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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Considering a mass sleepover!!

126 replies

2anddone · 16/02/2017 12:52

Ds does Year 6 SATs this year and I am considering an end of SATs party for his year group.
It would be a sleepover in the village hall from 6.30 until 9.30 the next morning and would include pizza tea and breakfast the next morning.
It's not his birthday or anywhere near his birthday and the majority of parents/ children in the year are incredibly close having known each other almost their entire lives!!
I was thinking of asking for a contribution of £5 per child to cover tea/breakfast/snacks/hall hire.. it wouldn't cover the entire cost but would help.
I know I (and a couple of parents who have agreed to stay) would get no sleep and it would basically be an up all night playing games, watching movies and generally being loud and having fun.
So you lovely people of mumsnet AIBU to even consider a mass sleepover, should I stick to just 8 in my front room and cater/entertain out of my own pocket?? crosses fingers and hopes there is not too much flaming!

OP posts:
mintthins · 17/02/2017 13:59

That sounds wonderful! Have a brilliant brilliant time when it comes!

Original poster
2anddone · 17/02/2017 16:12

It's booked!!! Have asked a few parents what they think, heading to dominos to see if I can do a deal with them if not it will be Sainsbury's!
Thanks for all the ideas I will come back and let you know how it goes!!
I love the baby photo game idea and also if I charge £10 like most of you have suggested I could get a photo of them as a group at the start of the evening and send someone to Tesco to get them printed. We could get cheap photo frames from The Range or similar and they could decorate them and have that to take home as a souvenir!
Any other ideas for party games that aren't too young would be very appreciated!!
Too many years of Early Years means I have plenty of toddler games up my sleeve though may try sleeping lions at midnight in hope some drop off
Maureen my old posting name (about 9 years ago) was all about my OFSTED grading, I didn't post too much but whenever I did you always had fab advice...just like this thread!!

OP posts:
harderandharder2breathe · 17/02/2017 16:54

Agree with PP you sound like a fab potential guide or scout leader!

Glad it's booked I'm sure the kids will live it and always remember it.

Hide and seek in the dark is a favourite with my Guides and would be fun at a sleepover

MaureenMLove · 17/02/2017 16:55

Lol! Er, no thanks to Guiding! Been there, done that for 15 years!!! Grin

Tabbylady · 17/02/2017 17:11

This sounds bloody lovely, and I think you are entirely OK to ask for a contribution. I'd maybe phrase it as "£5 or so would help". I know you've said they all know each other but some parents might not be as close and you never know how well off people are. You might get people chipping in a tenner, and then you can tell people for whom a fiver would be harder (or maybe have more than one kid in the class!) not to worry

My parents did something similar when we were all leaving primary school- 30 kids in the barn at the end of the garden. We had an absolute blast.

Played lots of hilarious games including one which included super cheap makeup sets and having us do the worst ever "makeovers" on each other in 5 mins or something.

SherbrookeFosterer · 17/02/2017 17:48

You are insane.

But the kids will remember it for time eternal as one of the best nights of their lives!

Superwomaninmysparetime · 17/02/2017 17:58

That is a fab idea!!! I'm pinching it for my DD and her classmates when they end yr6.. pls post to let us know give it's all goes 😃

Original poster
2anddone · 17/02/2017 18:11

I will superwoman...it will probably be a thread titled AIBU to have been convinced this was a good idea when I am currently in a living nightmare Wink

OP posts:
sarebear1983 · 17/02/2017 18:18

I think that's totally amazing and something the kids will remember for the rest of their lives. Absolutely fair play to you for wanting to create some amazing memories for them all!

UKrider · 17/02/2017 18:29

I'm not a parent yet. Pregnant with first. But people like you and your lovely ideas and plans remind me there are actually fun parts of childhood and parenting and it's not all awful and stress and misery as mummy sites would have you believe. I think you're bonkers but brilliant and I'm sure so many parents and kids will be delighted with your party.

Sparklyglitter · 17/02/2017 18:43

Sounds great! Make it clear that the £5.00 only covers some of the costs or maybe ask for food donations, then everyone can share the cost???

poshpink · 17/02/2017 18:48

Sounds great - £5 a bargain - The mess elsewhere and not in your home. Enjoy!

RiversrunWoodville · 17/02/2017 18:54

My dd is only p3 but if someone did this when she's in p7 I'd gladly pay a tenner I think it sounds fab. Keep us posted op

RTKangaMummy · 17/02/2017 19:07

Sounds deffo brill plan SmileSmileSmileSmileSmileSmile

IMHO change it up to £10 each to cover everything and printing of photos and getting white T shirts from primark or similar to write or draw on with fabric pens anything left over donate to charity

don't worry about party bags or pressie for children unless something simple like a tennis ball each cos cheap but the kids love them

What about borrowing a karaoke machine or something like it?

Agree about getting them collected earlier just after bacon sarnie brekky so 9am ish

Think it should be the Friday night at end of SATs week rather than end of term cos mega emotional then

Love baby photo game idea

Have funfunfun SmileSmileSmile

CrapSouzette · 17/02/2017 19:10

This whole thing is making me cry. I'll be a wreck when my DCs finish primary sch. The whole 'known each other most of their lives' thing is so sobby for me. You are so lovely.

MiddleClassProblem · 17/02/2017 20:36

Picturing you and the pther parents with the MN version of live tweeting the party.

Ladders is an easy game. All sit in pairs in a line with legs apart and foot to foot with their pair making a ladder. Then you give each pair a number and call out numbers randomly. They have to run up the ladder, down behind their side and back up from the bottom to their spot. Having said that I hated it as I hated races.

Human knot is a team build type one where you put them in groups, I'd say minimum 5 max 10 (although I guess you could do it with everybody but some might get bored) and all they do is stand in a circle shoulder , put their left hand in the middle and hold someone's hand, then put their right hand in and hold someone else's hand (must be different, at their age there might be a bit of squabbling about this but remind them it doesn't matter who's hand they are holding) they are then a big human knot and have to untangle themselves without letting go.

And of course there is alway wink murder for a bit of quiet play/dramatic death acting

RTKangaMummy · 17/02/2017 20:39

Sardines GrinGrin

or a murder game that I can't remember the name of

lalalalyra · 17/02/2017 20:46

If the school or a local group have an earth ball ask to borrow it. It's basically a giant ball you blow up with a hairdryer and the kids at playscheme all love it. You can play dodgeball with it, you can play skittles (the part of the challenge is to make the loudest/funniest squeal as they are knocked down) and also train tracks - basically the kids lie down in a line and roll the ball over the top of them then they have to get up and run to the end of the 'track' and see if they can roll and run fast enough to get to the end of the hall without running out of track. They love it and it absolutely knackers them!

Almostfifty · 17/02/2017 20:51

The cup game is a good one, as is corners.

Cup game is five cups in the middle, with two tables at either end. Kids are numbered and sit 1-10 one side, 10-1 the other. When their number is called out, they have to get three cups on their table first. It's very noisy, but they love it.

Corners is four teams each in a corner. They have to ensure the ball isn't in their corner when the whistle blows. They can't kick the ball, only hit it with their hands. They start with five lives each.

Dodge ball is good, as is chair football. The other thing is to ask them to bring some table top games with them.

Original poster
2anddone · 17/02/2017 21:05

Oooh the one the knackers them sounds good Wink keep the ideas coming please they are fab!!
Forgetting I hated all types of races when younger in the name of tiring them out

OP posts:
MsJamieFraser · 17/02/2017 21:09

Is the classroom not having a prom OP?

I'm currently organising my sons classroom prom, I have hired a large hotel conference room between 5pm and 10pm and my dh is making an sweetie stall out of old pallets and drift wood,

Another parent is a wedding planner so is bringing her photo booth at a small cost, and another parent is a wannabe DJ (he's actually very good) I'm also going to make this cake.

Parents where going to bring a buffet item, however it was decided the kids would prefer dominos takeaway (it was also considered too risky for buffet food)

Each parent is paying £25, I think if you do go ahead, you need to ask parents for a contribution and I think it would be a lovely memory for all involved.

Considering a mass sleepover!!
FrancisCrawford · 17/02/2017 21:11

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Original poster
2anddone · 17/02/2017 21:20

MsJamie
No the year 6 at our school don't have a prom as such, just a leavers party organised by PTA so me and same mum's helping with sleepover- which all family members are invited too. It's a family picnic with bouncy castle etc at end of term when everyone is knackered and just wants to get home
I want them (as a year 6 mum) to have something a bit more fun which is why I am doing the sleepover. Yours sounds amazing but we have to do something that can 'cookie cutter' each year to 'make it fair' and as our year groups vary from 12 children to 30 the picnic is our best option!!

OP posts:
Original poster
2anddone · 17/02/2017 21:21

Thanks for the ideas Francis they sound great!

OP posts:
TCsMummy · 17/02/2017 21:22

Sounds like a great idea and I'm sure the kids will love it. Make sure you get an emergency contact number for each family for ON THE NIGHT as some parents will go away / go out clubbing / go play golf and forget to turn phone back on and theirs will be the kids who start vomiting / crying ubcontrollably in the middle of the night and have to go home. (Beaver leader tip!)