A sleepover is when you spend the night at someone else's house, usually a friend's, for fun rather than necessity. Instead of going home after an afternoon of playing, you stay through the evening, through the night, and into the next morning, sleeping in a sleeping bag on the floor or in a spare bed.

Sleepovers often include activities that make the night feel special: staying up late watching movies, playing games, telling stories, and eating snacks that might not be allowed on regular nights. There's usually giggling after lights-out and whispering in the dark. In the morning, someone's parent typically makes breakfast for everyone.

The tradition of sleepovers lets friendships deepen in a different way than regular visits. Spending a whole night and the next morning together, you see each other at different times and in different moods. You might discover your friend is grumpy before breakfast or hilariously funny at midnight.

Parents sometimes host sleepovers for birthdays or special occasions, transforming their living room into a temporary campsite of sleeping bags and pillows. A first sleepover away from home can feel like a big adventure, a sign you're growing more independent and building your own social world beyond your family.