Whether your little one is shy or has never interacted with other children of their own age before, a playdate can be a great way of breaking the ice for your tot and their new friends. Here are some great ways to ensure that your preschooler’s playdates go well:
Respect their feelings
While your preschooler could decide to become friends with someone that you don’t approve of initially - you should still respect their feelings and encourage a friendship between the two of them. Your little one will be the one playing with their new friend, not you, and they may see a different side to them that you don't see. So unless their new friend is a bad influence or a bully, you should still organise a playdate for the two of them.
Organise playdates
Your little one may have talked about their new friend a lot, but it will probably be up to you to organise a playdate for your child and their new friend. You can either get in contact with their parents or get your tot to invite their new friend over themselves. Playdates are an ideal way for your little one to get to know their new friends when they're at their most comfortable.
Your child is the host
While you are responsible for looking after your little one and their friend during a playdate, it can be a good idea to let your tot take control when their friend comes over. Let your little one be the host, especially if their friend is coming over to their house. It can be a good idea to have a talk with your little one beforehand about all the games and activities that your child and their friend can play together.
Keep them short
It’s best to limit pre-schooler playdates to two hours and inform your child and their friend about that length of time beforehand. Your little one and their friend will tire easily, so it’s best to keep their meet-ups as short as possible, so they can have more enjoyable ones in the future.
