What is a good age for kids to start doing sleep overs? Our DD is almost 4, and I'm sure that I wouldn't send her off yet. But I might be brave enough to do one here. Then again, a group of 4 yo's in our house with just DH and I - I may need reinforcements!!

My dd started doing sleepovers (both at our home and at other's homes) when she was 8.

JMO, I think 4 might still be a little young for sleepovers, especially group sleepovers. Some kids may be nervous being away from mom and dad, some kids may still have bathroom issues, etc. Maybe 6 or 7 would be a good time to try inviting one child over to see how it goes.

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I think it all depends on the kid and who will be sleeping over or where they are going etc. my oldest just went to her first one at a friends this past spring and she is 8 but she would not even sleep over at nana and papas house (she is a lkid who likes her own bed)

I do think 4 is a bit young unless they are close friends or family. but that is my opnion.

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I think 4 is a little young. If your not willing to let your dd go then I would bet other mom's feel the same. I think 6 is a good age. That's when my oldest ds started having sleepovers at his friends house.

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I think it totally depends on the child...

My kids were sleeping at 'Grandmas' from when they were VERY small (less than a year). They're 10 and 13 now and still love spending the night at her house.

They started friend sleepovers at about Kindergarten/First Grade.

My older son has a friend that doesn't do sleepovers. He's just uncomfortable not being home at night. So when DS invites him...he comes til about 11PM and then either my DH drives him home or his parents come get him. Sometimes he even returns in the early AM, but he's just not comfortable spending the night at someplace other than his home. No biggie. But he is still able to participate almost as much, and has fun - which is great.

I agree with both these points that Kellyandgirls made. I think it depends. It depends on how well you know the people, and your own child's personality. My dd wanted to start spending the night at "friends" houses when about 5 years old. My ds on the other hand wouldn't even stay at his grandparents even with his sister there until he was probably 8 or so. I think I'd let them stay at family or close friends as soon as my child was willing, but I wouldn't let them go to friend's houses I didn't know as well overnight until they were probably 6 or older. I would be prepared to have to pick them up too if needed. My ds would often SAY he was going to stay at grandma & grandpa's house, but as soon as it would get dark, they'd be calling us to pick him up. We always did, because my child feeling secure was more important to me than the inconvenience of having to pick him up.

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I tend to think that 4 is a bit young. My brother and I both were staying in vacation homes two doors away (he owns his and we were staying at my parents' home) and we hosted his 6 year-old daughter and my 5 year-old daughter for a sleepover. Now, I would say that my niece is very secure socially and she was very familiar with our vacation home and she knew that her family was just two doors a way BUT she did freak out and miss her mother before she went to bed.

I'd wait a year or two...

Sleepovers start one at a time. In other words, invite only ONE child over at a time. Younger kids have a very difficult time playing with a crowd so you don't have to worry about dealing with a bunch of 4-yr olds yet.

DD just had a sleepover b-day party. Not all the girls were able to stay because they had never done a sleepover before and for a couple of girls it was their first sleepover. DD was turning 7 and she is the youngest girl in her group.

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