How many play dates?

[Anonymous]

How many play dates per week (1-2hr each) would you ideally want for your 1-year-old DC/charge? Only child, social but obv too you g to really play together but does enjoy watching, following, "sharing" etc. I just want to be sure I'm not over scheduling or depriving him.

[Anonymous]

My charge is 14 months old and we schedule 1-2actual play dates a week plus stop by the park where we meet other babies around her age once a week or so. The socialization is so important but I wouldn't go too overboard. have fun!

[Anonymous]

I'm and MB, and I think it depends on what goes on at the playdates. My nanny likes to take DD on playdates with her friend's charges. It's great in theory, but what actually happens is that the kids have parallel independent play on the floor with the host child's toys while the nannies have lunch together. I don't have a problem with that because a nanny who gets to see other adults during the day will be much happier than one who doesn't, but I would prefer to see this type of playdate happen no more than once or twice per week. If the nannies were a little more creative about playdates--for example, by planning activities, leading games, initiating pretend play, reading, or planning outdoor meetups--I'd be okay with them doing it every day. I just think toddlers need a broader range of stimuli than they can get through parallel independent play with toys.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I'm and MB, and I think it depends on what goes on at the playdates. My nanny likes to take DD on playdates with her friend's charges. It's great in theory, but what actually happens is that the kids have parallel independent play on the floor with the host child's toys while the nannies have lunch together. I don't have a problem with that because a nanny who gets to see other adults during the day will be much happier than one who doesn't, but I would prefer to see this type of playdate happen no more than once or twice per week. If the nannies were a little more creative about playdates--for example, by planning activities, leading games, initiating pretend play, reading, or planning outdoor meetups--I'd be okay with them doing it every day. I just think toddlers need a broader range of stimuli than they can get through parallel independent play with toys.

I agree. Once or twice a week seems about right.

[Anonymous]

Thanks for the feedback so far!

For play dates at my charge's house I have planned activities - like making goop and putting it in a wading pool for full body mess/play, or one time my MB had a bunch of boxes so I made a tunnel maze out of them and we all crawled around inside. At other people's houses he's usually so excited to explore new rooms and toys an activity isn't required.

We do proper play dates like this once or twice a week but we also go to the park every day as well as toddler story time, Gymboree, etc so there is lots of other socialization, and it sounds like I'm on track for the formal get togethers too. Great news

[Anonymous]

Huh. My nanny plans a playdate for every day. It's a rare day when they're not off to the zoo or off to someone's house or off to meet whomever at the park.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Huh. My nanny plans a playdate for every day. It's a rare day when they're not off to the zoo or off to someone's house or off to meet whomever at the park.

Hmmm, we do activities with other kids every day, but in this case I meant play dates which involve playing in one child's house or yard, rather than in a community setting. If we meet up with some little friends at the park, I don't call that a play date (although I could see why one would).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Huh. My nanny plans a playdate for every day. It's a rare day when they're not off to the zoo or off to someone's house or off to meet whomever at the park.

Hmmm, we do activities with other kids every day, but in this case I meant play dates which involve playing in one child's house or yard, rather than in a community setting. If we meet up with some little friends at the park, I don't call that a play date (although I could see why one would).

Yeah. My nanny does that every day. Meet up at the zoo, go back to friend's house for lunch, and the baby naps on the way home.