Playdates are a great way to encourage your nanny children to socialise, whilst also providing a reprieve away from your regular daily schedule.
However, whilst beneficial, playdates can also be hard-work which is why we’ve put together our top tips to make your first playdate as a nanny run smoothly:
- Plan Ahead – Even if you end up not sticking to it, it’s useful to have a rough idea of what will be happening during the playdate, especially if the children don’t all know each other. Make a plan of what activities/games you have in mind. You could even allocate different activities to different areas so that the children can choose what they want to do first. This will also be useful if you have children of different ages or abilities together in a group.
- Assess the Risks – Remember that putting children together in any environment can be dangerous. It’s important that you assess the risks and take precautions. This can include things like taking sunscreen/hats when outside and checking for any food allergies or dietary requirements ahead of time.
- Involve Other Nannies or Parents – Share the responsibility of hosting a playdate by getting other nannies or parents involved. This will also help to ensure that your playdate isn’t treated as free childcare for others. Just let the other adults know that you’re happy that they want to get involved and explain if you need to that children need to be accompanied.
- Don’t Neglect Your Nanny Children – Your nanny children are your top priority and whilst it’s helpful for you to talk to other nannies and parents, and being a host/hostess can be distracting, you need to keep an eye on your charges at all times.
- Keep Your Opinions to Yourself – Playdates are a great way for you to interact with more adults than you normally have the opportunity to. It can be nice to make new connections whilst your nanny children are playing and having fun. However, you still need to take care about what you say and above all, remain professional. If you have any problems with your employers, keep them to yourself and avoid spreading gossip that will only cause problems for you in future.
Use these tips to ensure that your first playdate runs smoothly and keeps everyone happy. Who knows, you might even turn it into a regular event.
If you already have experience planning successful playdates, share your tips in the comments.