Category Archives: Sleepovers

Sleepover Tips, games, Pajamas for sleepovers

My January Sleepover

By Ellie Badanes, The Pajama Company Blog Team

With short days and long nights, January is the perfect month to host a sleepover. With the winter chill outside, snuggling up in pj’s and sleeping bags is the best way to celebrate winter with friends. Pajamas and sleepovers just go together, especially in January. At The Pajama Company, we have long loved sleepovers and celebrate friends new and old  having fun together all night long in pj’s eating popcorn, watching movies, playing games and maybe just maybe catching a few zzzz’s. Here are a few of our favorite sleepover games for your winter party.

  • Nail Polish Birthday Spin Game-Place several colors of nail polish in the middle of a circle of girls.  Have the first girl at the sleepover spin a bottle of nail polish.  Whoever the cap is pointing to when it stops must paint one of her fingernails that color.  Then that person spins the next color of nail polish…and so on.  Pretty soon everyone has really crazy hands and toes!
  • Don’t Say It – This is a game that is actually pretty popular at adult parties too! Give out one beaded necklace to everyone that comes to the party.
    Choose a word that relates to the party i.e. “night” and tell everyone they CAN’T say that word the whole party. If they say that word, whoever they say it to, gets their beads. The person with the most beads at the end of the party wins!
  • Foil Make Over Game-The object is to create the best outfit out of aluminum foil.  This can be played individually or if you have lots of girls separate them into teams.  Give each person or team 1 or 2 rolls of aluminum foil.  You can add accessories like belts, sunglasses, jewelry, hats and more.  Have the girls create tops, pants, dresses, skirts, bikinis or shorts.
  • Blind Make Over Game-The first person puts on a blindfold and does the makeup of the second person.  Then when they are done the second person puts on the blindfold and does the makeup of the third person.  Draw numbers to determine the order.  Be sure to take pictures when you are done!
  • Sleepover Ball Game-Buy a large inflatable beach ball and in permanent marker write questions all over it.  Place everyone in a circle and throw the ball to someone.  The person who catches the ball must answer the question that their right thumb is touching.  After answering the question they then throw the ball to another person.  Here are some suggestions for questions:  What is the scariest movie you’ve seen?  What is your favorite color?  What are three words that describe you? Who is your favorite band/singer? What is the nicest thing anyone has ever said to you? What do you say when you talk in your sleep?  What is your biggest phobia?  If you were invisible what would you do?  If you were an animal what would you be?  Who is your secret crush? What was your last dream about?
  • Haunting Tales – Have everyone sit in a circle, with just a few candles lit around the room. The person hosting the party should start a scary story with one sentence. Each person must add another sentence until an entire tale has been created. Include guests in the story to make the scare factor even higher.
  • Candy Hunt– Ask everyone to bring a flashlight to the party.  Before everyone arrives at the party ask a parent or sibling to hide candy all over the house.  When it gets dark, turn off the lights and have everyone take their flashlights and hunt for the candy.
  • Snuggle Bug-Designate one person at the party the “Snuggle Bug” by putting slips of paper into a bowl (all blank except for the one that has the SB on it).  Whoever picks the “SB” is the “Snuggle Bug”.  All the guests are in the same room (with the lights off throughout the house) at the beginning of the game.  Then the “Snuggle Bug” gets to go and find a hiding place.  People roam throughout the house and ask other players, “Are you the Snuggle Bug?”  If the answer is no, then they keep searching.  If the answer is yes, then the person has to join them in the hiding spot and snuggle up to the SB.  As more guests find the SB and snuggle up, the hiding space becomes overcrowded and the game ends when the last person finds the SB.  Maybe have a “booby” prize ready for the last person!
  • Kiss The Poster-get a nice poster of your favorite pop star, rock star or celebrity.  Have each girl put on lipstick and take turns putting on the blindfold and kissing the poster.  The person who kisses closest to the celebrity’s lips gets to take the poster home!
  • Tapper-With everyone in the room, one person is chosen to be the Tapper.  The Tapper goes into another room where he/she can’t hear the other players.  Meanwhile everyone hides in their sleeping bags or under pillows and blankets.  You can also make decoys by putting pillows/stuffed animals under a blanket to make it look like a person.  Then someone gets up, turns off the lights and goes back to their hiding spot.  After everyone is settled, you yell to the Tapper to come in.  The Tapper comes into the room, with the lights off, and taps on someone.  If you get tapped you have to say “Yes?” in a weird voice (or say something else, it’s up to you).  The Tapper has to figure out who was speaking.  If the Tapper is right, the person tapped has to be the Tapper next and everyone gets a new hiding spot.  If the Tapper is wrong, he/she has to tap another person.   Or one by one the Tapper can guess each person until only one is left.
  • Blair Witch Hide and Seek-A new type of hide and seek to play using a cell phone and a house phone.  Wait until it’s dark and turn out the lights.  One person hides with a cell phone.  In the pitch black, everyone goes looking for this one person.  Every so often he must call the house phone and give clues to where he is hiding.
  • Two Truths and A Lie-Sit in a circle.  Each person one by one must tell everyone two things that are true about himself/herself and one thing that isn’t.  Mix up the two truths and a lie however you please.  Everyone has to guess which is the lie.

Sleepover!

Five Gifts For Kids

Shopping for kids this holiday season? Check out our five current favorite items for children.

“Flower Power” kid’s footed pajama; age 3-12; $44 2. “Glow in The Dark” PJ Rex pajama set; age 2-7; $32

Fuzzy Friends “Poodle” Slipper; One size fits most (up to 10); $24 Cozy Chic Hooded Robe; Age 2-5; $58 Sleepover Friends autograph pillowcase; $16

Send a Pajama Camp Care Package

Forget talent show night and camp fire sing-a-longs. The true highlight of summer camp is the moment your name is called to tell you a package has arrived from Mom and Dad.

Here at The Pajama Company, we have some ideas to help make that moment extra special. Skip the standard kitschy toys and candy and send your campers something they will use.

An adorable thermal or flannel pajama will keep the campers in Maine or Canada warm at night. A fresh pair of soft pants or cute boxer shorts can make for a comforting reminder of home.

Make your camp care package complete by adding a book, game or autograph pillow case.

Here are two examples of what we call the “Ultimate Camp Care Package” for a girl and for a boy. Now we welcome you to explore our kids section and get creative making your own personalized camp care package. Let us know what you choose!

For a boy:

"Commando" flannel set; Available in kids sizes 2 - 18; $34

“Commando” flannel set; Available in kids sizes 2 – 18; $34

Snuggle socks; $10

“World Map” pillow case set; $28

For a girl:

“Rockstar” flannel pajama pants; Available in kids size 2T – 14; $19.99

Cozy socks; $10

Autograph pillowcase makes a great camp souvenier; $16

“No Paparazzi” eye mask; $24

Get Advice from our “Sleepover Central” Girls to Make Your Sleepovers Fun and Fabulous

Our Everything Sleepover section is stuffed full of ideas and goodies to make your sleepovers wonderful.  We have introduced our  “Sleepover Central Girls” who are all set to answer your prickly questions and help make your sleepovers fun and fabulous.  Add your questions here and be sure to share any of your favorite sleepover games, snacks and tips.

Dear Sleepover Central Girls,

Whenever I have a sleepover with these two girls they always end up fighting. But if I don’t invite them to my sleepover or invite one and not the other, they get mad at me. What should I do?

We can see you are in a tough situation. Why don’t you try talking to your friends and let them know how you feel about them fighting. If thy are truly your friends, they will listen to you. You should try once more inviting them both to your sleepover, but this time try to keep them away from each other. Like make sure they are not sleeping next to each other and that they are in different groups in games and activities. If that does not work be honest with them and tell them that you cannot continue to invite them to sleepovers if they keep fighting. If they ignore this and continue to fight then they are not being very good friends and do not deserve to be invited back!

I made a new friend at school and I invited her to a sleepover. But she never invited me over to her house after that. Did I do something wrong at the sleepover or does she just not want to be my friend?

Don’t worry if she has not invited you over yet. She may just be shy or her parents might not like her to have people over as much as yours do. There might be things that you don’t know going on at her house that she does not want you to see. Don’t worry that you did something wrong, why don’t you try inviting her over again, and maybe she will be more willing to invite you over once you get to know her some more.

Whenever I have a sleepover, my younger brother always bothers us. My parents don’t understand that I don’t want him bothering me and my friends. How can I get him to leave us alone?

Here is a good idea, you can sit your parents down and talk to them about this. Tell them what has been going on at sleepovers with your younger brother and tell them how you feel about it. They should understand. Although they may not tie him up in his room during all your sleepovers like you would want, they will probably talk to him and keep him busy with other activities while you are having your sleepover. Good luck.

Whenever I have a sleepover my mom always makes us go to bed by 10:00. When I go to sleepovers at my friends houses we always get to stay up till at least midnight. How can I get my mom to let us stay up later?

Tell your mom how you feel and why you think you should get to stay up later. Try and make a compromise with her. For example say you will get into your sleeping bags at 10 but maybe you can stay up watching a movie. If you act mature and suggest compromises when talking to your mom, she will probably agree.

Whenever I have my friend’s sleepover we always like to play with my stuff but then when they go home they leave my room and house a huge mess. Then I always get in trouble and my parents make me clean it up. What should I do?

The next time you are playing with your stuff during a sleepover, beg your friends to help you clean it up before they all go home. If you end up having to clean up the place after everyone goes, well, just think, wasn’t it worth it!

Halloween Sleepover Fun

Halloween is the perfect time for a spooky sleepover.  With decorations available everywhere it’s easy to go all out inside and out.  Put pumpkins outside your door and fake spider webs inside with all the creepy decorations you love.  Be sure to add the spooky sound effects with a Halloween CD or download.  Halloween party food ideas are easy to find all over the internet.  We love the  Ghoulish Halloween treats found here, including chicken “fingers”, “night eyes”, “eyeball assortment”, “bat wings” and “mad scientists”.   Make your party complete with some perfect games.  Here are a few ideas:

  • Pass The Pumpkin (Perfect for younger kids)  This musical chairs type game involves passing small pumpkins and gourds and when the music stops the person without a pumpkin is out. Play until there is a winner. Kids sit in a circle and you hand out one less pumpkin then children in the group. Then instruct the children to start passing the pumpkins when the music begins to play and continue passing until the music stops.  Once the music stops the child without a pumpkin is out of the game.  Now remove a pumpkin from the group and restart the music. This pattern continues until you have one pumpkin with one winner.
  • Worm Bobbing Each player is given a bowl with 6-8 worms all mixed up (should be same amount for each person) in the whipped cream.  The worms can be gummy worms of course! Then with their hands behind their back they must bob with their heads into the bowl of whipped cream and  pull out the worms and place them on the plate. The first one to finish wins. Blindfolds make it even more of a challenge.
  • Scary Stories is always a classic.  Everyone sits in a circle in a darkened room, each holding a flashlight.  One player starts the game by saying “Once there was….” and goes on to say one or two sentences.  The next player continues the story with another sentence or two.  Once everyone has added to the story one person in the circle can end it.  The scarier the better!
  • Spider Web requires only a ball of black yarn.  Everyone stands or sits in a circle.  One person starts with a ball of black yarn and begins by holding the end piece and throwing the ball across the circle.  The person who catches the ball must say a halloween word, grab a bit of the yarn and then throw the ball across the circle.  Continue until the ball is nearly finished and a huge web is created.
  • Mummy Wrap is always fun.  Teams are split into pairs with one person being the mummy and the other being the wrapper.  Each team gets one or two rolls of toilet paper.  When the game begins, the wrapper begins wrapping the mummy with toilet paper circling around and around covering as much as possible.  The best mummy wins!
  • Memory Game is a fun twist on a popular game.  Find about 20 different Halloween items.  We love the bowl of cold spaghetti, rubber bats, ping pong ball eyeballs, skulls and more.  Place everything on a tray and cover with a cloth.  Each player gets a paper and pencil and has 60 seconds to look at all the items before they are covered.  Because it’s a memory game each player then has to remember what spooky items were on the tray and write them down.  Of course, the one with the best memory wins!
  • Monster Mash Freeze Dance is so much fun for kids and adults.  Put on this classic song full volume and have everyone dance, dance, dance but when the music stops everyone must freeze.  Whoever moves is eliminated.  The last one dancing is the winner.
  • Witch Hunt involves picking up a bunch of cheap witches hat from your local discount store.  Hide them in random places around your house or yard.  Have your guests run around finding them and the one who finds the most wins.
  • Worst Makeover Ever rewards the most disasterous makeover.  Divide your guests into teams and give each team a bag of makeup.  They are told to do the worst makeover ever.  Everyone votes on the biggest makeover disaster.

When everyone is settled in comfy pajamas choose one of these spooky movie classics keeping in mind what is best for the age group.

  • Hocus Pocus
  • Nightmare Before Christmas
  • Willy Wonka and The Chocolate Factory
  • The Blob
  • Rosemary’s Baby
  • Nightmare on Elm Street
  • Saw

Tell us which horror classic films we missed and any other recommendations for a perfect kids sleepover.

Our Favorite Summer Sleepover Movies

Summer Sleepover time is here…finally!  Grab your pals and settle in for some sleepover fun.  When darkness sets in pop some popcorn and pile on your pillows for some perfect summer movies.  Here are our favorites but we know you have your faves also so be sure to drop us a comment and let us know which ones we left off the “Perfect” list.

  • Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants
  • The Kid
  • Now and Then
  • Tuck Everlasting
  • Bend It Like Beckham
  • Because I Said So
  • High School Musical
  • Freaky Friday
  • Mean Girls
  • Princess Bride
  • Just Like Heaven
  • Enchanted
  • Grease
  • How To Loose A Guy in 10 Days
  • Footloose
  • Pretty Woman
  • Big
  • 13 Going on 30
  • The Holiday
  • Nottinghill
  • 50 First Dates
  • Ferris Bueller’s Day Off
  • Legally Blonde
  • 10 Things I Hate About You
  • Clueless
  • The Princess Diaries
  • Never Been Kissed
  • A Cinderella Story
  • Monty Python and The Holy Grail
  • Happy Gilmore
  • Hairspray
  • Runaway Bride
  • While You Were Sleeping
  • Bill and Ted’s Excellent Adventure
  • Romancing The Stone
  • Pretty in Pink

Top 10 Sleepover Games

Summer is “Sleepover” season!  Celebrate  school’s out with a sleepover. Warm nights and extra daylight make for extra fun. We’ve scoured the web and come up with some fun games for you and your friends. Give these a try and let us know what you think. Also, checkout our pajama collection just for kids. Let the fun begin!

lazyone navypinkmooseflap4

Here are some of our favorite ideas:

  • Nail Polish Birthday Spin Game-Place several colors of nail polish in the middle of a circle of girls.  Have the first girl at the sleepover spin a bottle of nail polish.  Whoever the cap is pointing to when it stops must paint one of her fingernails that color.  Then that person spins the next color of nail polish…and so on.  Pretty soon everyone has really crazy hands and toes!
  • Foil Make Over Game-The object is to create the best outfit out of aluminum foil.  This can be played individually or if you have lots of girls seperate them into teams.  Give each person or team 1 or 2 rolls of aluminum foil.  You can add accessories like belts, sunglasses, jewelry, hats and more.  Have the girls create tops, pants, dresses, skirts, bikinis or shorts.
  • Blind Make Over Game-The first person puts on a blindfold and does the makeup of the second person.  Then when they are done the second person puts on the blindfold and does the makeup of the third person.  Draw numbers to determine the order.  Be sure to take pictures when you are done!
  • Sleepover Ball Game-Buy a large inflatable beach ball and in permanent marker write questions all over it.  Place everyone in a circle and throw the ball to someone.  The person who catches the ball must answer the question that their right thumb is touching.  After answering the question they then throw the ball to another person.  Here are some suggestions for questions:  What is the scariest movie you’ve seen?  What is your favorite color?  What are three words that describe you? Who is your favorite band/singer? What is the nicest thing anyone has ever said to you? What do you say when you talk in your sleep?  What is your biggest phobia?  If you were invisible what would you do?  If you were an animal what would you be?  Who is your secret crush? What was your last dream about?
  • Candy Hunt– Ask everyone to bring a flashlight to the party.  Before everyone arrives at the party ask a parent or sibling to hide candy all over the yard.  When it gets dark have everyone take their flashlights outside and hunt for the candy.
  • Snuggle Bug-Designate one person at the party the “Snuggle Bug” by putting slips of paper into a bowl (all blank except for the one that has the SB on it).  Whoever picks the “SB” is the “Snuggle Bug”.  All the guests are in the same room (with the lights off throughout the house) at the beginning of the game.  Then the “Snuggle Bug” gets to go and find a hiding place.  People roam throughout the house and ask other players, “Are you the Snuggle Bug?”  If the answer is no, then they keep searching.  If the answer is yes, then the person has to join them in the hiding spot and snuggle up to the SB.  As more guests find the SB and snuggle up, the hiding space becomes overcrowded and the game ends when the last person finds the SB.  Maybe have a “booby” prize ready for the last person!
  • Kiss The Poster-get a nice poster of your favorite pop star, rock star or celebrity.  Have each girl put on lipstick and take turns putting on the blindfold and kissing the poster.  The person who kisses closest to the celebrity’s lips gets to take the poster home!
  • Tapper-With everyone in the room, one person is chosen to be the Tapper.  The Tapper goes into another room where he/she can’t hear the other players.  Meanwhile everyone hides in their sleeping bags or under pillows and blankets.  You can also make decoys by putting pillows/stuffed animals under a blanket to make it look like a person.  Then someone gets up, turns off the lights and goes back to their hiding spot.  After everyone is settled, you yell to the Tapper to come in.  The Tapper comes into the room, with the lights off, and taps on someone.  If you get tapped you have to say “Yes?” in a weird voice (or say something else, it’s up to you).  The Tapper has to figure out who was speaking.  If the Tapper is right, the person tapped has to be the Tapper next and everyone gets a new hiding spot.  If the Tapper is wrong, he/she has to tap another person.   Or one by one the Tapper can guess each person until only one is left.
  • Blair Witch Hide and Seek-A new type of hide and seek to play using a cell phone and a house phone.  Wait until it’s dark and turn out the lights.  One person hides with a cell phone.  In the pitch black, everyone goes looking for this one person.  Every so often he must call the house phone and give clues to where he is hiding.
  • Two Truths and A Lie-Sit in a circle.  Each person one by one must tell everyone two things that are true about himself/herself and one thing that isn’t.  Mix up the two truths and a lie however you please.  Everyone has to guess which is the lie.

Make your sleepover complete with sleepover pajamas, sleepover goodie bag gifts, and sleepover memory makers. Here are a few of our favorite pj’s.

Big Feet Footies bigfeet-kidspink350-1

Big Feet Kids Footies $36

lazyone-pinknavyflapgirls

Lazy One FlapJacks $28

Try some of these games at your next sleepover and have fun! Share your favorite sleepover games with us below.

Today Is A “Boxer” Day

With warm weather lurking, it is finally finally “Boxer” weather.  Perfect for warm nights, a comfy Boxer makes for great sleeping.  Check out the fabulous collection for men from Hatley Nature.   At $16 each, these are a great buy and as always have a sense of humor.  100% cotton jersey with an all around elastic waist band and a fly front. Ruff Night Boxer

We know teens and tweens love boxers too and so we have a wonderful selection available from Be As You Are ($16) and  David & Goliath ($18).  Prints that are full of fun and so cool for spring and summer.   Pair the boxer with a favorite tee or tank top and get that “Sleepover” started.

Pajamas in the Spring

Beached DuckyJump into Spring with some fresh, fun pajamas.  Give Winter a little nudge out the door with a great new pajama from Frankie & Johnny.  We love our new “Beached Ducky” print in blue poplin, our “Cocktails” print in pink poplin and our “Parisian Toile” classic pink poplin.  100% cottons just feel sensational.  Spring pj’s are perfect to put on when you walk in the door and sad to take off in the morning light (only if you must!)

Grab a little taste of spring with sunshine, flowers and pretty pajamas…we highly recommend it!