The MomSpeak

Children love to have friends over to play, but parties and playdates can be a little intimidating for parents.  High energy kids running amuck in your home or yard, refereeing squabbles over toys, and the potential for meltdowns or tears can deter even the bravest soul.  And the cost of these parties, big and small, can quickly escalate.  But it need not be so — hosting three, and even more kids at your house can actually be fun, worry-free, and inexpensive.  

Watching your little one develop friendships is undoubtedly one of the highlights of the preschool years, for you and your child.  And before you know if your child will be the one introducing you to new friends, little and big ones, that you may well keep for a lifetime.  So enjoy this amazing process.  Go ahead and invite over some friends.  These great ideas will make sure you all have a wonderful time and that you don’t go broke in the process.




Paper Bag Pinatas 
Activity for 3-6 year olds

Give your child a small brown paper bag and let them decorate it how they want. This can be elaborately, with sequins and glitter, or simply, with crayons. Put a few pieces of candy in the bag and close by folding over the top. Punch two holes at the top and run enough yarn through the holes to be able to hang it from a high place and still be at children’s height to swing at.

Materials Needed: Small brown paper bags, candy, yarn, crayons, decorative materials of parent’s choice

 

Musical Beach Ball 
Activity for 3-6 year olds

Invite a few of your child’s friends over to play. Masking tape one Hot Wheel car, or other small inexpensive toy, for each child all around a beach ball. Turn on your child’s favorite music and pass the beach ball around. When the music turns off, whoever has the ball gets to rip off a car and keep it! Then that child can sit down and the rest can continue playing until all the cars are gone. Great for parties — or for anytime special occasions.

Materials Needed: Beach ball, masking tape, small toy cars

 

Living Room Plays 
Activity for 3-6 year olds

Next time you have a group of children together, try this fun activity. Let the children choose a story to act out, one that you know the story of, as well. Let each child choose each part that he or she wants to play — it’s fine if there’s more than one child playing a character. Then narrate the plot or read aloud the story to the group of children. As you narrate the story, the children should act out their roles according to your instructions. Be sure to give extra verbal cues when necessary, like “then Sleeping Beauty climbed the stairs” and all the Sleeping Beauties should pretend to climb stairs, or “the prince chopped through the vines to the castle” and all the princes should pretend to chop with a sword. It won’t matter if there are several children for each part. They all will act together and have fun together.

Materials Needed: Costumes if you like, but it’s not necessary

 

Cookie Cutter Sandwiches 
Activity for 2-6 year olds

This is a fun way to let your kids help in the kitchen and get them to eat their sandwiches. Make a peanut butter and jelly sandwich (or something else that would be easy to cut through) and then help your child to cut the sandwich into a shape with a cookie cutter. These are a lot of fun to serve at birthday parties and playdates.

Materials Needed: Sandwich fixings, cookie cutter

 

Playing in the Band 
Activity for 1-6 year olds

When you are having a playdate or a group of children play together, gather any and all instruments you have. Be the drummer and create a consistent beat and have the children fill in with the other instruments. Explain what each instrument is and that they are a band. Now whenever I have our regular playdate the kids immediately get the band material and we have jam sessions!

Materials Needed: Toy instruments