Social interaction is important for your preschooler’s development, but it might not necessarily be your strong suit. No worries! Here’s some tips for how to make play dates with other preschool moms, make some new friends of your own, and actually have fun while doing it.
MEET THE NEIGHBORS
Your preschooler’s best friend could be living right down the street, and who knows…yours could be too! Having friends in the neighborhood is a convenient way to squeeze some time with friends into your busy schedule. Some ways you can meet your neighbors are by:
Saying Hello
It sounds simple, but how often do you actually speak with your neighbors? Try getting out for daily walks, and striking up some conversations. 5 houses down you may run into a mom sitting outside watching her child play all alone, and your child was just the friend they needed to walk by and say hello.
Attending Block Parties
Some neighborhoods host block parties or other social events. Attending these events is a great way to meet other moms in your neighborhood. Just be sure to bring your preschooler along to the event so they can meet their neighborhood friends before you start setting up playdates.
Hosting A Social
If your neighborhood doesn’t host any social events, have one of your own! Put some flyers on doors with the words “Free BBQ” and you’ll have new friends in no time. Make sure to let everyone know to bring their kiddos along!
TAKE MOMMY AND ME CLASSES
Mommy and Me classes are a great way to do some fun activities with your preschooler while meeting other mom’s with similar interests. Some types of classes offered are:
- Yoga
- Swimming
- Storytime
- Art
- Music
- Cooking
JOIN PARENTING GROUPS
Facebook is a great place to find other moms that are trying to figure out how to make playdates also. Join some local parenting groups, and put yourself out there. Be active in the group, and get to know some moms nearby. Staying active in these groups is a great way to find out about any local activities you and your preschooler could attend.
STRIKE UP CONVERSATIONS
You can have all the parties, take all the classes, and join all the groups you want, but unless you have some conversations it’s going to be hard to set up any playdates. Pay attention to any children your preschooler is spending time with, and start a conversation with that child’s mother.
If you have a hard time knowing how to approach another mom, these tips for making friends with moms on the playground will have you setting up playdates in no time.
It’s also important to get to know the other parents in your child’s preschool, especially the mother of any children your preschooler mentions frequently. Try to show up a little early to class, or linger behind a little bit and introduce yourself.
Simply tell the other preschool mom how much your child loves playing with theirs, and ask if they’d like to exchange contact information so the two of them can spend more time playing together. Most likely you’ll find out their child has been talking about yours non stop and they’re relieved to finally put a face to the name.
DOWNLOAD AN APP
Peanut
Peanut is basically tinder for mom friends, but way better. You can hunt for the perfect mom friend , get your kiddos together for playdates, and be a part of a supportive community.
Social Mom
Social Mom is another great app that allows you to connect with local moms that have children in the same age range as your own. They also offer a supportive community and resources for online mental health services.
Nextdoor
Nextdoor is not specifically aimed towards meeting other moms, but it is a great resource for staying involved in your community. It’s basically like a facebook for your community. You’ll see posts about businesses, schools, politics, etc.
You may even come across a post from another mom looking for a playdate for their child that just happens to be the same age as yours!
Free Preschool: What It Is and Who It’s For
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