Out Policy.  Not everyone is ready to sleep a full night away from home. And not everyone knows for sure that they are ready until they try it. Set up a clear policy for how the party will handle a child who wants to leave before pick up time. Communicate this with all the parents so they know if you will be bringing them back or if they might be receiving a late night call. Tell the group at the start of the party how you want to handle someone opting out: should they tell your child or you directly? Say it at the beginning when you're greeting guests and make sure they know that there's nothing wrong with leaving early. There's always next sleepover!

Choose Bedtime Appropriate Foods. While it might be fun to splurge and enjoy some junk food sometimes, consider the benefits of not feeding the kids anything with too much sugar or caffeine as the evening wears on. The same goes for heavy, rich foods that may upset an excited tummy. Fruits, pizza and popcorn are all good sleepover standbys.

Pre-Plan a Few Games and Activities Just In Case.  Have some pre-planned games and activities on hand to keep anyone from getting bored and make sure the kids are having fun together. Board games, fort building, karaoke, and a non-scary movie are all great sleepover activities. The kids may just click and not need any prompting to interact together, but it's good to have a few thoughts on how to fight boredom before it strikes.

Consider Not-So-Active Activities. Not all kids enjoy the same sorts of activities. While some may love a good game of Capture the Flag or a loud game of Karaoke, not all kids have the social confidence or athletic ability to feel comfortable participating. It's a good idea to have a few more low-key activtieis on hand for those who don't want to do a particular activity. Age appropriate magazines or video games could come in handy for someone sitting on the sidelines, for example.

Try a Sleep Circle.  A tip for making sure that there are no disagreements about who sleeps near who and who feels left out is the sleep circle. To give this configuration a whirl, have everyone set up their sleeping bags in a circle with their heads facing inwards. That way no one has to be too far away from anyone and no one is pushed to the fringe of the group.

Come to the Rescue! Kids misplace toothbrushes. Children forget pajamas. They may need a pair of sunglasses, a sweatshirt, bug spray, or sunscreen to stay comfortable.And, as much as we hate to imagine it, there's always a (hopefully small) chance that someone might get hurt so make sure you have things on hand in the event that something doesn't go quite right. Get emergency numbers ahead of time, make sure you have first aid materials, and clearly outline expectations for any activity--like sledding, swimming, or jumping on a trampoline--that could cause an injury if not engaged safely.

Photo Credit: Stephanie Hofschlaeger

Originally Published 11/9/2016