Kids on a sleepover can try some of these old-fashioned activities that don’t involve video games, television, or other electronic devices. There’s nothing saying those activities have to be eliminated, but try introducing kids aged seven to ten to scavenger hunts and secret messages as a way of passing the time during a sleepover or night of backyard camping.
Paper Cup Walkie Talkies
Although kids may think paper cup walkie talkies sound silly, point out that they aren’t as noisy as real walkie talkies and are less likely to be noticed by adults. Kids can pull blankets or sleeping bags over their heads to muffle their communication between beds.
Turn two paper cups upside down on a flat surface and with a sharp pencil poke a small hole in the center of each cup bottom. Cut a piece of string to the desired length (a little longer than the distance between where the two people will sit or lie). Thread the string through both cups so the opening of the cups point away from one another.
Tie the ends of the string around toothpicks broken to fit inside the cup. (This will make it harder for the knot to slip through the hole.) To use these walkie talkies, each person holds a cup. Stand far enough apart that the string is tight. One person holds their mouth to the cup and speaks into the cup while the other person presses the opening to the other cup to his ear.
Morse Code
Morse code turns the alphabet into a series of dots and dashes. Give each participant a printout of Morse code and a flashlight. Have the kids practice turning the flashlight on and off quickly to create a dot and leave the light on slightly longer to create a dash. Then space players throughout the yard or room and allow the players to send short messages back and forth to one another.
Kids can learn other secret codes to send each other messages throughout the evening.
Flashlight Constellations
Cut cardstock circles that will fit onto a flashlight. Set the circles on a piece of corrugated cardboard. With a push pin, poke a real or made up constellation pattern into the circle – one hole for each star. Now, hold the flashlight up toward the ceiling and turn on the power. Set one of the constellation circles over the flashlight and watch how the pattern appears overhead.
Kids can incorporate these quiet indoor games to a sleepover. These activities can also be added to an evening of active outdoor night games. They give children an alternative to playing video games and watching television.
Join the Conversation