This post was sponsored by P&G as part of an Influencer Activation for Influence Central. I received complimentary products to facilitate my review.
Don’t let playdates get you down. Become the hostess with the mostest with this ultimate guide to the easy playdate! #PGDetailsMatter
Playdates. You love ‘em, and you love to hate them. Personally, I like going to them. I like hosting them. But, man oh man. After the toddler tornado blows through, the clean up can be a bear.
It took me a couple of years to find my groove with hosting playdates. The stress of getting ready for 8 kids and moms to come to my house was a lot. But then seeing the utter destruction left in their path after leaving? That put my type-A self over the edge.
Now that I have three… THREE… kids, I’ve had plenty of practice and can now say with certainty – playdates can’t get me down! I’ve got plenty of tricks up my sleeve for entertaining, feeding, and of course cleaning up afterwards. And who am I to hoard these tips?
Let’s just go ahead and call it this the ULTIMATE guide to the easy playdate!
1) Tidy, but don’t clean before the playdate. Empty the dishwasher so you can load up dirty dishes easily after. Make sure there’s TP and empty froggy potties in the bathrooms. And sure, if you’ve got infants/crawlers coming, vacuum the rug.
But really, don’t go overboard. We’re all moms. Your super clean house is just gonna make the rest of us feel bad. If you use a cleaning service, book the playdate the day before they come!
2) Have a game plan. What do you want the kids to do? Let the parents know in advance if there will be water or outdoor play so they can provide their own gear and not leave you with dirty laundry to boot! We had fun with these playdate events: outdoor scavenger hunts, themed movie playdates, baby food making party.
3) Fuel the little monsters. I’ve been to BYOLunch playdates, potluck playdates, I’ve ordered pizza for the event, and I’ve cooked. Whatever you decide, don’t worry if little Tommy doesn’t like carrots… not your problem. But, if there are any specific allergies, be mindful to have something they can eat.
I have a few menu ideas that I’ve used and went over well. You can find plenty of food and craft ideas here.
4) Relax. Have fun with your friends and your children. Manage major messes when you have too, but plan on cleaning later. After you recover from the playdate.
I always run to Costco and get food for the playdate and cleaning supplies before a big playdate. I always make sure to pick up Bounty Advanced paper towels, Cascade Complete Action Pacs, and my favorite Mr. Clean Magic Erasers.
When fingers smear paint on the table… when pizza sauce hits the floor… don’t stress. Just keep a few rolls of Bounty Advanced paper towels out and about and you and fellow mommas can clean surfaces and little hands as needed.
Don’t worry about dishes. I prefer to use actual dishes instead of paper plates just because it’s one less thing I have to buy. But I certainly don’t do any dishes when my friends are over. I keep a big bucket on the counter and invite everyone to put dirty dishes in it for me to do later. It keeps the sink empty and usable, and lets you corralled everything in one place.
Once everyone is gone, just load ‘er up and put a Cascade Complete Action Pac in the dishwasher… you’re good to go.
5) Manage the aftermath. Everyone’s gone and your house looks like zombies attacked. Don’t lose your cool. You got this.
Of course the kids drew on the walls. What else did you expect? That’s why you buy Mr. Clean Magic Eraser in bulk, smart mamma! 🙂
Legos all over the floors? Just toss ‘em in a bucket and let the kids sort them on a rainy day.
Hope my years of playdate stress will pay off for enjoyable times for you and your little ones! Happy summer… happy playing!
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