You would think that it would be easy to organise playdates with your other mummy parents, right? You just need to arrange a time and a place to meet up. However, they can sometimes be very tricky to organise, especially when you and your friends’ family calendars are so busy. Finding a time when you are all free can be the biggest challenge that you might face, but it certainly isn’t the only one. After all, you need to make sure that your children are always entertained. If they get bored during the playdate, you will certainly know about it once all the waterworks start!
Want to know the secret to organising the perfect playdate for you and your little one? Read on to find out more!
Dress For The Whatever The Weather
First of all, you need to make sure that the kids are dressed for the kind of activity that they are going to be doing on the playdate. For instance, you don’t want to dress your daughter in one of her finest dresses if a day at the beach or a local farm is on the cards. Their pretty dress could get ruined! So, it’s worth buying some kids and baby clothes that are both practical and durable, as they will survive most playdates, no matter what your kids will be doing. It’s also a good idea to send your child with a rain jacket if it looks like wet weather could be on the cards. Otherwise, they could return very soaked and very upset!
Take It In Turns For The Responsibility
You’ll probably be holding playdates with the same parents. Rather than just you or one other parent taking full responsibility of taking care of the kids, it’s a good idea to take it in turns. So, if it’s usually just you and a friend who meet up for a playdate, you might like the idea of alternating the responsibility. That way, each parent gets a well-deserved break away from the kids every now and then!
B E S T F R I E N D S
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Let The Other Parents Know About Any Allergies
If your child has any allergies, then it is important that all the other parents in your little playdate group are aware of them. This is especially important if you ever leave your child in the care of another parent. There is then no risk that they will be fed any dangerous foods by mistake. It’s also a good idea to make each parent aware of what needs to be done if your child does have an allergic reaction. For instance, you might need to show them how to use an EpiPen or explain at what point an ambulance needs to be called for.
Hide Your Child’s Favourite Toys
If you ever invite any other children around to your house, it’s a good idea to tidy away any of your child’s favourite toys. Otherwise, some of the other children might end up playing with them, and it could make your son or daughter particularly jealous. This is a surefire way for tantrums and arguments to start. It’s best not to risk this from happening at all, and to simply move any of your child’s favorite toys out of site so that none of the other kids are ever tempted by them!
Head Outdoors
If you are ever stuck for ideas for activities for one of your playdates, it’s always a good idea to head outdoors if the weather permits. As soon as kids get outside, they are always inspired with things to do. They might even just want to run around and blow off some steam! But there will be plenty of games for them to play outside that they might not have been able to do indoors. For instance, they could kick a ball around or play with a swingball set. Hide and seek will also be a lot more exciting as there will be more places to hide in outside!
Always Give A Time Warning
If there is one thing that always seems to cause major tantrums in kids, it has to be telling them that it is time to go home or time to pack up their toys. I’m sure you won’t want this happening at the end of every playdate, so it’s always worth giving them a few time warnings. That way, they know that their playtime is coming to an end, and they won’t be too surprised when it is time to go home.
These tips should make your kids’ playdates even more enjoyable!
