How to Have a Successful Play Date

Making the Date

1. Let your child pick the friend to play with

• Keep the play date to a small number of friends
• Try to keep the number of friends to an even number

1. Keep the play date short

• Too long of a play date and you could end up with fussy friends
• 1-2 hours is plenty to start with

1. Be prepared to hand out a snack

• Make sure to find out the allergies of those participating in the play date
• Or have the parents provide a snack for each child

1. Consider involving the other parents too

• Many children need to get use to the idea of being at someone else’s home so having a parent there can ease their anxiety.

Prepping for a Play Date

5. Prep your child for having or going to a play date
   • Put away their favorite toys, sharing our favorites can be hard
   • Let your child help pick the activity they will do with their friend
   • Plan some “break time” in case the play date gets too loud or out of control.  Have some relaxing choices for the kids to do.

Play Date Protocol

6. Help the kids connect
   • Spend a few minutes helping the children warm up to one another.  You can help facilitate a quick game or start a conversation for them.
   • Let the children know the expectations about clean up BEFORE they start playing.
   • Don’t force children to play together.  They may prefer to engage in “parallel play” where they play side-by-side rather than reciprocal play where they play together.  This is typical for younger children.
   • Make yourself available to the children to help facilitate when they need assistance with the play.

Resolving Conflicts

7. Intervene only when needed
   • Let children attempt to work out their differences on their own, but listen to how it is going and assess if you need to intervene.
   • If you need to intervene, remain calm but firm.  Let the children know that their behaviors are not appropriate and give them alternative ways to handle the situation.
   • Give lots of verbal praise throughout the play date.

Saying Good-bye

• Give fair warning about when the play date will end.  This can include letting the children know, “5 more minutes and then it is time to clean because Bobby is going home when we are done.”
• Send home a memory of the play date.  If the children made anything together (ie. Cookies, cards, models, etc) let the child bring home a reminder of how much fun they had.
• Consider taking the play date to a mutual

For the full article on play dates, please refer to the link below.

http://www.babycenter.com/0_guide-to-great-playdates_63824.bc?showAll=true