Ever been in the middle of a playdate and the kids just start melting down? It seems to be inevitable. Sometimes, all it takes are the parents to have a chat with the child to get the playdate back on track. But, sometimes, a distraction is needed. This is when I like to have an activity or special snack planned for the playdate just in case. Over the course of this year, I’m going to be sharing ways to “elevate” a playdate. This isn’t a go-all-out party nor is it a way to show up other moms. These ideas are simply distractions to break up those awkward first meetings and bad days for the kids.

I love trying to squeeze in an informal party during the fall season before the holiday season kicks in. This party is simple and easy to put together and can easily be tacked onto another event, say, during a college football game on TV or after a morning soccer game. Here’s how I threw this party together:

For my son’s fourth birthday, we skipped a party in favor of a sleepover with his best friend and a beach day the next week. This was the first sleepover for either boy and I wanted to make it extra-special. Here are a few tips I learned from the experience.

Does your town host a movie in the park during the summer?