You may have heard of teepee sleepovers or you may have not but these parties are here to stay!
For a while there was a gap in the market for kids parties for ages 7+. There wasn't much apart from restaurant parties, cinema and bowling. Kids wanted to spend more time with their besties rather than their whole class and sleepovers feel a bit more grown up.
Enter Teepee Sleepovers! Upgrade from sleeping on the floor in a sleeping bag and providing actual beds with your own private little space all themed to whatever your kid is into. And the themes are constantly updated to the latest trends and ideas that your kids will love and remember for years to come. But if you've never done a teepee sleepover or just need some help deciding keep on reading for loads of tips and ideas!
Teepee parties have now been around for almost 7 years in this country and are just as popular in the US and Australia. Their popularity has grown that there are literally thousands of companies that do this. It can be hard to choose which company to go for. So here are some tips for choosing the right teepee company for you.
Social media is a great place to start as most companies will advertise on here and should be easy to find in your area. If you find a company that appeals have a look at their business on google or facebook page, ignore the amount of followers and read the reviews! This will give you the best idea of reputable companies.
Another good place is www.bookasleepoverparty.com This website has vetted and insured teepee companies registered. Simply fill out the form and it will be sent to the companies that cover your area who will then email you back. It's so simple and easy to do if you're short on time. As a company this is a great place as if one company cant do it then another company may be able to instead and we work collaboratively rather than competitively. They even work together for large set ups like in London where 7 companies provided almost 90 teepee'
s set up in the Natural History museum.
Lastly, simply ask other people, mums, dads, schools etc can recommend companies they have used so you know they should be reliable.
Whichever way you find a company there are some key things you should look for. There are a lot of companies out there that will have cut corners to make a quick buck and when it comes to your child's safety its worth checking!
Ask if they have insurance. This will usually be Public liability insurance but it means if they accidentally cause damage in your home or even injure someone in your house whilst setting up they are covered for the damage.
Check that the items they are providing are CE or UKCA approved. It means the items have been declared safe & complies with a set of very basic requirements called Essential Health & Safety Requirements. This is a legal requirement for hiring out items and is a big deal. Your child is sleeping on and around these items and you as the parent or guardian are usually asleep in another room so making sure they won't fall, catch fire, poisonous or choke hazards is why this is so important!
Check what's actually provided. Teepee companies work in different ways so what's included varies a lot. Some won't provide pillows or duvets for example and my just provide a throw instead. Some may provide them but for an additional fee. Travel may not be included in the cost and even set ups as some companies work on the basis that you are setting it up yourself.
Check you have enough space. I would say 95% of my bookings don't realise how big the teepees and mattresses are which is why I always go round prior to measure up or at least video chat to see and recommend what might need moving... something always needs moving!
After doing teepee parties pretty much weekly for 2 and a half years here are my tips to keep the party a dream and not a nightmare!
Tell your child well before the party that there are rules that they and their friends need to follow. Telling them in advance rather than on the day can let it sink in and your not there to ruin the party. Kids will have planned what they want to do (however ridiculous) so it's helpful for them to know what plans may not be doable. For example I have heard PLENTY of times 'We're not going to sleep at all!'. My advice would be to let them know they have to be asleep by midnight at the latest and on the night you will need to tell them every 5 mins from 11:30pm they need to go to sleep. Parents have sworn by this technique!
DON'T give them too many sweets and cake... sugar and sleep don't go well!
Have activities or something planned for them to do with their teepees. By far the most popular options are a DIY spa package where they can do their nails and have facemasks, Cinema screen for a movie or even hook up a game console to play their favourite games on a massive screen whilst sat in a teepee! Perfect!
Have a whatsapp group with the parents of the friends sleeping over. Remind them this is not a free babysitting night that they need to be on standby especially if its their first sleepover as they may get homesick and need picking up! Some parents will also want a check up on their kid.
So there you have it! All the tips and tricks you need for a successful teepee party. Whether you take all this into consideration or not I have yet to know of a sleepover that the kids didn't LOVE! They will remember it for a long time and that's what's most important, right? Making memories!
If you would like to book with Gift Wrapped Events please got to our website or email laura@giftwrappedevents.com
