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Now that the holidays are behind us, I can return to my regular scheduled slumber party with the grandkids.
Several times a month, the grandkids come over for a weekend slumber party. The youngest is five and the oldest is 12-going-on-30. Thankfully, there’s no diapers, bottles or anything like that to deal with. Did I say that out loud?
At this point, it’s all fun and games . . . and the right foods. I’ve been hosting slumber parties for a long time – first with my kids and now with the grandkids. By now, I’ve got things down pat and I have to say that I’m the coolest Nana in town. At least that’s what my grandkids think and I’m totally down with that.
So far, I haven’t been awakened with loud music and found them dancing on the roof like I did when my son had a 16th birthday party sleepover. He and his friends were on the roof of the house in the middle of the night. Yikes! Now that’s he’s 28, I need to remind him of his wild and crazy antics.
Moving right along . . .
Tips for a Successful Slumber Party with the Grands
 Have Plenty of Activities on Hand
Kids get bored easily. I always have movies and card games planned. When all else fails, I grab all the throws and blankets and let them build a fort in the great room.
Thankfully, our grandkids are easy to please and they love to play anything as long as my husband and I play with them. Card games are favorites with all the kids. I won’t mention that they routinely beat me when it comes to card games.
Helpful Hint: Being present for your grandkids is the most important aspect when having a slumber party.
Have Foods They Love
I always ask the grandkids what they want to eat when we have a slumber party. The two oldest reminds me to have plenty of milk on hand (it goes fast!). I’ve learned by now that their favorite cereals are Cinnamon Toast Crunch and Lucky Charms.
One of my grandkids is a really picky eater, so I make sure I always have something on hand that he likes. His request for breakfast is always the Cinnamon Toast Crunch with the milk on the side. That’s right. He eats the cereal as is and drinks the milk. I’ve learned not to mix the two. Hey, whatever works, right?
Breakfast is our favorite meal of the sleepover. We all gather around the kitchen table, talking and enjoying each other’s company. Of course, my husband has to have his Honey Nut Cheerios. It’s been his favorite ever since it was introduced in 1979!
I’ve found that a wholesome breakfast is just the thing to get the kids ready for a day filled with fun and adventure. That’s why I always add my family’s favorite Big G cereals to my Publix shopping list.
Have a Few Ground Rules
I jokingly say, “What happens at Nana’s stays at Nana’s.” Contrary to what the parents say, I do have a couple of rules. I’m thinking . . . thinking . . . I know I have some rules . . .
Oh, yeah! The youngest grandkids have a certain time to be in bed and I head to bed at the same time. The older grandsons stay up a little longer watching movies or sports with my husband. The arrangement works out perfectly and no one complains.
Spoil your Grandkids
Spoiling the grandkids (a little) Â is the best part of being a grandparent. When their faces light up and they run and jump into your arms when they see you, you know you’re doing something right. Of course, the 12-year-old-going-on-30 no longer jumps. He just smiles and gives me a hug.
There you have it, my Tips for a Successful Slumber Party with the Grandkids. Feed them their favorite foods, have fun and shower them with hugs and kisses. Easy peasy!
Have you ever hosted a slumber party for your kids or grandkids?
22 comments
We ALWAYS have Cinnamon Toast Crunch on hand in our house. My kids go through at least a box every week.
Ground rules are important. We play board and card games, spend time in the kitchen baking up goodies, play outside and just have tons of fun.
I’m a long way off from having Grandkids but I do love visiting my grandmother and great grandmother.
Oh how we love having the grandkids over to spend the night! The best part is spoiling them and sending them home. We always preplan by making a trip down the cereal aisle! I think they really look forward to breakfast at our house. We all sit at the table together while they enjoy their cereal and enjoy talking.
Love this! I don’t have little grands, but would love having them over to spoil if I did! Those cereals are high on my approval list! Nice choices :). Enjoy your card games!
I look forward to every moment spent with the grandkids. They are a handful, but still, the feeling of holding the child of your child is priceless. I do fill the fridge with milk too. I get cookies, and cereal, and make pasta (their favorite). When the weather permits, we go to the park to play and have a picnic.
This is a cool idea. Perfect to bond with the little ones. Of course ground rules are really important.
Awww such a precious memories that you and your family are building here. I love this slumber party tradition you have. Your beautiful grandkids will treasure their time spend with you.
These are great tips, we have not had a slumber party yet so I love getting advice from a slumber party pro! 😉 It’s funny, my son also eats his cereal dry and does not like mixing it with the milk.
I haven’t tried having slumber or sleep overs yet. I appreciate these tips as I might invite my children’s friends soon.
These are great tips for having a successful slumber party with the grandchildren. I know when we were kids we loved staying a our grandparents because they would play card or board games with us and give us awesome snacks. Thanks for sharing the tips.
You have some great tips here! Food is the way to every kids heart, I have found. haha Or any kid at any age really.
How fun! My kids love the sleep over at their Grandparents house, they get spoiled with yummy snacks and always stay up late. I like the idea of activities, it would help a lot.
My kids loved to have slumber parties for their birthdays! We would rent moves and have games!
I have hosted some slumber parties for my daughter, but not for grandkids. I am not ready for grandchildren yet. Hopefully that’s a few years away yet. Hopefully.
I love that you have slumber parties with your grands! They will remember this for years to come!!
These are all great tips. My kids enjoy spending time with their grandparents. They are having a slumber party this weekend.
A slumber party sounds fun. Unfortunately, I did not get to experience that when I was a kid.
We are doing this next weekend, so thanks for the pointers and I also go by Nana!!
I love the list for an awesome slumber party with the grandkids! It’s not only fun but important for the youngens to bond with the grand folks… My kids are still very young, but I’ll be sure to remember the tips when the time does come : )
This is a very informative post in regards to slumber parties for grandkids. My father loves my child so much and I think he’ll agree with you on this point. Nice article. Keep sharing!
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