Do you let the kids watch movies / play video games on a play date?

[kenandbarbie]

I have five boys age 5 -7 over today. I am letting them watch tv and play video games as I think otherwise it will be like lord of the flies. Do you think that's ok?

I do but I'm always cautious about what the child's parents opinion would be of that

It’s a no here unless they have been invited over specifically to watch a movie/play video games. My DC know this and are actually usually reluctant to watch TV as they actually want to hang out with their pals - not just sit side by side on the sofa. (I will admit to this mostly relating to TV rather than games consoles though - DS is the only one who really plays the Xbox or Nintendo so the girls would never ask anyway.)

I do get what you mean about the chaos however. Why do you have 5 boys over? That’s a lot for a regular play date. (Unless 2/3 of the boys are yours and they just have 1 friend over each.) I have 4 DC and my 3 girls regualrly have friends over at the same time so 5/6 girls in the house at once, plus maybe DS and a friend of his. It’s still a no here though, but I appreciate that I am used to lots of kids in the house at one time and encouraging the kids to occupy themselves in different ways. I do often need to point them in the right direction though as visiting friends often ask to watch tv

Is that all they'll be doing? How long are they round for? Age appropriate games/tv I'm assuming?

I probably wouldn't bother inviting so many children round if all they were going to do was sit on screens though.

FWIW it wouldn’t bother me if my DC went to a friends’ house and did this though - wouldn’t be my choice, but it wouldn’t bother me if they did it elsewhere provided the game/TV/movie was appropriate.

It's lovely out here at least don't they want to run around at that age. When my DS was that age they just ran around sword fighting or playing football etc. Nerf wars anyone? But you do have to join in/supervise so they don't get too overexcited.

However now DS is 21 his friends come over and they all play video games, card games and board games. Some of them don't ever go outside except the walk from the house to a car etc .

Three are mine and two friends! The little two are out playing now. They've all calmed down a bit. Gonna get the big ones off the video games in ten mins.

All age appropriate, they were watching toy story while playing LEGO games on Nintendo ds.

I allow some (6.5 Year old) but generally at the end - so majority of play date spent playing, then maybe 20 mins before pick up watching/playing something suitable.

iPads are banned. They can wat g tv at the end if they have tidied up

Not at that age. I don't put the t.v. on and no tablets at all when they have friends over as those are unsocialable things. Games console yes, when older and 1 friend, not a group.

Surely the point is they will all play.