Anyone who knows me, knows that I LOVE fun playdate ideas. They are the perfect excuse to let the kids entertain each other while the moms socialize.
Even if I have to do a little work to plan or host, it’s worth the sanity break it gives me!
Hosting Playdates That Rock – Assign a Theme & Roll With It!
Here are some fun playdate themes I find work especially well for toddlers and little kids ages 2 through 5. Use your best judgment as to what is most appropriate for your little ones.
READ MORE: How to Host an Awesome Playdate
When you have more than one child, sometimes you have to cater to one age range, say 4- or 5-year-olds, at one playdate, then make the next one for the younger ones, like ages 2 and 3.
It can be tough trying to please everyone at all times!
70 Fun Playdate Ideas for Little Kids
- Puzzle making playdate – you can get a pack of blank cardboard puzzles at Michael’s for a few dollars
- Jewelry making playdate
- Tag & Red Rover & Duck Duck Goose – just in your back yard or an open field at a park
- Feed the ducks at a local pond
- Inflatable bounce house gyms
- Open play at a gymnastics facility
- Trampoline / jumping – either at home or at a trampoline arena
- Bowling
- Sports Playdate – Tennis / Soccer / T-Ball / Basketball / Kickball
- Splash and Sprinklers playdate
- Holiday Brunch/Dinner – 4th of July, Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Year’s, Easter, Mother’s Day
- Free summer movies
- Nature Walk – collect items, make leaf art, etc.
- Lunch at the park
- Charity craft or collection – make something for charity like gift packages for troops, collect items for hunger, etc.
- Bowling
- Roller skating
- Picnic Lunch in Back Yard
- Pizza making – at home or at a restaurant
- Watch a clown show
- Beginning or End of School Year Celebration
- Storytime – Barnes & Noble or another book store
- Coffee & Dessert at a local shop
- Dot stamping / painting using pencil erasers or dot paint
- Simple back yard playdate
- Dance party
- Healthy snacks playdate / eat the rainbow – make a rainbow pizza or bring fruit in rainbow colors
- Mother’s Day / Father’s Day craft
- Splash park
- Kid or science museums
- Ice skating
- Park playdates
- Airport observing
- Firehouse visit
- Lemonade stand
- Visit a puppet theater or have one of your own
- Tea party
- Princess / Superhero dress-up
- Scavenger hunt
- Ice cream making
- Bike ride & lunch
- Stroller walk
- Playground fitness session
- Indoor playset – look for places that sell nice playsets that have one set up for public use
- Archaeology dig
- Movie & related craft/snack
- Handprint or footprint art
- Mini golf
- Frozen yogurt
- Amusement park
- Pet a Pony – local horse farms might offer these
- Strawberry, Blueberry/Blackberry, or Apple Picking
- Hay Ride / Pumpkin Patch
- Arcade
- Build a Fortress (with sheets and chairs)
- Celebrate the first day of each new season
- Plant flowers, a bush, or tree
- Grow cute grass heads
- Make homemade Playdoh
- Finger painting
- Outdoor wall art – spread a large roll of paper across the fence and give the kids washable paint & brushes
- Spa day – paint nails, do hair
- Face painting
- Jump rope
- Water balloon fight
- Bird watching / bug identification
- Kite flying
- Worm finding
- Science project of any kind – tornadoes in water bottles, volcanoes, etc.
- Make teacher gifts
I have about a billion more ideas rolling around in my head, but I figured 70 was a good start. :=)
Limitless Playdate Ideas – Celebrate Random Days, Add a Unique Angle
You could also take any playdate idea and add any angle to it. You could even celebrate birthdays of famous authors like Dr. Seuss in February. If you think like a teacher, the possibilities are endless.
Did you know that month of September has Teddy Bear Day, Scooby Doo’s Birthday, National Chocolate Milkshake Day, Johnny Appleseed Day, National Grandparents Day, and even Collect Rocks Day? LOL
More Fun Playdate Ideas from WhatMommyDoes
10 Themed Playdate Ideas Your Kids Will LOVE!
List of Seasonal Playdate Ideas
What are some of your favorite playdates to host or attend? Feel free to add to this list in the comments below.
Don’t forget to pin this image to remember where you saw this list of playdate ideas!
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