Is 3 a bad number for playdate

[skewiff]

Just wondering what you think ...

Is 3 a bad number for a playdate - with 4 year olds.

Is one always going to be left out?

What are your experiences?

Thank you.

If you are prepared to have some activities laid on for them it should be fine. Carfts are good...just a load of coloured paper, stickers, glue sticks and glitter keeps them happy for ages.

Keep them busy and don't leave them alone.

Ok -

Just out of interest - would you be the same for just 2 children (of this age)? Or would you leave them to their own devices more - if there were just 2 of them?

I am a bit of a novice at all of this - as my son has mild special needs and was not very social at all for his first few years due to doing loads of therapies with him.

Thank you again.

Depends whether they all know each other equally well. We regularly had any 3 of 4 girls (inc dd) for playdates when dd was 4, and one doesn't always get left out (though sometimes might).

With my older daughter (now 5) - who has developed slowly socially and has needed help at school and from us by having playdates etc. - I would definitely try to avoid having 3 children as she often gets left out.

But agree with SeeJaneKick that it can work if you use structured activities (I've had 3 or 4 friends over for a crafty mini Xmas party and that's worked).

I'd be much more relaxed about having 3 with my very sociable younger daughter, but suppose SHE might leave someone out!

Depends on the kids. Try it and see!!! Sometimes with 3 one will go off and do their own thing, but then this happens with 2 as well sometimes .

I think 4 is an in between age. They can be left to their own devices but you need to keep an ear/eye out for angst building/bad behaviour before it escalates if poss!

IME, three is a really bad number. OTOH, maybe I've just been unlucky.

Also...some kids don't like crafty things so much as others so be aware you may have one moany one!

Plus....often they get tired and its fine to let them watch a DVD with some snacks...they love that actually and they're still socialising.

Thank you =

None of the children I am thinking of are into crafty activities - they are boys ...

We've tried doing 3 a couple of times but each time one has been left out and they are hard children to organise - so maybe we should just try to stick to 2 in the future ...

Or perhaps just going to the park might be better.

My older 2 boys have always liked doing crafty things. They still do and oldest DS is nearly 10.

I do think 3 is not an ideal number as someone may get left out.

generally I think 3 rarely works. I mean ds1 has mild AS, and the boy he wante dot be freinds with was also freinds with somoene esle and as a group of 3, it never worked.
Yet we took 3 of them to the cinema (£1 sat morning film) and they were fab. I have had 3 round my house, for jumping on trampoline, then chips, for a short time, before being picked up.
depends. What is you gut instinct? sounds like its probably no. I would agree.

the 3 round my house were a different 3, who were all friends with ds, and eachother. And I knew as a group they got on fine.

Thank you.

Yes - my gut instinct is that it does not work. But I think taking them out somewhere would - so I'll suggest we try that from now on.