Tips for Hosting a Playdate
Hosting a playdate is an excellent way to meet new parents and encourage new friendships among the local children. Today we're going to show you how to host a playdate that's stress-free, fun, and allows your family to meet new people from your local community.
It's important to remember that playdates should always be fun for everyone involved. While it can be nice to get together and talk about the children, it's crucial that every parent has a good time.
Consider a Potluck Playdate
The focus of a potluck-style playdate is having fun and getting to know one another, not imposing on your guests with rigid rules. A potluck playdate is a great way to encourage guests to bring the most delicious treat from their kitchen, so it's guaranteed that everyone will have a good time.
In order for a potluck playdate to be fun and stress-free, every guest should arrive on time with a plated dish full of a tasty treat.
Know Your Guests
It's bad manners to invite guests to your home without getting to know at least two of them first. We recommend inviting at least five people in order to ensure that you don't end up alone after the party, or with awkward conversations when there aren't enough kids' friends around for everyone.
Making Sure the Kids Are Enjoying Themselves
Making sure the children are having a good time is your number one priority. When you're hosting a playdate, it's important to make sure everyone has fun. It's also crucial that the activities you incorporate into your playdate match with the ages and personalities of all children involved.
For example, arranging a playdate with smaller children is likely to resemble a supervised art and craft session, while older kids may prefer to be allowed free use of your family room and electronics.
Potential Problems During Playdates
There are some difficulties that can arise when hosting a playdate, but they're easily avoided if you're familiar with the most common problems.
During the first few playdates, it's common for the kids to be shy and uninterested in mingling with one another. This can be fixed by introducing games that encourage conversation between children who don't know each other well.
Parents often take their children to different activities or leave them at home alone during the first playdate. It's important to make sure that you invite at least two parents to each playdate, in order for the other children not to be left alone or taken away.
Be Encouraging but not Forceful
When parents try to force their children into mingling with one another, it causes problems. There are some things that make it difficult for kids to get along well during a playdate, and it is important to be understanding of that.
If the children are too shy or under-socialized, always make sure there's something they can do quietly if they don't feel like joining in the game at the moment. For example, many children like to read books or color pictures.
The Most Important Thing to Remember
Everyone has bad days, and it's important not to take any of the children's behavior personally. If your child is having a bad time, make sure that everything possible is done to facilitate an easy escape without hurting anyone's feelings.
Creating new friendships in the neighborhood is often difficult if you don't know where to start. By following our tips, you can make sure that your guests will have a good time and go home with at least one new friend from down the street.
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Thank you for reading this content. We hope this blog will help you find the best way for you and your family to celebrate the new year’s eve.
Here’s a FREE Kiddie Crunch Mix recipe made by Peake Academy at Home. It’s a perfect treat for play dates, as you can easily increase the amount to fit your needs.
Visit our Parent Advisor and The Buzz Blogs to learn more about related topics and parenting tips. You are welcome to join our private Parent Advisor Facebook group. It’s a growing community of parents and preschool teachers where you can learn and share more parenting tips.