When do kids have sleepovers?

ArcticFox

Just curious when most kids have their first sleepovers, what age it is "doable"?

I know some real little kids who have had sleepovers, but with a family member (like a cousin) - but what about with a friend?  I'm not planning on one, just wondering what age kids can handle it.

howleyshell

We've done 2 sleep overs with the same kid.  He's newly 5, Dylan's  newly 4.

We didn't do it so the kids could have fun.  We did it because the 5 yr old's parents marriage is/was in trouble and we wanted to help them get some alone time because they have no family in town to watch him for date nights, etc.

They're divorcing now.

And I don't recommend it this young.

Mine did fine because we were at our house and the 5 yr old did great the first time but the 2nd time I spent the night on the floor next to him trying to get him to sleep because he was scared.  Not sure how much of that was the sleep over and how much of it was because he knows his parents are having major trouble, KWIM?

I like my sleep.   I don't plan to try again for a while. 

 

Not sure what age is the "norm" but I figure when he starts talking about it and friends at school are doing it we'll give it another try. 

ceecee31

I wouldn't base it so much on age.  Some children are very young and can handle sleeping in an unfamiliar environment overnight.  Some are older and can't.  I have a 12 year old cousin who attempted to spend the night with relatives and he cried to go home.  I can't imagine him spending the night at a friend's house right now.  

jlw2505

My niece is 9 (turned 9 in April) and she started having them in the last year.  Her b-day party in April was a big sleep over.  I know I have friends that kids start going to over night camp at around 7 or 8.

bdelfin

Our son (who's going to turn 3 in a few weeks) just had his first one at Grandma's on Tuesday. His cousin usually stays over and we thought we'd let him join in on the fun! LOL. I think we missed him more than he missed us.  He just needed his blankie with him. As far as letting him stay at a friend's house, IDK

neverblushed

The norm among my DD's friends seems to be about age 8, maybe 7.  I've known kids do it at younger ages, but it's usually more of a babysitting situation than a true sleepover.

DD's best friend's mom and I ramped our girls up to sleepovers gradually by doing all-day playdates, then inviting the friend over for dinner, then finally having a real sleepover. They were just about to turn 9, which is a little later than some kids in their grade.

It's good if the guest kid has spent a pretty good amount of time at the friend's house, eaten meals with the friend's family, etc., before the first-ever sleepover.  Once they have a few sleepovers under their belt, they can go "cold turkey" to a friend's house where they've never visited before and handle spending the night.

ecoppins

For most, I would guess about 8-9. Most of our friends who have done it were essentially babysitting for one reason or another.

jen5-03

Wow, 8 or 9? My 7th birthday party was a slumber party, and I'd had sleepovers before that.

DD started at 2.5 but it was more of a family situation because it was with my BFF and her twins who were 3.5 at the time and DD knows them all very well and is comfortable with them. DD has slept over there probably 6 times and they've stayed with us 2 times. There has not been any homesick type problems.

I wouldn't try a sleepover with a more casual friend until 5 or 6. Right now, it seems like DD would spend the night as long as she's comfortable with the adult - it's got nothing to do with the kids she'd be around.