Do kids need a sleeping bag for a teepee sleepover?

Usually not. A Team Teepee kit includes a foam mattress with a protector and fitted sheet plus a pillow and a luxury blanket for every teepee. Check with the host, but most guests only need pyjamas and their overnight bag.

Should my child bring their own pillow?

Not for a Team Teepee party. Every teepee in our kits comes with a pillow, so guests do not need to pack one. If your child settles better with their own pillow from home, they are still welcome to bring it.

What should I tell the host before a sleepover?

Share any allergies or medical needs (with a copy of any ASCIA Action Plan), medication instructions, bedtime habits, a contact number for the night and the pick-up time.

What are the essentials to bring to a sleepover?

Pyjamas, clean clothes for the morning, a toothbrush and toiletries, any medication with written instructions, and a comfort item like a teddy. Add a pillow and sleeping bag only if the host has not already sorted the bedding.

What should a 12-year-old bring to a sleepover?

The same basics as any guest, plus a phone charger if devices are allowed, skincare or pamper items if a pamper night is planned, and comfy clothes for the morning. Check with the host about devices and lights-out before the night.

What does the host need for a sleepover?

Somewhere comfortable for every child to sleep, dinner, snacks and breakfast, a loose plan for the evening and a contact number for every guest’s parent. A teepee kit takes care of the beds: each teepee comes with a foam mattress, fitted sheet, pillow and blanket.

Party planning · 5 October 2026

What to bring to a sleepover: a packing list for kids

By Team Teepee, Keyneton, Barossa Valley SA

For a kids’ sleepover, pack pyjamas, a change of clothes for the morning, a toothbrush and toiletries, any medication with clear instructions, a pillow and a favourite comfort item. Only bring a sleeping bag or blow-up mattress if the host asks. At a teepee sleepover the mattress, sheet, pillow and blanket are already provided.

We pack and unpack a lot of sleepover gear at Team Teepee, and the same few items get forgotten every time. Here is the list we would give to any guest heading to a slumber party, plus what to leave at home.

The sleepover packing list

For sleeping

Pillow, unless it is a teepee party (our kits include one)
Sleeping bag or blanket, only if the host asks
Teddy, comfort blanket or anything else that helps them settle

Clothes

Pyjamas (warm ones in winter; Barossa nights get cold)
Clean clothes, underwear and socks for the morning
Slippers or thick socks
A jumper or hoodie
Swimmers, if there is a pool or summer water play planned

Toiletries

Toothbrush and toothpaste
Hairbrush and hair ties
Face washer or wipes
Anything else they use every night, like lip balm or a night-time pull-up (packed discreetly)

Health and contact details

Any regular medication, in its original packaging, with written instructions for the host
Asthma puffer and spacer, if prescribed
For children at risk of anaphylaxis: their adrenaline device(s) and ASCIA Action Plan
A parent’s phone number written down, in case the host needs it

Optional extras

A torch (great for teepee stories after lights-out)
A book, card game or something quiet for the morning
Phone or tablet, only if the host is fine with devices
A small gift or card, if it is a birthday sleepover

World of Wizardry themed teepees with house scarves, character cushions, lanterns and white tray tables — At a teepee party, every guest's bed is already made up.

What’s already provided at a teepee sleepover

If the host has hired teepees, guests can travel much lighter. In a Team Teepee kit, every teepee comes with a foam mattress with a protector and fitted sheet, a pillow, a luxury blanket, themed cushions, a lantern, a breakfast tray and battery-operated fairy lights. That means no sleeping bags, air mattresses or camping mats are needed, and the room stays far tidier.

Pillows are included too, so guests do not need to pack one. If your child sleeps better with their own pillow from home, they are still welcome to bring it: a familiar pillow is one of the easiest ways to help a nervous first-timer feel at home.

What do you need for a sleepover? Guest vs host

Guests bring their personal things; the host sorts out the beds, the food and the plan. For a guest, the essentials are pyjamas, clothes for the morning, a toothbrush, any medication and a comfort item. For the host, it is somewhere comfortable for every child to sleep, dinner, snacks and breakfast, a rough plan for the evening and a contact number for every guest’s parent.

If you would rather not borrow mattresses and sleeping bags, our teepee sleepover party hire kits make up every guest’s bed for you: mattress, fitted sheet, pillow and blanket in every teepee.

What to bring to a sleepover for 12 year olds

Tweens need the same basics as younger guests, plus a few extras:

A phone charger, if the host is fine with devices (and an agreed time to put phones away)
Skincare or a face mask, if a pamper night is planned
Something for the activities: a movie suggestion, nail polish or a playlist
Comfy clothes for the morning, because most tween sleepovers end with a late breakfast

For party ideas that suit this age, see our sleepover ideas for 12 year olds and younger kids.

Medication and allergies: give the host the details

If your child has a food allergy, talk to the host before the party, not at the front door. The peak body for allergy specialists, ASCIA, says a copy of a child’s ASCIA Action Plan for Anaphylaxis should be stored with their adrenaline devices, so pack them together and show the host where they are. Allergy & Anaphylaxis Australia’s celebration tips also suggest sending allergy-safe treats and teaching children not to share food unless a trusted adult has checked it.

Help them feel ready

The Raising Children Network suggests talking children through what to expect before they sleep away from home, packing anything special that helps them settle, and describing their sleep routine to whoever is caring for them. A quick message to the host about bedtime habits (a night light, a story, a trip to the toilet before bed) goes a long way.

Older kids can pack their own bag using this list. Ticking items off together the night before saves a lot of “I forgot my toothbrush” phone calls.

What to leave at home

Anything valuable or irreplaceable
Toys or games that would cause a fight if lost or broken
Sleeping bags and air mattresses when the host has said beds are sorted
Candles or anything with an open flame (fairy lights at a teepee party are battery-operated)

Hosting rather than packing? Our sleepover party planning checklist covers the host’s side, and how to host a teepee sleepover party walks through the setup. You can also check a date for teepee hire from Keyneton.

Quick answers

Do kids need a sleeping bag for a teepee sleepover?: Usually not. A Team Teepee kit includes a foam mattress with a protector and fitted sheet plus a pillow and a luxury blanket for every teepee. Check with the host, but most guests only need pyjamas and their overnight bag.
Should my child bring their own pillow?: Not for a Team Teepee party. Every teepee in our kits comes with a pillow, so guests do not need to pack one. If your child settles better with their own pillow from home, they are still welcome to bring it.
What should I tell the host before a sleepover?: Share any allergies or medical needs (with a copy of any ASCIA Action Plan), medication instructions, bedtime habits, a contact number for the night and the pick-up time.
What are the essentials to bring to a sleepover?: Pyjamas, clean clothes for the morning, a toothbrush and toiletries, any medication with written instructions, and a comfort item like a teddy. Add a pillow and sleeping bag only if the host has not already sorted the bedding.
What should a 12-year-old bring to a sleepover?: The same basics as any guest, plus a phone charger if devices are allowed, skincare or pamper items if a pamper night is planned, and comfy clothes for the morning. Check with the host about devices and lights-out before the night.
What does the host need for a sleepover?: Somewhere comfortable for every child to sleep, dinner, snacks and breakfast, a loose plan for the evening and a contact number for every guest’s parent. A teepee kit takes care of the beds: each teepee comes with a foam mattress, fitted sheet, pillow and blanket.