Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Only the apps you allow.

Meet the Other Phone.
Only the apps you allow.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Help me get through 24 hours...

57 replies

Dreadingitliketheplague · 19/08/2018 22:06

Of what I can only describe as hell. My DS is going to be turning 9 in a few days, and, as I am as skint as a very skint thing i thought it would be cheaper to do a sleepover....for 7 9yo. What am I going to do, It was a great idea at the time, although, now the evening is slowly creeping up on me, im am absolutely dreading it. What can I do to entertain seven 9 year old boys? Pin the tail on the donkey and pass the parcel are apparently "lame" as is board games. Help me please, My life is in your hands MN'ers

OP posts:
3luckystars · 19/08/2018 22:09

Films?
Popcorn

LoopyLou1981 · 19/08/2018 22:09

Kickabout in the garden then film, pizza and sweets. Surely all 9 year olds would love that? (No experience to be fair though!) x

RoseMartha · 19/08/2018 22:11

I agree with other posters. Watch a film, eat pizza and popcorn or other snack.

Slimmingsnake · 19/08/2018 22:12

Food ....consoles,gaming marathon ,with a rota for who's playing who....torches with scary horror stories ..all sleeping bags in the lounge,to keep the mess to one room.dvds ..or even better put a tent up in the garden ,beg or borrow on ,and do a camping party with a fire pit..which you supervise obviously

Slimmingsnake · 19/08/2018 22:13

Spuds in the oven eaten in skins round the fire ,sausages on buns ,some fireworks ,sparklers ? If you have another adult to help

Original poster
Dreadingitliketheplague · 19/08/2018 22:14

A film is a definate, as is food and drink, but what else is there to do? I have 24 hours to fill, i imagine they may sleep for about 2 hours Hmm I dont have a huge garden, maybe I could try and borrow some outdoor games/activities from friends. God, why didnt I just take them to the cinema and a burger....aarrggghhhh

OP posts:
PumpkinPie2016 · 19/08/2018 22:15

Another vote for films (or computer games of you have them) with pizza and popcorn/sweets.

Are you near an aldi? They do not bags of cinema sweet popcorn for 79p and it's really nice Smile They also do plenty of sweets that are cheap.

Can't vouch for their pizzas though. Can you get some cheap bases and tomato puree plus mozerella and other bits and let them make their own pizza?

I'm sure they will have a great time Grin

Slimmingsnake · 19/08/2018 22:15

Midnight walk ...midnight feast

BuntyII · 19/08/2018 22:16

Give them a football. They'll entertain each other anyway.

Boulshired · 19/08/2018 22:17

I have always found they prefer to entertain themselves.

user1485609714 · 19/08/2018 22:18

Let them build a den and have a picnic inside? Also I saw a suggestion (I think in an Asda mag) earlier to do with a treasure hunt. Hide objects and give them a list of the objects that they have to find. Might keep them occupied for a bit....

AryaOfWinterfell · 19/08/2018 22:19

Does it have to be a 24hr thing?
Whenever I’ve done sleepover parties for my kids it’s been drop off around 4pm and pick up the following morning around 11.
That way you could take them to the park to play football/cricket etc for a couple of hours, back to watch a film eat pizza, popcorn etc. Some hating/sweets for a midnight feast. Then in the morning some bacon butties for breakfast.

Original poster
Dreadingitliketheplague · 19/08/2018 22:19

Oooohhh, a tent, I never thought of that. That is a fab idea. Shove them outside and let them get on with it. All do a non-rain dance please

OP posts:
AryaOfWinterfell · 19/08/2018 22:20

Hating? I meant Haribo!!! Stupid autocorrect!

Bella898 · 19/08/2018 22:20

All the things that slimmingsnake suggested, and aside from that, let them entertain themselves. I think it's a lovely idea and these are the nights that memories are made of. I can still remember sleepovers when I was young and the excitement of us all being together overnight is what stays with me rather than anything we did.

Original poster
Dreadingitliketheplague · 19/08/2018 22:21

@AryaOfWinterfell Ive already sent invites with times on, I am regretting the times now, of course, Why, oh why, did I think this would be a good idea?

OP posts:
AnoukSpirit · 19/08/2018 22:24

Google scout / cub camp/sleepover activities then do that!

Let them build a shelter in the garden (ground sheets, blankets, etc), eat dinner out there, stargaze, tell silly/scary stories by torchlight, hot chocolate, fall asleep outside... Novelty would make it last.

Or bits and pieces of that then sleep inside. Get them to make their own pizzas. Buy the bases and selection of stuff to go on top and that will keep them busy for a while and avoid any complaints they don't like it! Food activities are good for occupying small groups on a sleepover. Practical and fun (because novelty).

Seriously though if you google Cub Scout activities you'll have more than enough ideas to choose from to keep them entertained - they'll be things designed to be done in small groups.

Teacherlikemisstrunchball · 19/08/2018 22:26

Get them to tire themselves out to start with so do you have a playing field or park within walking distance? A couple of hours of football or tag should knacker them out nicely. Then home for tea-takeaway pizza is easy and there are usually some good deals if you buy a few at once. Then maybe an ice cream station where they get to choose different toppings (buy a job lot of smarties, hundreds and thousands and chocolate and strawberry sauce) and then a film with popcorn and (make sweetie cones for each child so they each have their own portion.) Then some party games and into pjs and bed down in the lounge with another film to watch before bed? In the morning loads of toast and cereal followed by another kick about in the park?

TheOxymoron · 19/08/2018 22:27

Under a tent indoors with torch, pass it around to each person and get them to create a spooky story. It will likely be more giggles than chills. Add in a bowl of popcorn.

TheOxymoron · 19/08/2018 22:28

The game telestrations is always a winner too.

Teacherlikemisstrunchball · 19/08/2018 22:28

Ooh also challenges. Get them in teams to Build the tallest structure they can out of newspaper and sellotape that can hold a bag of sugar. Or they have to make a bridge between two tables only out of spaghetti that can hold a bag of sugar. Those take ages and are relatively not messy. Have prizes for the winning team. Pass the parcel is also good fun.

AnoukSpirit · 19/08/2018 22:30

If you have a BBQ or a disposable one they could do campfire food? Marshmallows on their own or s'mores, and dampers (bread dough wrapped around a skewer).

Assuming you don't want to build an actual campfire in your garden Grin

WhenTheSharkBites · 19/08/2018 22:31

Cheap idea for pudding we recently hosted a birthday party and did make your own ice creams. A bit like Pizza Hut, we served up the ice cream and let them go mad with toppings. It was a hit. The kids were younger but I reckon it would still score bonus points.
Agree with den building and film, popcorn etc.
Maybe next morning take them to the park for a kick about?
Or stockpile some cardboard boxes and other recyclable materials and challenge them to build something. Have two teams and the winners get to choose - insert random choice.

Or do some fun simple science stuff. Like making volcanoes with baking soda and vinegar. Or buy some of those bunch of balloon things and do a treasure hunt where they have to search for tiny chalk messages and wipe them out with a water balloon.

JuneMyNameIsJune · 19/08/2018 22:35

24 hours? Are you mental? Text all the parents and say you need to confirm the time as you may have made a mistake; 7.30pm (or 8pm?) and can they collect at 9 am promptly the following morning as you have an appointment.

Movie, snacks, indoor tent/camping is a good idea. Don't underestimate board games - we once set out all our board games on the carpet in a separate room for a party and many of the children spent the whole time playing and had to be persuaded to eat! Lots of kids don't get the opportunity to play board games.

Expect to have a combination of exhausted children who need to sleep (usually mine!) and children who literally never close their eyes.

Maelwaedd · 19/08/2018 22:35

We used to play a game we called "spook" basically it was hide & seek in the dark & the seeker had a torch. Great fun.