Playdates

[EasterBunny21]

Can someone please talk me through a playdate for older primary aged children. It’s probably not even a playdate at that age actually!

I really want my daughter to have friends over but I’m quite an antisocial person and wouldn’t know where to put myself when they were here plus our house is quite small!

If your child has a friend round, IME it is usual to provide something nice for them to eat (generally something generically simple that most dc eat - not a more formal dinner), and generally stay out their way and let them get on with it.

Mine would disappear to her room with friend. I'd offer some snack/drinks. If staying for dinner make something simple that you'd expect most children would eat.

If your DC is a bit shy/out of practice, keep an eye on them. If you find your DC reading in one room while the friend twiddles her thumbs in another they aren't really interacting, be prepared to suggest an activity they can do alongside each other to warm up. HAMA beads, making a bracelet, decorating a little trinket box etc are good for this. Wilko has some inexpensive craft kits, as do The Works and most supermarkets.

Thank you for these! So much. I’m actually embarrassed I’ve had to post this.

I’m such an awkward person and didn’t have many friends as a child so I’m a bit out of the loop.

I’m worried we don’t have enough for them to do. One of my daughters groups of friends seem to have completely bypassed a stage of childhood and only care about Roblox etc. The other ones friends are more likely to be happy crafting and playing games etc.

I suppose if we limit it to a couple of hours to begin with we can see how we get on.

What do you do yourself when their are friends over? Do you tend to keep yourself busy with a job in the house or would you feel comfortable chilling out reading a book or something?

I think a couple of hours is fine. You can always gradually increase the length of playdates if they're going well.

Show the visiting child where the toilet is, and offer a drink from time to time, especially if it's hot - some children will be too shy to ask.

Either busying yourself with a job, or chilling out with a book, would be ok. Just be sure to stay home! The worst playdate horror stories I've heard have been when the hosting parent has decided to go out and leave the kids unattended.

Also, just before a playdate at our house, I usually remind my DC that they are not to play in my bedroom with their friends.