I have been a stay at home mom for 19 months and counting! It is a job that I love very much but also one that can be isolating. Most days my two sons and I stay at home and that means my daily interactions are with them and my husband when he gets home from work. I don’t know about you but some days I need to talk to adults about things that aren’t coloring, dinosaurs and why you can’t eat bananas all day everyday (my son would literally eat 5 bananas a day if I’d let him). One solution to this feeling of mommy isolation that I have recently been exploring is play dates. I started a group on Facebook and invited all the moms I knew with younger kids. It’s a place where we can offer advice to one another, share stories and encourage one another. This summer we had our first group play date, a splash bash, so that we could all get together in person. It was so much fun and we are actually having another play date this weekend that is Halloween themed. I wanted to share some ideas for group play dates for anyone that needs some help getting their own started.
Why Play Date?
Everyone participated in play dates for a variety of reasons. Personally, I wanted to start connecting with other moms and their to allow my kids to have some social interactions since they don’t go to daycare. I also wanted to create a group of families with children where we could all support each other during this crazy time of parenthood. Let’s face it...parents need all the help they can get. I know I do!
Play Date Ideas
During play dates you can do whatever interests you and the other families. Go to a park and play, make some crafts together, share tips and advice, celebrate Holidays together, or visit different places in the community. Some fun theme ideas for play dates could be a splash bash in the summer (have a bunch of different water play activities available for the children to explore), art exploration, music and movement, Holidays, or just get together to play.
Things to Remember
-Make sure you’re having fun and keep it simple. The kids will enjoy getting to know each other and playing so it doesn’t have to be a fancy party.
-Take time to get to know the other parents and be there for one another. I really love how this play date group has helped me reconnect with classmates from school and other friends I had lost touch with.
-Share the load and take turn hosting play dates or planning things.
-Enjoy your time with your kids and the other families. Taking time to just enjoy life and sharing it with others is a great use of time in my opinion.
Do you have any fun group play date ideas? Share them below!