As a wonderful way for your child to make friends, cement current friendships and build their confidence as an individual, play dates are an essential part of day-to-day life. When they’re not at pre-school, nursery or big school, giving them the opportunity to catch up with their little mates either at home, or elsewhere, will help them to realise that friendships can go beyond the school playground.

If you have friends or family members with similar aged kids, or you’ve been part of a baby group or Netmums meetup, chances are you’ve already had plenty of opportunity to organize and attend play dates with people in a similar position. Whether a play date is a success or not depends largely on what your plans are – meeting up at a park or soft play centre, or meeting up at home, combined with plenty of other aspects, can help to mould the play date into a winner!

Setting a play date up in the first place can be a little difficult – you have to try and find a time that suits the people you’re asking, as well as yourself and, with busy lives, this can be easier said than done! Try and plan one in advance so that everyone can add it to their diaries and ensure not to double book themselves.

If you’re having the play date at your house, make sure that you set up various toys that will encourage social skills and interaction. Put away any toys that promote solo play so that your child will have every reason to mingle with their friends. Perhaps set up a little diorama with their stash of Imaginext and provide them with plenty of figures that will encourage them to share and play nicely. Boys will love to show off their medieval castle, knights and dragons to their new-found friends!

One of the main things that will make a play date run sour is the kids’ ability to share. After all, they’re still learning and, at a young age, they don’t understand the concept of sharing their toys as much as you’d like. Try and avoid this by providing them with options. Perhaps your little girl is fighting her little friend over the pushchair and baby – provide them with another, attractive option such as a spare pushchair, shopping trolley or baby swing. You get the picture!

Once they’re over the sharing issues, everything will be rosy. Kids are all about the fun and, with play dates, they have every reason to enjoy themselves!