How To Plan A Group Playdate Without Having To Do Everything By Yourself

When it gets too cold for the playground, but the kids still have lots of energy - let them party it out and split the expenses and responsibilities between the parents

2016 may not have had too much of a winter, but just like any other year, we still had to come up with some creative, fun in-door ideas for kids. The group playdate is always a great substitute for the playground experience, but as much as we love hosting, entertaining 10-15 little ones can be exhausting. That is why we came up with a solution that both takes the pressure off the host, and allows other parents to demonstrate their strong skills and creativity.

One of the moms in the playgroup does movement therapy for a living? Have her give a cool dance session for the children. Another mom is a real foody? She can set up a cupcake decorating station. One of the dads plays the guitar? Why not ask him to host a sing-along? You'll be surprised how cooperative parents can be when asked to share their individual talents and passions.

Guests are invited through Funnster, which is also how responsibilities are divided between the parents. By creating a list of stations and activities, each parent can chose the one that's closest to them. Parents who are left station-less can bring food and beverages, or easily chip in on the expenses through the app.

Here are some all-time favorite ideas for your next playdate. Choose the ones that are age appropriate for you and enjoy!

Dance Party

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Crank up the music and let them rock and roll! You can either go free-style or have one of the parents teach the kids a fun dance routine. Another option is playing sit-down dance, in which, unlike musical chairs, the floor counts as a seat and no one is left out of the game (drama? No, thank you!). Save this activity to when the kids’ energies are at their highest, and let them wear themselves down. Here are the top song choices for a cool kiddy dance party.

Playdough Making Station

Instead of letting the kids play with expensive, low quality, store-bought playdough, have them make their own. This is a great home-made playdough recipe a lot of parents like to use. It doesn’t dry out fast and can last for months. The kids can create it in different colors, play with it, and then take it home with them (ask the other parents to bring their own containers).

Creation Station

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If one of the parents in your group is into visual arts or graphic design, they will probably make a good fit for managing this station. Depending on the kids’ ages, pick out your materials at any store: paper, popsicle sticks, crayons, markers, pomp poms, pipe cleaners, stickers, glue etc. Click here for more art station ideas.

Snack Station

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For this you can either ask each parent to bring an item, or have one parent set it up as a snack making station. These parties tend to be packed with candy, but if you want a simple, healthy snack to balance it all out - check out this one.

Sing-along

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When sending out the invitation with the different tasks the parents can choose from, make sure you include this option. If there’s a parent in your group with some sort of musical inclintation, they will proabaly jump on the idea of hosting a short, fun sing-along. A guitar will do, but if you have some basic kid-friendly instruments (marracas, triangle) then the children can also participate. For a list of the top 100 sing-along tunes for kids, click here.

Cupcake Decorating Station

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Prepare cupcakes before the party (1-2 per child) and set them up on a designated table. In small bowls, put various toppings (chocolate chips, coconut, sprinkles), as well as icing, food coloring gel and small plastic bags. For further instructions on how to make the prefect cupcake activity click here.

Story Time

When it’s time to dial down the party vibes, invite the kids to your story time station. Make it fun by asking the parents to bring pillows and blankets to the playdate, and have the kids sit in a cozy pillow/blanket fort. For the story teller role, chose a parent that can animate the plot by using unique voices, facial expressions and overall a good sense of humor. For a list of great story time books click here.