20 Sleepover Games for next Pajama Party

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Over the holidays, our family came over for a fun sleepover. We thought it would be a great way for them to experience a sleepover in a safe environment and enjoy quality time with their cousins, just like living under one roof, even if only for a night. We planned it as a cozy gathering and made it feel like a mini celebration. And of course, with a sleepover comes the need for fun games. Since the group included different ages, planning sleepover games was a bit of a challenge. I wanted everyone to have a great time together, but without total chaos. Luckily, I had hosted a sleepover before, so I had a few go-to ideas that worked. I also explored more options and came up with a list of fun, tried-and-tested sleepover games you can use too.

Classic Games

Truth or Dare

This one’s a total classic. It’s all about having a good laugh and being silly. You can ask fun questions like, “What’s your most embarrassing moment?” or give dares like, “Dance like a robot for one minute.” We kept it light and funny, so no one feels uncomfortable. Also, it was great to start with this game for all the cousins to feel comfortable and know each other better. You can preplan by keeping the truth and dare ideas ready, written on small paper and folded in separate jars. Here are some truth and dare ideas to save you time.

Would You Rather?

Oh, this game is so fun because you get to ask tricky and funny questions. My favorite one is, “Would you rather eat ice cream all day or donuts?” You can make up all kinds of goofy scenarios. It gets everyone thinking and laughing because, let’s face it, sometimes the questions are really hard to answer. It’s a fun way to learn more about your family, too.

Charades

Who doesn’t love charades? It’s like a game of acting without any words. You can theme the charade for movie names, animals, or even famous people. Based on the theme, make a list of some easy and tricky things for the players to act out. It was funny to watch them acting their best. We kept two different lists for the younger ones; it was animal names, and for the older ones, it was famous movies. It’s a great game to play, sitting in cozy blankets.

Pillow Fight

This is always a crowd favorite. Everyone grabs a pillow, and you just gently go at it. Make sure to set up some ground rules first, like no hitting too hard, and make sure no one gets hurt. It’s all about having fun and being silly. You can even make it into a mini competition; the last person standing with their pillow still intact wins. Be ready for cleaning the mess later, but it’s worth the fun.

Hide and Seek in the Dark

Now, this one is spooky. Turn off all the lights in the house, grab flashlights, and then someone has to find the others hiding in the dark. It’s way more fun than regular hide and seek because the flashlight beams make it feel like a real adventure. You can even make it more exciting by adding challenges like, “You have to be super quiet or you’re out” It’s thrilling, a little spooky, and perfect for a sleepover. Make sure to check if everyone is comfortable and won’t feel scared in the dark. Define the area. I prefer to keep it in the living room only and have some dim light in the background.

Creative Games

DIY Fashion Show

This one is fun, especially if you are having a girls’ sleepover. Have some old scarves, big t-shirts, ribbons, or even paper and tape, ready, and let them turn clothes into an outfit. They love coming up with wacky costumes. I was surprised. My daughter made a slit in a trash bag and wore it over her head like a dress with a scarf around her head. We set up a “runway” in the hallway, turned on color party lights, and played music while everyone walked like a fashion show and recorded it to show them later.

Makeover Challenge

This is good for teens. Let them have some fun time, taking turns doing each other’s makeup. Lay out lip gloss, blush, eye shadow, all the fun stuff. Make sure hygiene is followed, and you have wipes nearby for cleanup. Girls enjoyed doing this and took selfies later. It was all about being silly and trying new looks.

Nail Art Contest

Line up nail polishes, stickers, and even tiny gems, then everyone can paint each other’s nails. You can also pick a theme like “rainbow,” “glitter,” or “animal print.” You may be surprised by the creativity. After everyone’s done, you can vote on the most creative design (everyone wins something, like “Funniest Nails” or “Most Colorful”). It’s relaxing and super cute.

Talent Show

Let everyone shine their talent. We let everyone come up with their acts; some sing, some dance, and others do silly skits or magic tricks. We had informed everyone about this beforehand and told them to bring everything they needed for the show. We all sat in a big circle in the living room and watched the show. It’s a great way to boost confidence and just have fun.

Photo Scavenger Hunt

This game is action-packed and a good choice for a mixed crowd. Make a list of funny things they have to take photos of, like “someone wearing socks on their hands,” or “a silly face in the mirror.” Make teams and let them run around the house, taking pictures on a phone or tablet. You can even add a timer to make it more exciting. Later, all can look at the photos together, and trust me, the pictures will be so funny, everyone will end up laughing.

Chill & Laugh Games

Never Have I Ever (PG Version)

This one is awesome for giggles and learning fun little secrets about your friend. Everyone sit in a circle and each person says something like, “Never have I ever eaten a bug,” or “Never have I ever stayed up past midnight.” If someone has done it, they raise a hand or take a piece of popcorn. It’s funny to hear the stories that pop up. Keep it friendly and silly.

M.A.S.H.

To play this, all you need is paper and a pencil. One person writes down “M.A.S.H.” (Mansion, Apartment, Shack, House), and then fill in categories like who you’ll marry, what car you’ll drive, what job you’ll have, etc. Then someone picks a number, and you start crossing off until only one option is left in each category. Once, when it was played at one of the Pajama party, a girl “ended up” living in a shack with a pet llama and driving an ice cream truck; it was hilarious.

Let’s Make Pizza

To make food time fun and a game, I asked everyone to make their own pizza. Everything required for making the pizza was kept ready. I assisted them in making it, and they chose their favorite topping and added it to their pizza. This way, they got the food they liked and felt like making their food, and I saved myself from ” I don’t like mushrooms” and “I like corn.” You can even turn it into “make a hot cocoa.”

Emoji Storytelling

This one’s great if you have a phone or tablet handy. Pick 4–5 random emojis (you can even let the phone suggest them), and then you have to make up a story using those emojis. For example, if the emojis are a frog, a taco, a backpack, and a wizard, the story can be about a frog who eats tacos with a wizard on a school trip. The stories can be funny, spooky, or just weird. Everyone gets creative and imaginative. You will be surprised by their stories, and others enjoy hearing wild stories their friends come up with.

Guess the Sound

This one makes everyone laugh. One person wears a blindfold, and the rest of the group makes sounds using random objects, a spoon tapping a bowl, zipping up a jacket, or crinkling a candy wrapper. The blindfolded person has to guess what each sound is. Sometimes the sounds are easy, and sometimes they’re just weird. It’s a great game for winding down while still having fun.

Group Challenges

Minute to Win It Games

We love these because they’re fast and funny. I set a timer for 60 seconds and gave them quick challenges using stuff around the house. For example:

Stack It Up: See who can stack the most plastic cups in one minute.

Cookie Face: Put a cookie on your forehead and try to wiggle it into your mouth, no hands allowed.

Spoon Race: Balance a cotton ball or marshmallow on a spoon and walk across the room without dropping it.

You can make teams or just give an individual a challenge. For more ideas, read my post on Easy Minute To Win It Games For Kids.

Don’t Wake the Sleeping Beauty

I loved this game; everyone enjoyed playing this irrespective of their age. To play this game, one person lies on a blanket with their eyes closed; they’re the “sleeping beauty.” Everyone else takes turns doing silly things, telling jokes, dancing, or making faces, to get them to smile or move. But you can’t touch them. If “Sleeping Beauty” cracks a smile or moves even a little bit, they lose. Some got super creative, and the person lying still tries so hard not to laugh. It’s a total crowd favorite.

Marshmallow Tower

This is the perfect game for a little quiet focus time, but still fun. Hand out toothpicks and marshmallows, and say, “Build the tallest tower you can in 2 minutes.” They get busy stacking and sticking. Some go tall and wobbly, others build wide and strong. Best to play it at snack time. It’s part challenge, part snack time, because, of course, they sneak a few marshmallows while building.

Sock Wrestling

To play this game, two players sit or kneel on a soft surface, like a blanket or play mat, and try to pull each other’s socks off. The goal is to be the first person to get both socks off the other person. No hitting, just rolling and tugging gently. It’s totally safe and super silly, especially when someone ends up hopping around trying to protect their last sock. We only do this one when everyone wants to do something crazy silly, and have lots of energy.

Balloon Pop Challenge

Before the sleepover, write goofy dares on little slips of paper (like “sing a song in a silly voice” or “hop like a bunny”), then stick them inside balloons and blow them up. During the game, each child sits on a balloon to pop it, which itself gets funny, then reads the dare inside and has to do it. Everyone’s laughing and cheering. It’s a great way to end the night on a high-energy note.

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