Fun Playgroup and Play Date Ideas

Play dates can be a wonderful tool for both the child and parent. Children learn to socialize, share, and just have fun with other kids their age. Play dates will help your child become more comfortable in group settings with other children and help boost your child’s imagination. If you brainstorming for fun, creative ideas for your next play date, here are a few for you to consider.

Play-doh and Pretzels Play Date

This theme is probably most ideal for ages two and up. It may get messy, but a good time will be had by all the kids. Purchase play-doh in different colors and let their imaginations go wild! You can even let them use some cookie cutters or a play-doh kit for making animals, squeezing and building. For snacks, you can keep can keep with the “P” theme. We chose pretzels, but the possibilities are endless…pancakes, pizza, popsciles, cheese puffs.

Painting Play Date

This might be a messy acitvity too, but sure to be fun! All kids love creating and expressing and painting is a great way for them to do it. Cover a table with newspaper and use watercolors as your painting tool. For smocks you can use some old t-shirts.

Meet Someplace

The park is a great place for a playdate. There are playgrounds for the kids, you can play freeze tag, or even a good game of red light, green light. After all the playing is done you can have a lunch picnic with your playgroup. Fast food restaurants, while not the healthiest choice, also offer a great playdate scene. You can eat, let your kids play at the playground (which is often indoors, so this is a great idea for rainy days), and also socialize with the other moms while the kids play.

Do Something That Goes Along with the Season

Try visiting a pumpkin patch in the fall or seeing a holiday play in near Christmastime. In the spring you can hit the zoo or a local splash park in the summer. These activities may not be free, but will definitely provide a great experience for the kids.

Free=Fun: Look-Up Free Activities in Your Area

Many local libraries and some bookstores do a free story time as often as once a week. It is a great 30 minute activity. Afterward you can take the kids to lunch or to the park to play. During the summer months, Regal Cinemas offers free movies once a week. Check your local venues and see what your city has to offer!