Adult grandkids surprise grandparents with sleepovers in viral trend

Jess Armstrong and her cousins teamed up to surprise their "mimi and papa."

ByYi-Jin Yu via logo
January 4, 2024, 4:36 PM

Across TikTok, a viral trend has captured the hearts of social media users with video clips of adult or teenage grandchildren surprising their grandparents with unexpected sleepovers.

"Love, laugh, and make memories with grandma," captioned one TikTok user next to a video of grandchildren waving and entering a home while carrying pillows and sleeping bags and then later, eating and wearing matching pajamas while their grandmother lay nearby in her own bed.

Another video from TikTok user Alyssa Mata showed a similar scene with her and her cousins carrying blankets and backpacks before surprising their grandparents at home.

"POV [Point of view] when you grab all your primos ["cousins" in Spanish] to have a sleepover at our grandparents house," Mata wrote in text overlaid on her video.

Jess Armstrong and her cousins were all on board to jump on the trend two weeks ago and the 30-year-old shared her own TikTok video of her and her family – some of whom traveled across states – surprising their "mimi and papa" at their Michigan home on Dec. 22, ahead of Christmas.

PHOTO: Jess Armstrong and her cousins surprised their grandparents in their Michigan home with an unexpected group sleepover ahead of Christmas.
Jess Armstrong and her cousins surprised their grandparents in their Michigan home with an unexpected group sleepover ahead of Christmas.
Courtesy Jess Armstrong

"I texted all of my cousins in a huge group chat and I said, 'We have to do this. It would surprise them and they would love it,'" Armstrong told "Good Morning America."

Sure enough, Armstrong said her grandparents were taken aback but were "so excited" by the unexpected reunion of their grandchildren – eight of whom could attend in person and one via FaceTime.

PHOTO: Armstrong told “GMA” she and her cousins hope to make the surprise sleepover an annual Christmas tradition.
Armstrong told “GMA” she and her cousins hope to make the surprise sleepover an annual Christmas tradition.
Courtesy Jess Armstrong

She said it was especially meaningful to her "papa" who had been experiencing some health challenges in the past year.

PHOTO: Jess Armstrong said her grandfather, who she calls Papa, grew emotional during the reunion sleepover but was “so excited” to see and spend time with his grandchildren.
Jess Armstrong said her grandfather, who she calls Papa, grew emotional during the reunion sleepover but was “so excited” to see and spend time with his grandchildren.
Courtesy Jess Armstrong

"All night long, if the room got silent for a minute, he would tear up and he would just say, 'I just can't believe you guys did this. This is so exciting. This is the best present I could have ever asked for and I want you all to know I love each and every one of you so much,'" Armstrong said. "It was just so emotional because of all the health things he's been going through."

Armstrong said she and her cousins and grandparents all watched "Willy Wonka" together and overall, the evening was "fun" and "a good time" with everyone reminiscing together.

PHOTO: Jess Armstrong and eight of nine cousins were able to attend the sleepover in person. Her sister, who had COVID at the time, was able to FaceTime into the gathering too.
Jess Armstrong and eight of nine cousins were able to attend the sleepover in person. Her sister, who had COVID at the time, was able to FaceTime into the gathering too.
Courtesy Jess Armstrong

Her advice for other groups of grandchildren hoping to pull off the surprise is to also bring plenty of food and snacks and to clean as you go, so as not to overwhelm your grandparents with extra chores and household work.

Since the sleepover was a huge success, Armstrong said she and her cousins now hope to also make the event an annual tradition.

"This will be remembered forever," she said.