Day 27: Playdates

I LOVE playdates with J and our group on friends.  I get some time to chat with my girlfriends about life and get good Mommy advice.  J gets to play and learn lots good stuff.  I believe that playdates are wonderful for all children no matter of age, or if children are in school or at home. 

Here’s why:

• Playdates are wonderful for social development and making friendships.
• Playdates help children learn to share and take turns.
• They are wonderful for emotional development.
• They teach empathy by showing children how their behavior effects others emotions.
• They give children a chance to play with new toys or do new activities at another’s house.

Playdates can be structured with fun activities, like painting pumpkins…

or completely unstructured playtime.   The choice is yours.

Hints for a good playdate:

• If your hosting: ask your child to put away any toys that they are not willing to share with other children.  It’s difficult to share sometimes and even harder to share a favorite.  You can remind them that they chose to keep a toy out for their friends to play with if they are having difficulty sharing.
• Snacks are always a good thing to have on hand for the children.
• As a parent, be involved  in the playdate.  Sure, it’s fun to sit an chat with your friends, but young children still need a certain amount of guidance and help when playing with others.
• I find that playdates are more fun and usually go better if there is a structured activity.  Bring out the art supplies, or playdough and make a fun activity.

Activity #27:  Plan a Playdate

Call up your Mommy friends and schedule a time for some play!

Because I’m a Military Wife, I move a lot and am always looking for new friendships.  Finding friends is one of the most difficult part of moving.  If you don’t have Mommy friends yet, check out MeetUp.com.  I’ve found it to be very helpful in finding Mommy Groups. 

Tomorrow: Family Playtime!