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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]My DD and her friends typically entertain themselves. They do nails and hair. They watch tv. They make up plays. They do crafts - right now they are making jewelry and bookmarks. They make music lys. They listen to music. They shop online and then beg us moms to buy them new clothes. They bake. That's all I can think of. [/quote]

Right now we don't have a tv and tend to not let kids use games/computers. We are wondering if we are outliers and that is part of why bored.

We will keep crafts handy thought they had outgrown that.

Movie and ice skating and such are great but right now we are kind of limited to at home play dates when we host. [/quote]

I am sorry but you are better off not inviting the kids over[/quote]

OP, ignore this ridiculous PP. You're fine inviting kids over even if you don't have a TV or video games or don't want to haul them on outings.

I agree with the earlier PP who said always have a plan for a first play date; your DD should work with you to make that plan. It doesn't have to be elaborate or expensive and does not have to involve going to a pool or movie or whatever ; you just need to have a couple of things that will occupy the kids. Crafts are very good for this, even for kids who walk in and say "I'm not crafty." Have a variety of things on hand -- both kits that guide kids through to a completed end product (such as full kits for making, say, friendship bracelets) or go online for about a million different ideas. We've had kids over to make tote bags out of old t-shirts and decorate them with fabric paint; to tie-dye t-shirts they brought with them (save that one for good weather to do it outside); some kids like to just sit around and mess with beads and make jewelry while they talk.

If your DD has friends who moan that they really would rather be watching TV during a play date...next time you invite someone else who doesn't do that. It's 100 percent your prerogative to tell the kids that here are these two kits, and here are a pile of cool beads etc. etc. and here are some games, and those are all there for them. Then you leave. Your DD will need to be a bit more assertive and suggest things, and even just pick up a craft or activity and start doing it herself, if she wants guests to get engaged.

My own DD is a teen now but she knew when she was younger that watching TV was not something you did with a guest over, period. And we never had any gaming systems or games on phones etc. She survived with plenty of friends. Your DD will too.

Be sure she's inviting over kids who share something with her besides just being a classmate -- see if you can get play dates with kids who have a common interest or activity with her. That helps move things along.[/quote]

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