Everything You Need to Pack for Your Kid’s Sleepover

July 20, 2020

But make sure you don’t have to make two trips to their friend’s house by packing everything they need before you leave. So here’s a complete list of what to pack for your kid’s sleepover. 

Looking for the ultimate sleepover bag? Check out the Pillowpak, the first backpack designed around your pillow 

Use this to build good habits!

Packing is a life skill. So is planning ahead. Therefore, don’t fall into the trap of doing everything for your child, regardless of whether they’re six or sixteen. 

We know that after a long week you might just want to throw a couple of bits into a backpack and rush your child into the car. But trust us, use this to ingrain healthy life habits. We all have that friend who’s hopeless at this stuff and drives us all mad, need we say anymore.  

The toiletry bag

Start with the toiletry bag - if your child doesn’t have their own, let them use yours. Worse case, grab a quart-sized reusable zip lock bag.

Get your child to lay out all the toiletries they use each morning and evening onto a bathroom counter. Double-check they haven’t missed anything. Then double-check that you haven’t missed anything!

Now check it against our cheat sheet:

• Toothbrush
• Toothpaste 
• Floss
• Braces bands 
• Hairbrush or comb
• Hair accessories
• Hair product
• Medicine
• Personal hygiene items
• Deodorant
• Any personal items like contacts or contact solution

This is also a good time to teach your child another piece of vital life advice: always pack your toothbrush in a separate compartment to your hairbrush. 

Clothes 

Now you’re confident that your child won’t forget their toothbrush on one of the sugariest nights of the year, you can move onto clothes.

If they’re a teenager then they no doubt have a pretty firm idea of the clothes they want to pack. But it’s still worth checking that they’ve packed the basics such as pajamas and a change of underwear. 

If your child is a bit younger and not that into clothes yet, this is a good way to get them to plan ahead. Ask them to lay out on their bed their pajamas and all the clothes they want to change into the next day. Make sure they’ve thought through layering - especially if it’s a colder season.

Here’s a quick cheat sheet:

• Pajamas
• Socks and underwear
• T-shirt
• Sweater/hoodie
• Jeans/shorts

And make sure they pack for any activities that are planned either side of the sleepover, such as swimming or soccer.  

Other essentials

Just as important as a toothbrush and a clean pair of underwear are the other essentials. Again, ask your child to think about what they’re going to need. This will not doubt include:

• Sleeping bag or blanket
• Pillow
• Towel
• Phone charger
• Snacks

Optional items

The optional items can really vary depending on age and other factors, but here are some common examples to help jog your memory:

• Good book or magazine
• Tablet
• Playstation/Xbox controllers

And one final tip

The last thing you want to happen is for your child to leave something vital at their friend’s house, such as an inhaler, or in some cases an Xbox controller! So write down all the items they’ve packed and tuck the list into their backpack. This way they can make sure they’ve repacked everything before they return home. 

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