First play date

[CorpusCallosum]

Adorably DD(nearly 3) has made a friend at nursery. I contacted them via a Christmas card and now the girl and her mum are coming round for a play date 🥰

Thing is we've never done actual play dates with children other than NCT friends and even then rarely. I know nothing about this girl or her mum. I think having an activity planned to fall back on if things get a bit awkward would help. Any suggestions? Anything else to make this less weird?! Why does it feel weird? 😵‍💫

Well, it feels weird because it is weird. Outside of your life as a parent, when would you invite a stranger into your house socially?

Get some activity kits from Hobbycraft for the kids- you'll be able to focus on helping them.

Get something you and her can help with so you're not sat around doing nothing. Paint your own piggy banks or something. Offer drinks and snacks, have the tv on if it gets quiet.

Tea/coffee & biscuits for you, offer a selection of snacks for the kids (I normally go with some fruit and some snacks from the supermarket so the other mum can check allergies if needed). I usually put out an easy activity so maybe some stickers and crayons, or some playdoh and then let DS pick what toys he wants out.

By the time you've chatted about the kids, nursery, what you do, where she lives, sorting out any disagreements between the children, the time will fly by.