21stSlumberParty

21st Birthday sleepover ideas

What comes to mind when you think of a slumber party? Probably some teenage girls gathered around the bedroom floor, gossiping about everybody in middle school. Well, that needs to change. Adults can have a slumber party too – especially if it involves a birthday party as well. 

A sleepover with your friends can be the best way to celebrate your 21st birthday. Not only will it give you a chance to spend some meaningful time with your friends, but you can also recreate some of the greatest memories from your youth days.

If you are looking for birthday party ideas, we have got it all covered for you, with a selection of the best birthday sleepover ideas for your special party. This guide to a 21st birthday sleepover birthday celebration party will cover a  range of different party ideas for you choose from:

Planning for the party

Inviting your guests

Arranging the sleepover

Deciding on a theme

Entertaining your guests

Gathering all the food supplies.

Planning the Slumber Party

Once you are 21, you will begin to realize how difficult it can be to gather all of your friends together on one night especially for a party birthday that is an extra special one. Some may have prior commitments that you would have to adjust with, and others may be uncomfortable with getting to know other friends of yours that they are not already familiar with. Regardless of these problems, you can still have a sleepover birthday party for yourself with the party ideas of your choice.

Here are some of the key party ideas that you should address before your 21st birthday party:

  1. Guest List

Who are you going to invite? By 21, chances are that you have some close friends from high school, some from college, and even some from your workplace. You also probably have friends of both genders. When planning for such a diverse party, make sure that every guest has at least one friend that they are comfortable with (not including you, of course).

If you are having a co-ed slumber party, we recommend arranging for two separate sleeping areas for people who are not comfortable mingling with the opposite gender, adequate dressing areas for the morning, and even some extra mirrors here and there. Try to cater to the needs of your friends as much as possible, but we don’t recommend stressing about it too much. Chances are that your friends will be understanding, especially since it is your birthday party and a special birthday celebration.

  1. Date of the Sleepover

Everybody has different schedules. Some work late nights, and others have prior commitments with their families. We suggest asking your friends when they are all available and planning your slumber party accordingly. While you may not be able to choose a date that is preferable for everybody, we recommend selecting one when most of your close friends are available. This may mean having to celebrate a post or pre birthday, but that’s all a part of turning 21.

  1. Where’s the Party?

When you plan for a sleepover, you are probably thinking of your own house. But if you live in a shared space with other people, you may not find it adequate to invite a large number of people there. We recommend checking in at a local hotel for your slumber party, or simply your backyard if you have one.

Sending the Invitations

Once you have all the technicalities sorted out, it is time to start sending invitations. Since we live in the modern world of technology, you may find it convenient to simply text your friends about the slumber party. But if you want to go all out for your 21st birthday, we suggest sending handmade invitations or customized printed invitations. These can be a great memoir for your slumber party, too.

Selecting a Theme

All great slumber parties should have a theme. If you think that themes are only fun when you are children, that is certainly not the case. While you are allowed to borrow some ideas from children slumber parties such as having a color theme, you can also choose from some adult themes for your party.

Here are a few party ideas to consider:

  1. Hollywood

This is probably the most common adult theme for a party. Since you are just stepping into adulthood, it would be fun to celebrate your night by acting rich and famous. Your guests will love these ideas. Having a Hollywood theme would mean:

Red carpet entrance

Fancy dresses

Photo booth

A banner with some Hollywood stars

The iconic Hollywood sign as a prop

  1. Glow in the Dark

If you want to make things a little more unique, we suggest opting for a glow in the dark theme; this is one of the best party ideas for slumber parties. Your guests will love these ideas. This would include:

Black lights

Neon fabric paint

Neon dresses

Loud music for a dance party

Glow sticks for your guests.

  1. Casino and Vegas

Turning 21 means you are now legally allowed to drink and play lots of poker. What better way to do that than by arranging a casino and Vegas themed slumber party? This party can include the following party games:

Poker games

Alcoholic drinks in fancy glasses

Lots of music

Black and red decorations

Dice props

Flashing lights.

Arranging the Party

Even if you do not decide on a theme for your 21st birthday slumber party, decorations are still important. Give your sleepover party a birthday theme by having glitter balloons and banners, especially those that say happy birthday. You can even get 21 numbered balloons in gold color as a decoration.

Apart from décor, your slumber party will also need some big pillows and warm blankets for all your guests to be comfortable. You can also add flowers, streamers, and fairy lights to give it a more birthday party ambiance.

Entertaining the Guests

What do adults do on a sleepover? Well, almost exactly what children would do: play games. There are many ways that you can entertain your guests throughout the night with lots of different types of party games. We suggest bringing out some of the most popular board games – including monopoly, UNO, or even Cards Against Humanity.

If you are inviting different groups of friends, you can plan for icebreaking activities such as Dumb Charades or Pictionary where everybody can have fun.

Arranging the Food

Since sleepovers begin sometime in the evening and end during the next morning, there are many food options that you will have to arrange for the next day . Before finalising the menu, we recommend considering any dietary restrictions or allergies that your friends may have. The best way to avoid any complications is to opt for simple snacks – but you can always ask your friends if they have any allergies that you should be careful of, or if there is anything in particular that they would like for the next day.

For dinner, you can either cook it yourself or order some takeout. Pizza tends to be the most popular sleepover food options and is a great option for birthday ideas for a special birthday, but you could also order in some Chinese or cook pasta yourself. If you are having a sleepover in the backyard, you can always opt to have a barbecue.

For snacks during the night, you can arrange for fruit trays, a cheese platter, some chips, popcorn, and some candies. This is one of the most popular sleepover ideas for a birthday. We recommend having finger foods for snacks since they will be easier to serve and create no mess.

For the next morning, you can set up a bagel table with different toppings for everybody to enjoy or simply bake a big cinnamon roll cake.

Remember not to stress about the slumber party too much and just enjoy yourself. After all, it is your 21st birthday!