20 Sleepover Games for Kids’ First Big-Girl Slumber Party

Planning the ultimate sleepover games for kids is honestly one of the most fun parts of throwing a first big-girl slumber party — and also, tbh, the part that had me Googling at 11 p.m.

the week before my daughter’s party wondering if we had enough activities to fill the whole night. (We did not, the first time. Lesson learned.)

Whether your crew is five giggling best friends or a living-room full of sleeping bags, this list has everything you need: high-energy dance breaks, flashlight adventures, a stack of printable sheets they can color and keep, and cozy wind-down moments that’ll actually help them settle before midnight.

I’ve organized all 20 games in rough party-flow order — start with the wiggly ones right after arrival, layer in the printables during snack time, then slow it all the way down with the quiet keepsakes as everyone gets sleepy.

Pair the night with a big batch of Amish Breakfast Casserole ready to bake in the morning and you, my friend, will be the most legendary slumber-party host in the neighborhood. Let’s get into it!

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1. Freeze Dance Pajama Party

Freeze Dance Pajama Party is THE game to kick off any slumber party — because nothing breaks the ice faster than watching your best friend freeze mid-wiggle in her fuzzy llama pajamas.

The rules are beautifully simple: crank up a fun playlist, everyone dances their hearts out, and the moment the music stops everyone has to freeze like a statue. Anyone still moving or wobbling is out for that round, and the last dancer standing wins.

For a first-time sleepover crowd, though, the no-elimination version is honestly so much more fun — everyone just does five silly jumping jacks if they move, then jumps right back in.

All you need is a phone or speaker with a good playlist and a bit of open floor space (push the sleeping bags to the side).

Make sure you pick the songs — kids are sneaky and will try to do slow-motion freezes to easy ballads. Go for upbeat pop or kids’ dance hits and pause the music at truly random moments so no one can predict the stop.

Giving each girl a turn as the ‘DJ who hits pause’ makes everyone feel like the star of the show.

This one works brilliantly as a warm-up because it burns off that buzzy arrival energy before you move into quieter games.

Try the pajama theme twist: when the music stops, everyone has to freeze in their best ‘sleeping’ pose — flat on the floor, head on hands, eyes closed — then burst back into dancing when the music returns.

It is objectively the most chaotic and most adorable thing you will ever witness.

2. Flashlight Tag Indoors

Flashlight Tag Indoors is the game that makes every kid feel like she is starring in her own adventure movie — in pajamas, which honestly makes it even better.

Dim the lights in the largest room you have (hallway + living room combo works great), and give one player a flashlight. She is ‘It.’ Everyone else tries to sneak around the room without getting caught in the beam.

If the flashlight shines on you and the person who is It calls your name, you are frozen until another free player taps you on the shoulder to unfreeze you. The last unfrozen player becomes the new It.

Safety first: do a quick clear of the floor before you dim the lights — no tripping over backpacks or sleeping bags in the dark, please! Set clear boundaries so kids know which rooms are in-play and which are off-limits.

One flashlight per round keeps things manageable; if you have a bigger group, let two players be ‘It’ at once with different-colored flashlight covers (colored cellophane secured with a rubber band works perfectly).

Give each girl a turn as the tagger so no one is left out.

This game hits that sweet spot of being exciting without being too wild for indoors. The sneaking, the tiptoeing, the barely-stifled giggling — it is peak slumber party magic.

A fun variation: the frozen player has to hold a silly pose (arms out like a zombie, or one leg up like a flamingo) until she is unfrozen, which makes the rescue missions absolutely hilarious.

Wind it down naturally after 15–20 minutes and transition straight into a printable or quiet activity while everyone is still buzzing but not over-the-top hyper.

3. Simon Says

Simon Says is one of those sleepover games for kids that has never — not once in the history of slumber parties — failed to produce uncontrollable giggles.

One player is Simon, and she gives commands starting with ‘Simon says…’ (touch your nose, spin around, do your best chicken dance). Everyone must follow only those commands. If Simon drops the ‘Simon says’ prefix and someone still follows the command, they are out.

The catch: Simon can speed up commands, whisper them, or do a fake-out movement that does NOT match her words to trip people up. And yes, the kids are absolutely ruthless at this once they figure out how the trick works.

No materials required — just your voice and a floor to stand on.

Make it sleepover-specific by giving Simon a set of pajama-party commands to pull from: ‘Simon says brush your teeth in slow motion,’ ‘Simon says tiptoe like you’re sneaking past a sleeping dragon,’ ‘Simon says do the best pillow-hug anyone has ever done.’

Write a dozen of these on slips of paper beforehand so even shy players have something fun to say when it’s their turn to be Simon. Rotate Simon every few minutes so everyone gets a go.

What makes this game extra special at a first sleepover is that it doubles as a gentle icebreaker — kids who don’t know each other well feel safe following instructions rather than having to perform.

The pajama-party command list removes any pressure to be spontaneously funny, and seeing everyone do the same silly move together bonds the group almost instantly.

For a sweet variation, end the final round with ‘Simon says give the person next to you a high five’ — and watch the whole room light up.

4. Pillowcase Relay

The Pillowcase Relay is exactly as ridiculous as it sounds, and that is entirely the point. Divide players into two teams and line them up at one end of the room.

The first player on each team steps into a pillowcase, holds the top around her waist, and hops — yes, hops — to a turnaround point and back. She then steps out, passes the pillowcase to the next teammate, and cheers from the sideline.

First team to have every player complete the hop wins. The shrieks of laughter as kids figure out that tiny hops are actually faster than giant leaps is priceless every single time.

You need one pillowcase per team (use old ones you don’t mind getting a little scruffy — grass stains optional, giggles mandatory). Mark the turnaround line with a piece of painter’s tape so it’s clear and easy to see.

If your space is small, set the turnaround point closer; if you have a long hallway, go the full length. Make sure the pillowcases are big enough for kids to step into comfortably without tripping — standard queen-size pillowcases work well for most elementary-age kids.

Three to five players per team keeps the wait time short and the energy high.

This game is wonderful for burning off post-dinner wiggles before you settle into printables.

A fun variation: the relay includes a challenge at the turnaround — each hopper must pick up a small stuffed animal off the floor (without using their hands, using only elbows or chin) and carry it back to the start before passing the pillowcase.

It sounds impossible, it is in fact nearly impossible, and it is objectively the best thing you will add to this party. Your girls’ parents will be hearing about this game for weeks.

5. Sleeping Bag Race

Sleeping Bag Race is the ultimate slumber-party-only game because, conveniently, every guest already brought the equipment. Each player climbs feet-first into her sleeping bag, grips the top edge, and on ‘Go!’ shuffles, wriggles, and scoots her way to the finish line.

You cannot use your feet outside the bag, you cannot roll (tempting but not in the spirit of things), and you absolutely must keep shuffling the whole time — no dragging yourself with your arms on the floor.

First shuffler across the line wins bragging rights and the title of Sleeping Bag Champion, which is honestly a title worth having.

Clear a wide lane of floor space — living room carpet is perfect because it’s soft and slow enough to keep things competitive.

Hard floors can get slippery, so if that’s all you have, lay down a yoga mat lane instead to give everyone the same surface. If sleeping bags vary wildly in size, pair kids by bag size for fairness.

Run heats of two or three racers at a time so there’s always an audience cheering, which makes the racers shuffle so much faster — they can’t help it.

The Sleeping Bag Race is one of those games where the chaotic, hilarious attempt is genuinely more fun than finishing first, and that is exactly what you want from sleepover games for kids.

A sweet variation for winding down: the final ‘race’ is a slow-motion sleeping bag shuffle — whoever reaches the finish line LAST wins. It naturally slows everyone’s energy right down, and somehow kids find that even funnier than the fast version.

Transition seamlessly from here into your printable activities while everyone is still laughing and slightly out of breath.

6. Kids Sleepover Bingo

Kids Sleepover Bingo is the printable that gets everyone settling down around the snack table at just the right moment — cards in hand, pencils ready, competitive little eyes scanning the room.

Each bingo card is a five-by-five grid filled with classic sleepover moments and items: a sleeping bag, a flashlight, hot cocoa, fuzzy socks, a stuffed animal, a pillow fort, nail polish, popcorn, a glow star, a friendship bracelet, and more.

The caller draws from a pile of matching picture-and-word call cards, reads each one aloud, and players mark their squares. First to get five in a row yells ‘Slumber Party Bingo!’

and wins a small prize (sticker sheet, hair clip, or a piece of candy works perfectly).

Print one unique card per player — a set of six pre-shuffled cards means no two guests have the same layout, keeping competition fair and exciting.

Print the call cards on cardstock, cut them out, and pop them in a small bowl or a decorative bag for the caller to draw from. Each full game takes about ten to fifteen minutes, so plan for two or three rounds.

You can also play Blackout Bingo for a longer game where players must fill every single square on their card. Hand out small prizes for each winner — even a sheet of sparkly stickers feels like a big deal at this age.

This game works beautifully as a bridge between the active relay games and the quieter crafty printables.

It keeps kids focused and seated without being boring, and because the squares are all familiar, cozy sleepover things, it quietly builds that shared ‘we’re all in this together’ feeling that makes a first slumber party so special.

Pro tip: laminate a set of reusable cards and provide bingo daubers so kids can dab away without going through a dozen pencils — and they get to take the daubers home as a party favor!

7. Would You Rather Kids Cards

Would You Rather Kids Cards turn the classic parlor game into a take-home printable deck that sparks so much conversation girls will still be debating their answers at breakfast.

The idea is simple: each card poses two delightfully silly choices — ‘Would you rather have a pet dragon OR a pet unicorn?’ or ‘Would you rather only eat pizza forever OR only eat tacos forever?’

— and players go around the circle sharing their pick and (crucially) explaining WHY. There are no right or wrong answers, which is exactly what makes this so perfect for a mixed group of friends who might not all know each other well yet.

Print the card sheet on cardstock, cut along the dotted lines, and shuffle the deck. Keep the stack in the center of the circle and take turns drawing.

For a sleepover-specific twist, include questions like ‘Would you rather stay up all night OR go to bed at 8 p.m. forever?’ and ‘Would you rather have a bedroom made of candy OR a bedroom made of trampolines?’

You can also play in teams: two players on one side vs. two on the other, with each team trying to guess what the other team will choose before they reveal their answer. Most correct guesses wins.

These cards are one of the most reusable items in the printable pack — girls will take their cut sets home and play in the car on the way home, at lunch the next day, and at the next sleepover too.

For a sweet keepsake variation, have each girl write her name on the back of one card and draw her answer to her favorite question, then swap cards so everyone goes home with a tiny illustrated memory from the night. Honestly?

One of my favorite things in this whole lineup.

8. This or That Kids Sheet

This or That Kids Sheet is the speedy, no-explanation-needed cousin of Would You Rather — and it’s the one that gets the most laughs in the shortest time.

The sheet presents a list of fun either/or pairs side by side, and each player circles or ticks which one she prefers: Cats or Dogs? Stars or Hearts? Strawberry or Chocolate? Pool or Trampoline?

Players fill in their own sheet silently, then compare answers with the person next to them — identical answers get a little star sticker, different answers mean a quick debate round.

It’s fast, it’s funny, and it works for every energy level from wide-awake to almost-asleep.

Print one sheet per player on regular copy paper — no cutting required, which is a very big deal when you’re managing a room full of excited kids. Provide pencils or fine-tip markers for circling (markers feel more special and official, tbh).

You can play this as a quiet individual activity during snack time, or make it collaborative: read each pair aloud, everyone holds up one finger for the left choice or two fingers for the right choice simultaneously, and see how the group splits.

Tallying which choice is most popular across the whole group adds a fun mini-statistics lesson nobody asked for but everyone enjoys.

The This or That sheet doubles as a sweet little personality snapshot — have each girl write her name at the top, and at the end of the night, gather all the sheets and read a few surprising answers aloud (with permission).

It becomes a tiny getting-to-know-you ritual that feels meaningful without requiring anyone to be vulnerable or on the spot.

If you want a keepsake variation, kids can swap sheets before going to sleep so they each go home holding a little piece of their best friend’s personality. So cute, right?

9. Sleepover Coloring Sheet

The Sleepover Coloring Sheet is where the party energy starts to naturally soften into something a little quieter and more cozy — and honestly, there is a magic moment around hour two of a slumber party where every kid simultaneously wants to sit down and color, and you want to be ready for it.

This single-page illustrated coloring sheet is packed with iconic sleepover scenes and items: a tent made of blankets and fairy lights, stacked pillows, a hot chocolate mug with marshmallows, a pile of books, a small stuffed bear, a journal, slippers, and a banner across the top reading ‘Best Sleepover Ever.’

Kids color at their own pace, personalize details however they like, and end up with a piece of artwork to take home.

Print on regular copy paper or card stock — cardstock gives the colors a richer, more finished look if kids are using markers.

Set out a big tray of colored pencils and fine-tip washable markers in the center of the table so everyone can share and swap colors without having to ask.

Put on some soft background music and watch the room transform into the most peaceful, adorable art studio you’ve ever hosted. No instructions needed, no turns to wait for — everyone works at exactly their own pace, which is a beautiful thing at 9 p.m.

This coloring sheet works especially well as an option during the wind-down portion of the evening because it’s calming without being boring. Kids feel productive and creative, and the finished sheet is a genuine keepsake from the night.

For a fun variation, set a five-minute timer and see how much color everyone can add before time’s up — the ‘speed coloring challenge’ adds a little competitive edge for kids who need that extra motivation to pick up a pencil.

You can also turn finished sheets into door art by taping them up before guests go to sleep, gallery-style.

10. Dream Journal Page

The Dream Journal Page is genuinely one of the sweetest things in this whole printable pack, and I am not even a little embarrassed about how much I love it.

Each girl gets her own single page that looks like an open diary or journal spread, with prompts designed to capture her hopes, wishes, and imaginings in a gentle, reflective way — perfect for right before the lights go out.

Prompts include things like ‘Tonight I am grateful for…,’ ‘My biggest dream is…,’ ‘My favorite thing about tonight was…,’ ‘One thing I want to do with my best friend someday…,’ and ‘Before I fall asleep, I am thinking about…’ There is also a small blank box at the bottom labeled ‘Draw your dream!’

for a quick sketch.

Print one per player and hand them out along with a pencil or a gel pen (gel pens feel fancy and diary-appropriate). Keep the atmosphere calm — low lights, soft music if any, everyone settled in their sleeping bags or on their pillows.

You do not need to share answers; this is a private journal entry first and foremost. But if girls want to share, invite them to read one answer aloud in a soft ‘sharing circle’ voice before lights-out.

Frame it as: ‘You only have to share if you want to, and you can always just say ‘pass’ — no pressure.’

This page pulls double duty as both a game and a real keepsake — kids take it home tucked inside their sleeping bag or backpack, and more than a few moms have told me they found the page months later and it made them tear up a little.

(Same, tbh.) It’s the kind of quiet activity that feels meaningful to young kids because they are seen and their thoughts matter.

Pair this with the Junk Journal Ideas Inspiration article if you want to help older kids turn their sleepover memories into a full creative project afterward.

11. Friendship Match Cards

Friendship Match Cards are a matching-game printable with a sweet twist: instead of matching pictures or words, players are matching personality traits, favorites, and fun facts about themselves.

Before the party, the host (or even the kids themselves) fills in a set of fact cards — each guest gets one card with three fun facts about her written on it (‘She loves purple, she has a hamster named Peanut, and her favorite movie is about mermaids’).

The corresponding match card shows just the name. Players shuffle all the cards, lay them face-up on the floor, and take turns trying to correctly match each friend to her fact card. Get it right and you keep the pair.

Most matches at the end wins!

Print the template on cardstock and cut along the dotted lines.

You will fill in the fact cards yourself before the party using a quick questionnaire you send home with the invitations (or you can ask parents via text — keep it simple, three facts max).

If you have a mixed group where some girls don’t know each other, this game does triple duty as icebreaker, guessing game, and memory activity.

For a group of close friends, make the facts slightly more obscure and challenging: not ‘she likes dogs’ but ‘she has been to four different states and wants to visit every national park.’

After the matching game, collect all the fact cards and hole-punch them together with a small binder ring so each guest can take home the full set as a friendship keepsake — a tiny little memory book of the night.

This is one of those sleepover games for kids that parents mention to you months later because their daughter still has the card set on her bookshelf.

It costs almost nothing to make and means everything to a seven-year-old who just made her first big-girl sleepover friends. Worth every second of prep.

12. Sleepover Maze Sheet

The Sleepover Maze Sheet is a delightful little puzzle printable that keeps hands busy during downtime without requiring any explanation — you hand it out, kids look at it, and they instantly know what to do.

The maze is themed around a girl trying to find her way through a fun sleepover landscape to reach her cozy sleeping bag at the end: winding paths past a snack table, through a pillow fort, around a tower of board games, and past a popcorn bowl, all rendered in cute, clear line art.

There is one correct path through the maze and a few sneaky dead ends that look promising but loop back. Medium difficulty is perfect — hard enough to be satisfying, easy enough that no one gets frustrated.

Print one per player on regular copy paper. Pencils work best for mazes so players can erase and try again — felt tips make backtracking a mess.

Set a soft timer if you want a little friendly competition to see who finds the path first, or let everyone work at their own pace with no pressure.

For a cooperative variation, pair two girls up and have them work through the maze together, one holding the pencil and one giving directions — this is a surprisingly sweet bonding activity and requires a level of communication that generates a lot of laughter.

Mazes are a satisfying brain-reset activity between more social games — they give kids something to focus on individually without anyone needing to perform or compete in a high-stakes way.

This is also a great option to have ready on the activity table when guests first arrive and the group is still assembling, because kids can pick it up and put it down without missing anything.

A fun host variation: draw a tiny star at the entrance of the maze and a tiny sleeping bag drawing at the exit so the theme is crystal clear, and write ‘You made it to bedtime!’ at the finish — gets a laugh every time.

13. Kids Riddles Sheet

The Kids Riddles Sheet is a printable trivia-style game that works beautifully both as a solo puzzle and as a group challenge — read the riddles aloud to the whole group and see who shouts the answer first, or hand out sheets and let kids work through them independently.

The sheet features twelve kid-friendly, gentle riddles themed around sleep, dreams, nighttime, and slumber party fun — things like ‘I have hands but can’t clap, I have a face but can’t smile. What am I?’ (A clock!) or ‘I fall but never get hurt.

What am I? (Asleep!).’ The riddles are printed in numbered order with a blank write-in line under each one for the answer, plus a small answer key in tiny text at the very bottom of the page.

Print one sheet per player on regular copy paper. If playing as a group shouting game, you only need one sheet for the caller — everyone else just plays verbally. If playing individually, give each kid a pencil and set a gentle five-minute timer.

For a team variation, divide into two groups: Team A reads a riddle aloud, Team B has 30 seconds to confer and write their answer, then teams swap roles. Most correct answers after all twelve riddles wins.

Keep the tone light and laugh off wrong answers — the goal is giggles, not grades.

Riddles are wonderful sleepover games for kids because they work the brain in a playful way and give kids a genuine sense of triumph when they crack a tough one. That little ‘aha!’

moment of figuring out the answer produces real joy, and sharing that moment with a friend makes it doubly sweet.

The answer key at the bottom of the sheet means the host doesn’t need to memorize anything — just check the key and keep the game moving.

For an extra cozy touch, read riddles by flashlight in a darkened room right before the Dream Journal Page, making the whole sequence feel like a little pre-bedtime adventure.

14. I-Spy Sheet

The I-Spy Sheet is a hidden-object printable that kids at this age absolutely lose their minds over in the best way — in a room full of sleepover excitement, the focused concentration of hunting for tiny hidden items in a busy illustrated scene is actually deeply satisfying.

The sheet features a detailed line-art illustration of a cozy slumber party room filled with hidden objects: the scene includes pillows, sleeping bags, snacks, toys, and decorations, and hidden throughout are specific smaller items that players must find and circle — a tiny bow, a hidden star, a mini flashlight, a tiny heart, and so on.

The list of items to find is printed beside the scene, with a checkbox next to each one.

Print one per player on regular copy paper. Colored pencils or fine-tip markers make the circling extra satisfying. This is a wonderful parallel-play activity — everyone works on the same sheet at the same time, but each person is on their own hunt.

For a competitive version, see who can check off every item on the list first and call ‘Found it!’ to win.

For a cooperative version, work as a team — one person calls out what she’s searching for, and the others help locate it while she keeps looking for a different item.

Cooperative I-Spy is surprisingly great for kids who are shy or just joining the friend group for the first time.

The I-Spy sheet is a versatile printable that works at multiple points during the party — right when guests arrive and the group isn’t fully assembled yet, during a post-dinner slow moment, or right before the maze and riddles sequence as a visual warm-up.

Because there is a definitive ‘done’ — every item found and checked off — kids get a clear sense of completion and accomplishment that feels great.

For a fun extension, have players add three of their OWN tiny hidden objects to a blank corner of the sheet and swap with a friend to find them. Instant bonus round, zero extra prep required.

15. Movie Night Bingo

Movie Night Bingo takes the classic bingo format and makes it interactive with whatever movie the girls choose to watch — which means it turns passive screen time into an active, giggly group game.

Each bingo card is a four-by-four grid filled with things that commonly happen in popular kids’ movies: a character falls down, someone cries, there’s a musical number, a best friend moment, an animal appears, a villain makes a face, someone says a catchphrase, a door slams, a hug happens, someone laughs out loud on screen, and so on.

Every time a square’s event happens in the movie, players mark it off — first to get four in a row quietly whispers ‘Movie Bingo!’ so they don’t disrupt the film.

Print one unique card per player on regular copy paper.

Because the squares are about things that happen ON SCREEN, no caller is needed — the movie itself calls the game, which is wonderful because it means the host can actually sit down and watch too (a miracle, truly).

Provide bingo chips, mini pompoms, or even just a handful of small candies to use as markers. Pre-mark the FREE center square with a star.

Aim for two to three bingo rounds per movie, which keeps kids engaged through the whole thing rather than zoning out halfway.

Movie Night Bingo is one of the most crowd-pleasing sleepover games for kids in this whole set because it layers on top of something you were already going to do — watch a movie — without requiring any extra time slot.

The four-by-four grid (rather than the classic five-by-five) means bingo happens faster, which keeps energy up during a slower part of the film.

For an extra-fun variation, make one special square per card a ‘wild card’ square with a custom challenge: when this square is triggered, the player must whisper a silly prediction about what happens next in the movie. Cutest thing ever.

16. Door Sign Templates

Door Sign Templates are the printable that makes every girl feel like a VIP the moment she walks in — because what is a first big-girl sleepover if not a Very Important Pajama Event that deserves official signage?

The template sheet includes four different door sign designs on one page: a ‘Do Not Disturb — Sleepover in Progress’ sign, a ‘Girls Only Club — Enter with the Secret Knock’ sign, a ‘Dream HQ — Napping Champions Inside’ sign, and a fun blank sign for each girl to personalize with her own message.

Each sign has a decorative border, a spot for a name, and a hole-punched hanger at the top (just cut and thread a piece of yarn through).

Print on cardstock for sturdiness, cut along the dotted lines, and provide markers, crayons, or colored pencils for personalizing.

Each girl decorates her chosen sign and then hangs it on the door of the sleeping area or her assigned sleeping bag spot — it creates an instant sense of personal territory that is surprisingly important to young kids at their first sleepover (no one wants her pillow accidentally claimed).

Pre-punch the hang holes before the party so kids can skip straight to decorating and hanging.

These signs serve a practical purpose too: the ‘Do Not Disturb’ sign is a gentle, giggly way to signal to other household members that the sleepover zone is active.

For a keepsake twist, encourage kids to decorate all four signs and take the whole set home at the end of the party — they can use them for their own bedrooms for months afterward.

And if your daughter is into crafts, pair this activity with the 15 Mother’s Day Gift Crafts Kids Can Make guide for more easy kid-friendly decorating ideas she’ll love year-round.

17. Sticker Scene Sheet

The Sticker Scene Sheet is the printable activity that combines the joy of creative play with the deeply satisfying experience of stickers — and if you have ever handed a seven-year-old a sheet of stickers next to a blank scene and watched her face, you know exactly the level of magic we are talking about.

The sheet features a large illustrated outline scene of a cozy bedroom slumber party room — a bed frame, a window with curtains, a rug, a bookshelf outline, floor space for sleeping bags, a bedside table — all drawn in simple, clear outlines with plenty of blank space.

Girls add sticker decorations from their own sticker collections or from a shared sticker sheet provided by the host to ‘decorate’ the room however they like, then fill in remaining details with colored pencils.

Print on regular copy paper or cardstock. Provide a shared tray of stickers in the center of the table — star stickers, heart stickers, dot stickers, flower stickers, smiley-face stickers — and let creative chaos ensue.

There is no wrong way to decorate a Sticker Scene Sheet, which is exactly what makes it so liberating for kids who sometimes feel anxious about ‘doing art correctly.’

Every finished sheet looks different and completely personal, which means the comparison-anxiety that can sneak into crafts is basically eliminated. Each girl gets to see that HER version is the best version.

This activity works brilliantly during the mid-party creative lull — after the active games have tired everyone out and before the movie starts.

It also makes a wonderful parallel activity during Movie Night Bingo’s slower stretches, because kids can half-watch the movie and half-decorate their scene sheet at the same time.

Encourage girls to title their finished scene — ‘My Dream Bedroom,’ ‘The Best Sleepover Room Ever,’ or just their name — and sign it at the bottom like a real piece of artwork.

Roll them up and secure with a sticker to take home: instant party favor.

18. Kids Awards Certificates

Kids Awards Certificates are the printable finale that every single girl at the party gets to take home — a personalized, official-looking certificate celebrating something special, silly, or sweet about her.

The template sheet includes six different award designs on one page: Best Dance Moves, Most Enthusiastic Bingo Player, Official Pillow Fort Engineer, Sleepover Riddle Champion, Best Sleepover Friend, and the always-popular Giggle Queen.

The host fills in each girl’s name before the party ends and hands out the certificates in a little mock ‘awards ceremony’ right before everyone settles into their sleeping bags. Cue the dramatic applause.

Print on cardstock for an official feel, and if you want to go the extra mile, use gold star stickers or a simple stamp as a ‘seal of authenticity’ on each certificate before handing it out.

Cut them apart along the dotted lines and stack them face-down so the ceremony has a little bit of suspense.

Read each award title aloud, pause for effect, then reveal the recipient — the giggles and cheers from the group are genuinely one of the best moments of the whole party.

Even the shy kid who didn’t win any games lights up when her name is called for something, which is the whole point of making six different awards.

Certificates are one of those sleepover games for kids that costs pennies and feels enormously meaningful — because at seven years old, having an official piece of paper that says you are the Giggle Queen of this sleepover is genuinely thrilling.

For a sweet variation, have each girl vote on which award goes to which friend (privately, on a slip of paper) before the ceremony — the host tallies the votes and announces the ‘winners’ by popular acclaim.

It adds a democratic element that kids take very seriously and very sweetly. Either way: your kids will treasure these little certificates far longer than you’d expect.

19. Best Friend Q&A Circle

Best Friend Q&A Circle is the quiet game that transforms a circle of girls in sleeping bags into something that genuinely feels like magic — a moment of real connection right before the lights go out.

Everyone sits in a circle (in their sleeping bags or with pillows, flashlights optional but highly recommended for atmosphere), and one player picks a question card from the deck and reads it aloud.

Then, going around the circle, every player answers the question honestly and in her own words. Questions are warm, gentle, and age-appropriate: ‘What is the nicest thing a friend has ever done for you?’

‘If you could have any superpower, what would it be and why?’ ‘What is something that always makes you laugh?’ ‘What do you love most about your best friend?’

No one has to share anything she doesn’t want to — ‘pass’ is always a valid and respected answer.

You can use the Would You Rather Kids Cards from earlier in the night as part of the question pool, or prepare a separate stack of Q&A cards written on index cards ahead of time.

Keep the stack small — ten to twelve questions is plenty for a group of four to six girls. The goal isn’t to get through all the cards; the goal is to have a few real, warm, giggly conversations before everyone drifts off.

The host (or the birthday girl) can start each round to model the kind of honest, fun answer that sets the right tone.

This is one of those sleepover games for kids that seems small but plants something lasting — kids remember the conversations they had in the dark in a friend’s living room at eight years old for a surprisingly long time.

Keep the atmosphere cozy and low-key: soft lamp light or a nightlight only, quiet voices, no phones.

You might be amazed at how quickly even kids who barely knew each other at the start of the night are laughing softly and finishing each other’s sentences by the end of the Q&A circle.

That’s the whole point of a first big-girl sleepover, really — and this game nails it.

20. Favorite Part of Today Share

Favorite Part of Today Share is the final, gentlest activity of the whole night — a simple ritual that takes less than five minutes and somehow becomes the thing every kid remembers most.

Lights are low, everyone is tucked into their sleeping bag or blanket nest, and going around the circle one by one, each girl shares just one thing: her absolute favorite part of the day.

It could be a specific game (‘When Mia’s freeze pose was a starfish and she held it for SO long’), a food moment, the feeling of arriving, or something small and private.

The rule is simple: everyone listens without interrupting, and when someone finishes sharing, the group gives a soft three-clap applause.

No materials required whatsoever — just a cozy, low-lit room and a group of girls who are mostly ready to sleep but not quite there yet.

The host or the birthday girl goes first to set the tone, and a genuinely warm, specific answer (‘My favorite part was when we all did the penguin freeze pose in the dance game and nobody could stop laughing’) shows other players the kind of detail that makes the sharing feel real and meaningful rather than perfunctory.

Keep the host-led rule gentle: there are no wrong answers, nothing has to be funny, and everyone’s favorite is equally valid.

This quiet ritual is the perfect bookend to a night that started with chaotic freeze dancing and flashlight adventures — it gives the evening a shape, a beginning and an end, that even young kids can feel.

It’s also a lovely habit to send home with your guests: something to do at dinner with their own families, or at their next sleepover, or on any ordinary Tuesday when someone needs reminding that good things happened today.

Pair this with a good night’s sleep and a warm breakfast — our go-to the morning after is a big pan of Low Calorie Veggie Breakfast Bake that you can prep the night before and pop in the oven while the girls are still shuffling around in their pajamas.

Perfect ending to a perfect first big-girl sleepover.

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the best sleepover games for kids at a first slumber party?

For a first big-girl slumber party, the best mix includes a high-energy opener like Freeze Dance Pajama Party to break the ice, a couple of active classics like Pillowcase Relay or Sleeping Bag Race to burn energy, a stack of printable activities (bingo, coloring, mazes, riddles) to fill the quieter snack-time stretches, and a gentle wind-down like Best Friend Q&A Circle or Favorite Part of Today Share right before lights-out.

The key is variety — active, then printable, then quiet — so the night has a natural rhythm that guides kids toward sleep without them even noticing.

How many games do I need for a kids’ sleepover?

Plan for six to eight games for a three-to-four-hour active party window before movie time. You don’t need to play every game on a list — having extras on hand is a safety net.

Active games like Freeze Dance or Simon Says run 15–20 minutes each; printable activities like bingo or coloring sheets can stretch 20–30 minutes depending on the group.

Build in buffer time: kids will spontaneously invent their own fun between structured activities, and that unstructured giggle time is genuinely important.

What age are these sleepover games appropriate for?

Most games in this list are designed for ages 5–10 — the sweet spot for a first big-girl slumber party. Freeze Dance, Simon Says, and the coloring and sticker sheets skew toward the younger end (5–7).

Riddles, mazes, Would You Rather, and Q&A Circle work well for 7–10 year olds. The Sleeping Bag Race and Pillowcase Relay are genuinely fun at any age in this range.

For mixed-age groups, lean on the printables — they’re self-paced enough to work for everyone at once.

What do you need to print for a sleepover party?

For this set, print one copy per player of: the Sleepover Bingo card (make sure each card has a different layout), Would You Rather Cards, This or That Sheet, Coloring Sheet, Dream Journal Page, Sleepover Maze, Kids Riddles Sheet, I-Spy Sheet, Movie Night Bingo card, and Sticker Scene Sheet.

Print on cardstock for the Friendship Match Cards, Door Sign Templates, and Awards Certificates so they’re sturdy enough to keep and take home. Regular copy paper is fine for everything else.

How do you keep kids from getting too wild at a sleepover?

The trick is structure without rigidity — plan a clear sequence that naturally transitions from high energy to calm.

Start with active games (Freeze Dance, Flashlight Tag, Simon Says) right after arrival, move into seated printable games (bingo, This or That, riddles) around snack time, layer in the movie with Movie Night Bingo, then shift to calm activities (coloring, journaling, sticker scenes) as the evening gets later.

The Awards Ceremony and Q&A Circle act as natural wind-down signals. Kids follow energy cues, so when the host’s voice gets quieter and the lights get lower, most kids genuinely start to settle.

What should kids do right before bed at a sleepover?

The Dream Journal Page, Best Friend Q&A Circle, and Favorite Part of Today Share are all designed specifically for the 20–30 minutes before lights-out.

In that order, they take kids from mild puzzle-solving (journal prompts) to warm social connection (Q&A) to genuine gratitude and reflection (Favorite Part of Today).

This sequence mirrors the kind of wind-down routine that sleep experts recommend for children — calming, positive, and focused on the present moment rather than anticipating what comes next.

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