How to Stay Up All Night Secretly (for Kids)

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Last Updated: April 2, 2024

Have you ever wanted some extra time to play games? Do you just want to stay up all night for fun? Or do you have a sleepover with you and your friends and want to stay up? Whatever reason you have, this article will show you how!

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1
Plan it out beforehand. You don't want to do this unprepared, unless you're a total night owl. To stay up all night, you need to have some things. If you're planning on sneaking around the house, make a map of your house. Test the floors, chairs, couch, and beds and mark out where things creak, shake, or make any noise when you move around. If you're afraid of the dark, plan out which areas you will avoid. You're almost ready to start. Get all your things and entertainment ready to go. Stuff it somewhere inconspicuous (like under your bed). Also, you will want to place a bucket of cold water or a wet cloth there too.
- Get a lot of sleep the night before you do this, however, try going to bed a little later then wake up as late as possible. Don't go to bed early as you may get tired earlier, for example, if you go to bed at 9:00 PM, you will start to feel tired around that time on the day you are staying up.
Go at your normal time, acting completely ordinary. You can't have them suspecting anything. If you have a computer, PlayStation, DS, Xbox, etc. in your room, it is a good idea to leave them on with the monitor off, because if you have to turn it on totally in the middle of the night your parents (even sleeping ones) will be woken by the sudden change in volume.

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3
Once you go to bed, wait until your parents go to sleep before doing anything. This may take a long time, even more than an hour, but be determined to stay awake. Now, once your parents are asleep, it's time for you to have lots of fun!
- If your parents haven't fallen asleep, hide under the covers of your bed with a mobile device with low brightness. You should make the volume very low so you can hear if they're walking around.
- Make sure to have a plan to hide your electronics in case your parents get out of bed.
4
Get out something small like a tablet or phone to occupy yourself until your parents are completely asleep (or if they are light sleepers.) Don't leave your room. It'll pass time for a while. Get on the computer or something that will keep your brain active. Remember that you want the devices as silent as possible so it won't wake up your parents.
- Keep one earbud or cover of your headphones out of your ear so you can hear what’s going on around you.
- If you are using a phone or gadget, make sure you have a cover on it, so if one of your parents come in, you can fold the cover over to block the light emanating from the device. You could also put it under your duvet to hide it.
When you find yourself closing your eyes, go as quietly as possible and put a cold rag on your face or splash water on your face. It feels awful but it will keep you awake.
6
Sneak around the house! Try to unwrap snacks BEFORE bedtime so it doesn’t crinkle and make noise. Store them in an airtight box instead. Only eat things that aren’t crunchy if it is very quiet.
- Hide snacks such as granola bars in a hidden place such as your dresser, under your pillow, or in your closet. Don't keep them open for many hours as it may attract ants.
- Fake sleep when you hear someone coming or creaking noises.
7
Once it's 3 AM, you will begin to feel very tired. Put another cold rag or splash water on your face and watch some TV or do extra homework.
- Drink tea, coffee, or anything with caffeine before bedtime. This will keep you awake.

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What if I hear fake footsteps and keep on closing my laptop?

Community Answer

It's okay to be paranoid! Being extra cautious is better than getting caught. You could also do something that would be easier to hide, like reading in bed on your side so that if anybody looked in it would look like you were asleep.

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What if I have to pee?

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Pee. If you run into a parent or something, just say you woke up and you had to go to the bathroom. It happens.

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Can I turn in my "sleep" as they are walking by?

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Yes. Lots of people move in their sleep, so it will seem normal to them. Don't do it super abruptly though, try to make the movement slow and casual.

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Tips

Make sure you put the brightness down on a device with a screen so your family doesn't see.

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Play with your toys! (If you want, you can make them go on adventures!)

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Make sure the volume on the TV is low if you plan to watch it. Also, consider putting the captions on the bottom so you can read the words as well.

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The advice in this section is based on the lived experiences of wikiHow readers like you. If you have a helpful tip you’d like to share on wikiHow, please submit it in the field below.

Don't turn on too many lights if you can help it because the light will shine under the door. If your parents get up in the middle of the night to go to the bathroom they might see it and realize that you're awake.
If you get hungry, don't eat loud snacks. They could wake up your parents or alert your pets. If you have a dog, it'll likely start barking. Go for soft snacks, like a banana, that won't make a lot of noise.
If you think you'll want snacks, try to get them ahead of time and hide them under your bed or in your closet. That way, you won't have to leave your room after you're supposed to be asleep.
The best trick is to clean your room. If you step on or trip over something on the floor, you're more likely to wake your parents up.
Only drink when you're really thirsty to cut down on trips to the bathroom.

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Warnings

Do not go into your back yard, take the dog for a walk, or anything like that because if you get hurt or taken, nobody will realize what has happened until it is too late.

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Avoid this if you have strict parents. You may get punished if your parents find out.

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Do not try this if you do not have a separate room from your parents or one of your nosy siblings.

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Be careful consuming too much caffeine and sugar. It isn't good for your body.

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Do not do this on a school night! You will feel awful being at school with no sleep. If you're too tired, you may need to fake sick, which, while getting you a day off, will put you behind in schoolwork.

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