One week on and I am still excited at the thought that I did my first sleepover and it was a success. I have helped at sleepovers before but this was the first where it was my responsibility. I was well-organised and knew what I had to do but Rainbows are an unknown quantity and none of them had slept away from home unless at a friends or relative so it was a big step for all of them. I had one girl drop out at the last minute as she was ill and another arrived late as she had been unwell in the morning (just as well she turned up as we needed her DVD to watch at bed-time but we made a back up plan involving going to Asda to buy the DVD)
The girls arrived all excited laden down with sleeping bags, airbeds, pillows, teddies, little suitcases and several other essential items, unbelievable to think they were only there for one night but I was just as bad.
Our theme was Frozen so we had many crafts and activities about snowmen, snowflakes, ice, trolls, Elsa and Anna (the main characters from the film in case you have succeeded in missing the film). Rainbows were a hive of industry sewing, painting, gluing all with a generous smattering of glitter. Stopping only for tea the Rainbows were busy all evening always asking "What's next?"
Finally we all got ready for bed and watched the film. Just in case I didn't know what was happening in the film there was always a Rainbow eager to tell us what was happening or what was coming up. And of course they had to sing along with all the songs. I could tell, as the film went on more and more were getting tired and at 10:30 they went to bed. Of course that meant they were suddenly wide awake It was a lovely sight to see them all lying in bed reading their books until we put the lights out. It took a long while for them to go to sleep but they were never noisy and so those who couldn't sleep didn't disturb those who could.
The leaders went to bed at 1:00 and there were still some Rainbows awake but eventually they all slept. Only one Rainbow woke up crying during the night and wanted to go home but my very capable young leader sat with her until she settled again though in my mind I was already going through the "come and collect your daughter" phone call. The most annoying part of the night was my airbed going down but fortunately one of the other leaders was in a very cold part of the room and was freezing, so I sent her upstairs to a warmer room and pinched her air bed.
The first Rainbow awoke at 7:00 but again just lay quietly and as they one by one started to wake up they read their books until I said they could get up.
For Sunday morning we changed the focus of activities to the summer (a girl can only take so much of snowmen and winter). A few Rainbows were a bit more subdued on Sunday due to lack of sleep but they still joined in. Before we went home I asked if they wanted to do another sleepover and one Rainbow said she wanted to do the whole sleepover again and do it exactly the same.
I am so relieved it was a success but that wouldn't have happened without the fantastic team that supported me. If they saw anything that needed doing they just did it without being asked and kept everything ticking along so that I could concentrate on keeping the whole event on track. So thank you to Kate, Irene, Gail and Janis, without them it wouldn't have taken place.
Its probably fitting that the badge we got was "My first Rainbow overnight" as I don't think I slept. I might have dozed for a few minutes but that hasn't put me off. I now need to complete the paperwork to gain my Overnight license and then look forward to planning the next sleepover (after buying a new airbed of course)
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