£1,000 sleepover
What parents are splashing out on teepees and personalised cakes in trend imported from US
SLEEPOVERS with friends used to be simply an excuse for late nights and sugar-filled treats.
But for sleep-deprived parents, the rite of passage has become a competitive nightmare thanks to a US-driven trend to make slumber parties ever more elaborate.
A fast-growing number of ‘sleepover organisers’ are offering parents an astonishing array of extras, from spa treatments to personalised cakes.
Boasting arsenals of t eepee beds, scatter cushions, matching pyjama sets and even breakfast trays, hundreds of savvy entrepreneurs are cashing in on the trend.
Some of the businesses – which charge parents up to £ 1,000 for their bespoke services – run craft activities and photoshoots, and can even be booked to return the following day to clear up the mess.
Sam Taylor, editor of The Lady magazine who has a ten-year-old daughter, said: ‘Where once they might have been seen as a special treat, an excuse for a few little friends to come over for pizza and slumber in front of a Frozen video, they are fast morphing into Hollywood-scale productions.
‘Specialist sleepover companies provide full-scale “events”, including staffing, staging, lights, camera, action – anything you might want for whatever you are prepared to pay.’ Ms Taylor told of one mother who sprayed her whippets with luminous paint so they glowed in the dark for Hallowe’en, leading to two guests ‘being treated for panic attacks’. Kaia England, a mother-of-three from Buckinghamshire, launched her company Jimjam Wigwam in March and has been overwhelmed by the response.
She offers five themes, including vintage fairytale and rainbows, and caters mainly to girls aged nine to 11. She charges from £90 for two children, up to £420 for a group of up to 14.
Ms England said: ‘My initial goal was to fill my time between the school run. Now I’m booked up until January. My clients don’t bat an eye at what I’m charging. I suppose the average spend on a children’s party is £200 to £300. I’m finding parents will spare no expense for their little darlings.’
Company Muddy Boots charges up to £850 for luxury sleepover parties, with clients including former Big Brother star Imogen Thomas and professional footballers.
Owner C. J. Had low ,31, said :‘ Sleepover shave been going in the US and New Zealand for ages, but they’re suddenly taking off over here. I do about four parties every weekend.’
Ms Hadlow can include a 30-minute photoshoot for an extra £50, while her pamper package of foot spas, home-made face masks and silk robes costs nearly £80 extra.
Bespoke party bag company Make It Friday has also seen a huge surge in orders. Owner Wendy Kent said: ‘Some people really go for it, putting in a toothbrush, soap, a lip balm and an eye mask.’
Bonita Turner, editor of Junior Magazine, said :‘ Times have changed and there is more expectation. I don’t think just going to Pizza Express would be considered a treat now for children.’