Friends from left, Sarah Jacobson, 14, and Jordan Swartzendruber 13, enjoy some late night TV at Jacobson's home after a dance at West Junior High, as part of a sleepover Jacobson was having.

Sure, there’s the first crush, the new bra and maybe the occasional Quinceanera, but what girl doesn’t look back on slumber parties as one of the most memorable rites of passage into adolescence? The kind of bonding that occurs between girls in an overnight party sets the foundation for relationships in adulthood.

So when it comes time to hosting your own daughter’s slumber parties, the good news is the ingredients for a memorable time are simple: girls, entertainment and most importantly — food.

Leah Richardson says spontaneity often creates more magic than planning when her 15-year-old daughter, Xan, has friends over.

“The girls hole up in her room, a lot of food is consumed, a lot of squeals and music,” Richardson says. “They bring out the laptops and iPods and just catch up on everything.”

Richardson says the girls are pretty self-sufficient when it comes to entertainment, and they sometimes do a movie night with pay-per-view. But that’s about as close to a theme as they get.

Dru Forrester agrees.

“These days, the biggest theme is spending time with the girls,” says Forrester, who finds that hosting overnight parties for her daughter, Sarah Jacobson, has definitely become easier now that Sarah is a teenager.

“When she was 7 or 8, it was more stressful because you really have to constantly keep an eye on them at that age, and you have that important responsibility of taking care of other people’s children. We had more planned activities when she was at that age, but Sarah is so creative she handled a lot of that herself.”

Sarah recalls choosing particular themes for her girlfriends.

“I would pick certain colors, like lime green and blue, and one time I made a brochure with different games stations around the house.”

These days, she keeps it simple.

“We play ‘Mario Kart’ on the Wii, and we’re pretty much obsessed with that game,” she says. “We might watch a movie, hang out and talk, and every now and then we might look at pictures on Facebook or do the web cam.”

Dru Forrester says she likes to monitor the Internet to make sure the girls are using it appropriately, but other than that and making sure the refrigerator is stocked, she has little preparation when it comes to Sarah’s parties.

For those looking for something outside the norm, other options include overnights excursions with local organizations.

For instance, the Lawrence Gymnastic Academy hosts overnight lock-ins that feature games and gymnastics lessons.

“When they first come in we give the kids some free time on the equipment and then do some games like King of the Mountain, Gladiator and Octopus,” says the LGA’s Carol McGarity. “They have a gymnastics class for an hour, and one of their favorite parts is turning off the lights and playing hide and go seek.”

McGarity says there are typically between 10 and 20 children during an overnight, and usually a parent will stay over to assist. Her recommendation for a successful evening?

“Bring lots and lots of food,” she says. “They’ll be up late, and they’ll be hungry.”

For children looking for an outdoorsy adventure, the Kansas City Zoo features Nocturnal Zoo-fari Campouts where overnight guests can spend the night on zoo grounds.

“It’s an outdoor camping adventure on the grounds, but not in an animal exhibit,” says Debra Ryder, the zoo’s education director. “They set up their own campsite and explore nocturnal animals like jackals and bats or chinchillas. We also do sensory activities and roast marshmallows.”

Ryder says the breakfast held in the chimp area provides a particularly memorable bonding experience for overnight guests.

But whether your pajama party consists of an outdoor campout or a casual evening with the girls, there’s one thing for certain — the conversations that memories are made of will likely last into the wee hours of the morning.

“I’ve pulled about two all-nighters so far,” says Sarah Jacobson. “But my mom always has waffles, bacon and some orange juice in the morning to carry me through. That’s what it’s all about.”