Slumber Wonderland has grown in popularity as kids and parents seek an elevated (and easier) sleepover experience. Photos: Slumber Wonderland/Julie Lyddiard.
Gone are the days of the old pull-out mattress on the lounge room floor and makeshift pillow forts, with sleepovers now becoming magical and stylish events curated by experts to elevate the experience and make it less stressful for parents.
Illawarra mum Julie Lyddiard started Slumber Wonderland four years ago, a small business that provides everything you need for the ultimate party experience from the comfort of your own home.
“I wanted to create a happy and positive experience with lasting memories for kids whilst also bringing out my creativity,” Julie said. “So I found that sleepovers were a great canvas for that.
“We provide teepees indoors and outdoors for kids and it’s all done for you; we’ve got all the bedding, the fairy lights, the accessories just to make a nice luxurious sleepover experience.”
The idea skyrocketed in popularity, with Julie now arranging up to five parties every weekend across the region, with many kids attending their friend’s party and then wanting one for themselves.
“The most popular age group is 10-year-olds, and probably 10-year-old girls tend to prefer it a bit more, but we do have a lot of boy parties too,” she said.
“And also having that party at around 12 years old where they’re having their last party with the Year Six group of friends before they all head off to high school and sometimes they’re separating and going different directions and different schools.”
Mum of three Julie Lyddiard launched the business in 2020.
Julie provides dozens of party themes to personalise the event for the specific child, with indoor and outdoor options such as bell tents, and cabanas also available, but as attractive as the glamour and luxury is, the core idea is about kids being together and just enjoying each other’s company.
“A lot of the kids these days are on their devices and not really connecting in a personal way whereas at a slumber party it just allows them to connect on a deeper basis rather than just sitting behind their screens,” Julie said.
“It’s purely about that experience and the intimate setting that the kids can share with their friends and have that moment.”
And as much as it is about the children, the business aims to be a big help for parents.
“It’s a lot more of a streamline, stress-free set-up for parents,” Julie said. “We do all the planning, the decorating, the setting up and packing away – it’s just all those additional burdens that they don’t need that we can take off them.
“One of the most common things I hear from parents when I’m going out to pick up the party is, ‘That’s just been the easiest party that I’ve ever had to host’, so to give the parents a little bit of relief, when organising a party can be so stressful.”
There are dozens of party theme options to personalise the event.
Julie has continued to develop the business based on what parents (and kids) need, including things like templates for invitations, game ideas, movie lists and even healthy recipes, to make sure the cost is worth the value.
The experiences start from $260, with options to upgrade or add extra features but Julie has also set up avenues so parents can pay in installments if they book in early.
“Obviously everyone can be affected by the cost of living. I’m a mum of three kids with a mortgage myself, so having that myself I know what it’s like to have kids and they want the parties and the experiences, so we do offer different packages for parents.”
As demand has grown, Julie has taken steps to make sure she can keep up with it to the standard that’s required, such as outsourcing laundry to a local company and buying a van to minimise trips.
She hopes the interest continues to expand so she can offer an even broader choice of experience for families.
“I do hope to expand it,” she said. “The boho theme is definitely one of our most popular so expanding and having a few boho themes as well as expanding on different ranges we can provide like personalised robes and pyjamas and also hiring some more staff.
“I think for us, just always continuing to have that magical experience for the kids and keeping them in a positive and happy environment is what I like to do.”
To find out more visit the Slumber Wonderland website.
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