Tips for Taking Your Baby on Their First Playdate

If you currently have a newborn or are expecting one, then you may be curious about how to prepare both yourself and your little one for their first (inevitable!) playdate. Even for very young babies, having even the most basic social interactions can be helpful. They can see and experience other babies like themselves and can observe their behaviors and mannerisms. All of which is good and lays a healthy foundation for future social interactions. Plus, it’s just fun to let your kids play together while you and the other parents can commiserate and bond as well. But, getting ready for that first playdate can be daunting! As with everything else that concerns a baby, there are a LOT of considerations and safety issues that you need to take into account. In today’s blog, we’re going to cover some of the top best practices for having the perfect playdate with your little one.

Choose the Right Time of Day

This is a tough one because the weather has to be suitable if you’re going to be meeting outside, so you have to time the temperature just right as well as making sure that you land it just between their nap intervals as well. We suggest a late morning or early afternoon start so that you can hit that perfect awake period before having to go down for another nap. It’s also a good idea to keep the whole encounter relatively short as well. Shoot for 30 minutes as a minimum and 90 minutes at the top end. If needed, you can book end a nap in the car on the way to the play date and one on the way home.

Make Sure To Pack The Essentials

You may be surprised to learn that babies require a lot of accessories in order to travel! All joking aside, when you’re planning for your first playdate, you want to have some essentials on hand to make sure that your baby has everything she needs and that things can go smoothly, regardless of what curveballs come flying your way. Here’s a quick packing list to get you started:

• Diapers, wipes, and a changing pad
• “Zippable” plastic food storage bags:
  • We also recommend keeping 4 or 5 gallon sized zippable plastic food storage bags in your diaper kit. If you need to get rid of a poopy diaper + the wipes and there isn’t a trash can immediately at hand, then you will want an alternative. Being able to zip everything up in an air tight (no smell!), sturdy bag that can be thrown away as soon as you find a garbage can is a game-changer. 

This situation happens more often than you might imagine! Think busses, trains, parks (many of which have trash cans, but they are often far away), or if you are out hiking taking a stroll around the neighborhood and you don’t want them to sit in a poopy diaper until you get home, having a sealable plastic bag on hand give you the freedom to travel wherever you’d like with your baby without fear of being stuck with a poopy diaper and a bunch of dirty wipes and nowhere to put them. 

• Bottles, formula, or pumped milk (if bottle-feeding)
• Hand sanitizer (mostly for you, especially if you have to change where there are no immediately available bathrooms or sinks)
• A blanket for floor play
• Extra clothes for spills or accidents
• Baby’s favorite toy or comfort item
• Snacks for older infants (puffs, teething biscuits, or fruit)

Start With a Familiar Friend or Small Group

Keep things simple the first few times. That way you can get yourself and your baby used to the idea of social interactions and new places and faces. After the first few times, try branching out to places like the zoo or your local children’s museum!

Keep Safety in Mind

Make sure that wherever you’re going for a playdate has updated child-proofing measures in place. Before setting up your blankets for a fun tummy time/play area, do a quick safety check to ensure that the play area is safe, quiet, and appropriate for babies. Don’t forget to pack extra sanitizing wipes and hand sanitizer gel as well. 

Before You Go

We hope that this blog about your baby’s first playdate was helpful to you. If your little one is still fussy after feeds, struggling to settle, or having trouble sleeping, we’re here to support you.

From sleep consulting to in-home sleep training and overnight newborn care or in-home newborn care services, we offer personalized guidance to help your little one (and you!) get the rest you need.

Have questions? Let’s Chat — we’d love to help your family rest easier.

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Katie B.

Expertise You Need:

• Certified Master Pediatric Sleep Consultant
• Certified Advanced Newborn Care Specialist (2016-2022)
• Board Certified Holistic Healthcare Practitioner
• 16 years professional childcare experience
• Certified Postpartum Doula (2015-2022)
• Travel & ROTA Nanny

 

The content contained in this blog is for informational and educational purposes only. It is not intended as medical advice or to replace the advice of any medical professional. It is based on our opinions and experience working with newborns and their families. Other’s opinions may vary. It does not represent the views of any affiliated organizations. The reader understands that the term “Babynurse” is often a word used to describe a newborn caregiver. However, unless otherwise disclosed, we are not licensed nurses in any state. By reading and/or utilizing any information or suggestions contained in this blog, the reader acknowledges that we are not medical professionals and agrees to and waives any claim, known or unknown, past, present or future. This blog may contain affiliate links.

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